My 1 Month Weight Loss Journal- Day 1

Day one of my 1 month weight loss journal! Goal: lose 10 lbs (Get all 30 days here) ETA an update April 2023 – FINALLY LOST THESE 10LBS!!

Right now, I’m 10 pounds up from my best weight earlier this year, and my clothes are starting to get tight again. I do NOT want to go out and buy a new wardrobe, and I REALLY liked how I felt at my ideal weight. (read about my bikini prep here)

So, I’m going back to old school blogging and documenting the next month (30 days) to see how close I can get back to where I was last spring.

I fully understand the number on the scale is just a number. But, because I knew I’d forget easily at how good I felt between 105-108lbs (I’m 5ft tall for reference), I kept a journal with notes on how I felt.

I know people like to say not to wait until you reach your ideal weight to be happy with your life. And while that’s true, I can’t deny that I really was happier. Not only did I have more energy, my clothes fit great, I could go clothes shopping without getting depressed, and I had extraordinary confidence that showed in every aspect of my social life.

I often wonder how much of that euphoria was simply because I wasn’t overeating. (read the one question that helped me stop overeating here!)

Overeating can wreak havoc on your physical health. We get sick, lethargic, bloated, increased heart rate, and even shorter life span. Huberman tweeted this quote once, about overeating and fatigue. He said, “It doesn’t matter what you eat; if you eat too much (volume) of food, you’ll be tired. It’s called blood flow diversion. Eat to 85% full and you’ll avoid this source of fatigue. #science”

Day 1. 117.2 lbs

Regardless of how I got here, today is day 1! I was 117.2 lbs this morning. Compared to where I’ve come from, I’m not mad about being 117 lbs. In fact, I believe I’ve gained muscle over the last 6 months, which is going to add at least 1-2 lbs.

But, at the same time, I know I’m overeating on a daily basis, and it doesn’t make me feel good.

So, here we go! The current diet plan is as follows:

High protein, moderate carbs, low fat

Prioritizing protein has been a game changer for my weight loss success. I’m absolutely a carboholic, and I’ll never try a no carb diet. But, the truth is, carbs are SO easy to overeat. I always want a third and fourth slice of toast, but I rarely want another cup of egg whites.

It’s absolutely not trendy to say you prefer a low fat diet. And, I know dietary fat is essential to health. But, I also know, every time I try to add nut butters, coconut, fatty meats, etc. into my diet, I find it extremely difficult to stick to my calorie targets. Not only that, but nuts and nut butters make me feel overly bloated.

So, I prefer a low fat diet! I feel better, and I feel like I can eat more.

Counting Calories (Target 1500)

I originally lost weight eating 1200 calories, but with my added muscle, I’ve been able to maintain the weight loss at 1500. I know I’m eating well above 2000 right now since the scale keeps going up. So, getting back to 1500 calories for the next month is the goal.

Exercise

While I exercise almost daily, it’s been several months since I exercised with any intensity. Most days, I’m just going through the motions and my heart rate barely peaks up above 130. So, for the next 30 days, I’m going to make an effort to

• Run for 30-45 minutes in a heart rate zone 150-180 6 days a week.
• and lift weights 5 days a week, but start tracking my rest time so it’s not more than 30-60 seconds between sets.

Mindset- Just get started

And finally, the mindset! For the next month on this weight loss journey, I’ll share in ‘journal style’ the struggles and the challenges, and how I get over it.

Right now, just getting started has been tough. I make an excuse every afternoon why putting off tracking my food just one more day is the best idea. When there is no deadline or goal in my mind, starting tomorrow is always a good idea, because it justifies me eating whatever I want, and then feeling sick by evening, which I hate!

My best mindset hack right now is actually seeing progress. Once I drop a few pounds, I’m EXTREMELY motivated to keep up the momentum. The problem is, and has always been, the first few pounds takes more than a week or two of being ultra consistent. So, it ‘feels’ like what I’m doing isn’t working. But, it just takes patience, consistency, and not giving up!

And for extra motivation, this was a photo I found on my phone from earlier this year when I was at my best weight. Again, it’s not about the weight, but how comfortable I felt in my skin (and clothes) and I know I felt great in anything I wore during this time!

So, I’d love to have you follow along. I likely won’t share that I’m keeping this journal until the 30 days is over, so until then….. I’ll keep publishing a new journal entry every day!

Wish me luck!

READ NEXT—> DAY 2 THE SECOND HELPING RULE