Day 100- Lessons Learned

Well day 100 has happened. I marked this occasion a few ways:
1. GRADUATING FROM UNIVERSITY!!!!
2. Not meeting my 16 pound weight loss goal...sad face.
3. Going to a boot camp at 6:30 in the morn, before my graduation...
and...
4. Eating some pizza

As a engineer (whooaa its official) I have learned that when I do projects there should always be a project closure component where there project is reviewed. This is sometimes referred to as "lessons learned"...These are my lessons learned from the project of my totally typical weight loss challenge.

First, Exercise. Gyms are not a scary place. I have gone from someone who never went to a gym, to someone who goes at last twice a week. I have tried every single Goodlife Class, and some Dalplex classes and hot yoga. I have also started a boot camp. I now know how to the use machines, and am not afraid to try new things.  My fitness knowledge has expanded exponentially. In order to keep going to the gym/exercising 4+ times a week, I need motivation in the form of a friend or a expensive class, and I also do better when I schedule the workouts in. I should also remind myself that as much as sometimes I really don't want to go the gym, once I go and workout I love it!!

Second, Diet. I give the Diet Solution Program a good review. It is pretty easy to follow and I like how it just makes sense (low sugar is better). I did really well for the month of March and then didn't do so well for the months of April or May. I changed my diet almost permanently in the fact that I don`t drink juice anymore, and try to eat 5 times a day instead of one. Things I definitely can improve are meal planning, and getting back to the low sugar diet when my life permits, and eating smaller portions.

Third, Goals. I wanted to loose 16 pounds. I didn`t even come close. Loosing wight is like 80% diet and 20% exercise. If I had been as good as I had been in March for the rest of my challenge I would have been way closer to reaching my goals.  If I gave my self a mark on this challenge as a whole it would be a C+. C for the actual effort, and the + for all the learning I did!

But (and this is big)...even though I didn`t see the results I wanted on the scale, my clothes fit nicer, my arms and my legs are toned, and I don`t feel bloated and tired all the time from crappy food. My energy levels definitely increased when I was eating very well, and I have come to love multi vitamins, organic food, and fish oil.

All that being said, I am still not in the healthy BMI range, and really want to get to my goal weight. I want to keep trying, and therefore I am keeping my blog. I like how I get to share with you my progress, and my fun findings about diet and exercise! Not reaching my goal has somehow made me more motivated to reach my goal (does that make sense?). And that just shows me how much I have changed. To me weight loss was always like a start and end period so if I didn't do what I wanted in a certain period, I would quit. But this has been more about a lifestyle adjustment, one that I wish to continue