Project Weight Loss: Week 6

November 2nd, 2012 | Posted by Alison Spath in Weight Loss

Week 6 of Project Weight Loss will go down in the Mama’s Weeds history books as

The Week That Life Got in the Way.

Birthdays, birthday celebrations, friends visiting from out of town, hurricanes, Halloween, plus the all usual the family and baby stuff. Let’s just say it’s been a full week.

Last week I got a glimpse of the 130’s when I weighed 139.6, (WOOT!) but that’s all it was. A glimpse.

I had a feeling that 139 was going to be fleeting given it showed up when I weighed myself after a morning run, and as predicted, I was back up to 140 the following morning. But it’s all OK. I know the 130’s will be here to stay soon enough, it’s just a matter of time. And calories.

All week the scale seemed to hang out in the low 140’s, and today it still said 140.4.

The good news is this doesn’t surprise me when I look back at the week. It would feel like bad news if I thought I worked hard and didn’t see any results. But no, a week with no progress (as far as the scale is concerned) is exactly what I expected. Last weekend was FULL of too. much. good. food. with birthday celebrations (for Zak) and more. I didn’t exercise much in the beginning of the week due to out of town visitors and crazy weather. It was Wednesday before I finally felt like I was getting back on track, and now it’s suddenly Friday already. Please make your own WOOSH sound effect here.

Are these just excuses? I’m not sure. I do know that I’m forging ahead and do have a couple of things to share from the week, progress or no progress.

The first would be finding ways to work some exercise into my daily life with a (not so) wee (18.5 lb) babe.  Now that the days are getting shorter, morning and evening exercise [the two times of the day I can escape for a run during the week] is even harder to come by.

We are homeschoolers, but the girls still have a couple of classes they attend during the week. One class is about 2 miles from home. Kaz and I drop them off in the car and then return to pick them up 3 hours later. I realized a couple weeks ago that I could squeeze a nice long walk into my day if I strap him into the Ergo for a nap while I walked back to where their class is held, and then together we can all take the bus home thanks to city living and abundant public transportation.

It takes me just under 40 minutes to walk there, it saves him a trip in his loathed car seat and it only costs $2 for all of us to ride the bus home together.

Best of all, I get this adorable view on the way there.

Kaz in Ergo

It was an overcast 45 degrees when we walked yesterday, so I bundled him up and he snuggled down for a nap while I walked us back to pick up our big girls. I’m not sure how long we’ll be able to do this with the cold, wet weather on the way, but I hope to keep it up for as long as I’m able to keep him warm and dry.

I haven’t been sharing many of my daily meals because they still look a lot like the do from Weeks 1, 2 and 3. Oats for breakfast, big salads, beans, lentils, omelets for lunch and dinners. It’s a lot of the same stuff over and over again.

A couple weeks ago I read a great blog post from The IF Life with a bunch of weight loss wisdom that I enjoyed. I’m now reminded of one of the many great points from that post:

If you don’t want to count calories, keep your daily meals somewhat consistent. You can then know if its working or not. Random meals gives random feedback.

Thus I don’t feel too bad eating the same old meals most days of the week.  I did make Spicy Red Lentil Chili for dinner last night, a dish I hadn’t made in a while.

Spicy Red Lentil Chili

I threw the lentils, tomatoes, spices and water into the crock pot on high at 1pm.  I sauteed up the peppers, onions and garlic on the stove and added them to the crock pot before Kaz and I left to pick up the girls around 3.  Dinner was ready to eat at 6 o’clock on the dot!

I also made some banana muffins that clocked in at 244 calories each.  I’ll share the recipe over the weekend because 1.) they were simple, kid friendly and tasty 2.) I realized I do not have a recipe for banana bread in the archives. I need to remedy this.

Simple Banana Muffins

I made No Bake Date Ball cookies for a friend who also had a birthday this week. I love that these are a relatively healthy but still a sweet treat.

Date Ball Cookies

I made some for us later and took careful notes of the quantities used so I could get a calorie count on them, instead of estimating ingredients like I usually do.

10 Medjool dates, 3 Tbsp coconut oil, 1 1/4 c rolled oats, 2 Tbsp almond butter, 2 Tbsp ground flax seed, 1/4 c chocolate chips stirred in at the end. I followed this no bake, date ball cookie methodology.

No Bake Cookie Nutritional Stats

16 cookies (note that two are mysteriously missing!) 122 calories each, lots of nutrient dense ingredients, this is one cookie you don’t have to feel guilty about.

Actually, let’s try not feel guilty about any cookies… but you know what I mean.

Details from the week:

Friday, 10/26
Weight: 139.6
Net Calories:
Exercise: 4 mile run, 38 minutes

Saturday, 10/27
Weight: 140.6
Net Calories:
Exercise:

Sunday, 10/28
Weight: –
Net Calories: –
Exercise: –

Monday, 10/29
Weight: –
Net Calories: 1524
Exercise: –

Tuesday, 10/30
Weight: 142.4
Net Calories: 1566
Exercise: 4 mile run, 37 minutes

Wednesday, 10/31
Weight: –
Net Calories: 1270
Exercise: Pilates, plus 1 hour leisurely walk for Trick or Treating!

Thursday, 11/1
Weight: 141.4
Net Calories: 1451
Exercise: 40 minute/2 mile walk with Kaz

Friday, 11/2
Weight: 140.4

Slow and steady.  This is how lasting, successful weight loss happens, right?  Don’t put your life completely on hold while you’re working toward your goals.

Are there any places in your everyday life where you have squeezed some exercise or additional activity in?  Did the wild east coast weather effect you this week?


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5 Responses

  • Jennifer says:

    Alison, life got in my way this week, too. I’m at the same weight.

    Lots of stress with the storm blasting through here. No power at home and just eating out way too much.

    Next week is a new week! :)

    Kaz is ADORABLE! OMG….look at those eyelashes. He is so cute!

    I came on here to grab your apple crisp recipe. I forgot about it and tried another recipe that bombed. So, off to make yours. :)

  • jen says:

    every time I read your blog I think, “I do the same thing!” haha like eating the same handful of meals for breakfast and lunch because they are safe and I don’t have to think. I was starting to wonder if that was bad for you hehe. Every time I see Kaz my brain screams “EEEE BABY AVA!” haha sorry.

  • Devann says:

    I had. Yucky week due to Halloween and my homemade apples dipped in chocolate and candy. I made them for my son’s daycare teachers but I snacked way too much on the leftover stuff. Then my running got messy bc of out two trick or treat nights. I don’t officially weigh in until Tuesday but I will be content with staying the same weight. If I gained, I certainly know who to blame.

    I am back on track and ready to get serious….