An Update

It's been a while since I updated so here's what's going on with me.

My official weigh-in is on Thursdays. As of last Thursday I was at 242.5 pounds...I started at 265. I am almost to 25 pounds since January 15, 2010. That makes me pretty happy.

I am still working the Couch to 5K training...I have completed Week 1, and am currently in Week 2. I have done Day 1 of Week 2 (Monday) and am looking forward to W2 D2 tomorrow. (...wait....did I just say I am LOOKING FORWARD to running???) Strange, but true! I am really enjoying C2 5K...even typing that amazes me!

I am trying to be very faithful about getting up and walking the dog in the morning. It's a 30 minute walk, but it seems to jump-start my metabolism so much that I really NEED to do it. I end up hitting my activity (1 hour) and my steps targets fairly early in the day. Then it's just a matter of getting that target burn in, which is NEVER a problem when I've walked in the am and then gone to the gym for a workout.

I normally strive for a deficit of 850....2900 out and 2050 in. Lately I've been having a much higher deficit because of a much higher burn. I really hope to see that on the scale this week. We shall see...I am a bit worried that this week I won't have as high of a loss and then next week will be a big one...time will tell.

And, a confession...I have the munchies SO bad tonight. I want to eat SOMETHING....ANYTHING....I'm not sure what the cause is...there could be a couple of culprits. I have been really good so I think that I'm going to get some of the light microwave popcorn I have hidden from the kids and eat that...I think that will satisfy my urge to binge right now. On an impressive note...the hubby and I went to the movies last night and he wanted popcorn...I told him that it was fine and I wouldn't even be mad, but I would not be eating any. Well, he got it and I didn't have even one little kernel. I stayed true to myself and didn't chow down about 1500 calories in that bag. (that's a guess by me, but regardless, I didn't need the calories). I drank my diet coke and chewed gum and enjoyed the show...now for me folks, THAT was dedication!

Have a good one and keep bugging along!

Lori

Does It Work?

DOES IT WORK? How many times have you asked someone (or even yourself) about a weight loss program, pill, gadget, exercise routine, etc? We've all wondered and sometimes even tried the "flavor of the month" miracle cure for obesity because someone said "Yeah, this really works".

Well, I've tried a lot...I'm not even going to list them, but I've tried a LOT of weight loss tips, tricks, and gimmicks. Here's what I've got to say about that...

The Body Bugg really works.....

...if you let it....

You have to be committed to logging your food...and you have to be committed to working the program that it sets up for you. When the program told me to consume 2050 and burn 2900, I didn't get worried about burning 2900...but I thought 2050 consumed per day? That's A LOT...HELLO...I am on a DIET.

But, I believed in giving the program a try...I believed in letting the MATH show me the way. And you know what? It did...it is, and it's going to continue showing me the way!

I, ladies and gentlemen, AM A BELIEVER! (someone pass the cool-aid)....

OK, now in all seriousness....I really believe in the Bugg. Do you know WHY I believe in the Bugg? I'm a numbers person, so the whole Burned - Consumed = Deficit makes total sense to me. Total, complete sense. I get it. I like seeing it daily. I like looking down, seeing that I'm at 1800 and thinking "I'm gonna have to add some activity to get the burn in". I know it sounds a bit sick to some, but I like it!

They (who is this mysterious "they" anyway????) say that "The proof is in the pudding"...I'm sure they're referring to fat free pudding, but regardless...here's the pudding.

1/15/2010....I return from Vegas and begin my journey to "Fit By Forty"
I start this journey at 265 pounds

Early February I research a bit about the Body Bugg and become very interested (ok, maybe obsessed is a better word) about purchasing one.

2/11/10...my husband takes the subtle (as well as not so subtle) hints and says "Hey, why don't you buy that Body Bugg for your birthday present since you seem to want it so much"

Three seconds later...I am online and ordering it. The obsession continues as I track the package from California and pretty much stalk the UPS guy waiting for my Bugg!

2/18/10...I officially start the Body Bugg program...I am on my way.

3/25/2010...At my official weigh in for our gym's Biggest Loser competition (with 2 weeks to go, I think) I weigh in at 242 lbs.

Yeah, I said 242. For anyone mathematically challenged, 265 - 242 is 23 pounds since 1/15/2010. TWENTY THREE. Twenty five is a big number for me...that's 1/4 of the way to 100. Is 100 pounds lost my goal? I don't really know, but 1/4 of the way to losing 100 pounds sure sounds good!

The proof is in the pudding. I log every thing I eat. I am not eating fast food, although if I wanted to I could...I just wouldn't be eating much else that day to stay around 2050 calories for that day.

Body Bugg does a thing where it says "According to your measurements (weight loss) you probably ate x calories, instead of what you logged in". I'm pretty hardcore about logging my food. If there is a discrepancy to how much I'm logging, I want to LOG more than I actually EAT. So, sometimes if I have to estimate a size I will over estimate.

For the time period of 3/16 - 3/24 my food log showed an average of 2034 calories consumed per day and a burn average of 3116. HOWEVER, according to my weight loss (measurement change) the Bugg says I must've actually eaten closer to 1561 calories per day. I find this interesting because honestly I don't think I over estimate by THAT much. But, I'd rather it be on this side of the equation rather than the other. I don't want to see that I've logged in 2000 per day and then based on my weight it looks like I'm actually eating 2500. I've lost 23 pounds...I'll take the margin of error, since it's on my side!

So, Does It Work? Yes, I totally, completely, and absolutely believe that it works, but YOU have to work IT! You have to get that burn target, and you absolutely MUST log in that food...logging the food makes me make healthier choices in what I'm putting in my mouth. After doing this for so long it's just getting to be second nature to weigh, measure, read a label, etc. on food before I buy it or eat it.

I'm so thankful that I have the Body Bugg and that it's helping me achieve my weight loss goals. I can't wait to report a 25 pound loss...then a 50 pound loss...and on! I like to set short term goals, not so much long term. My first short term goal at 265 was to simply get into the 250's. Once I was in the 250's, I focused on getting to the 240's. I can barely believe that I'm in the 240's and knocking on the door of the 230's. It's been a long time since I've been in the 230's. And to think that I'm not going to hang out with the 230's very long...but to start traveling to the 220's....again, a place I haven't visited in OH so long! How amazing!

So, if anyone wants to know "Does It Work" my answer to that would be YES...It's working GREAT for me!

Lori

Accountability

Accountability...

Here's what it means to me. I can't really keep a secret. Not someone else's dirty little secret, but my own stuff. So when I do something that makes me proud it's pretty much impossible for me NOT to share! I've got to tell someone.

So accountability is really important for me in this Fit By Forty journey. I need to set goals and then tell someone about those goals. Then I feel a responsibility to those that I've told to MEET the goals in order to not "let them down". Oh yeah...I'm a pleaser. That can be a really bad character trait. But, that's me, so that's that.

I have a group on Facebook of friends that we call Workout Accountability. We check in periodically, set monthly goals, talk about what we're doing well with working out and eating, etc. We cheer one another on and remind each other on occasion when a goal has been tossed out there and then not readdressed!

So here's my Accountability blab for now. I have been looking at the "Couch To 5K" training for a while. Liz, a friend, is doing it and I was really intrigued by it. So I googled it, read up on it a bit, and even downloaded a podcast for the first 3-4 weeks. Then I thought about it and thought about it.

...could I run?

...me...245 pounds....surely not...I can't RUN.

...but wait....those contestants on BL run on the treadmill sometimes and they're way more than 245....maybe it's possible.....

...no way...running....this is ME we're talking about....I strongly object to running.....

...but wait....those BL folks do it, and I bet you'd burn a LOT more if you did interval runs.....

....no way....H E L L O.....RUNNING....you're thinking about RUNNING....YOU....she-who-doth-not-run....

....this might be a good way to try it....hell, even if I could just get a mile in, it's mile I could run that I couldn't run before.....

So Sunday I went to the gym...I had 30 minutes and then I was heading for groceries. At the end of my time on the treadmill I figured I'd give it a little try...time to find out if I can run for 60 seconds w/out dying on the spot.

Guess what? I did...and I did it a few times...I think I did 3 intervals total (run 60 seconds, walk 90 seconds = 1 interval)

Monday...Monday was the DAY! I went to the gym, got my iPod to the Week 1 C25K podcast and started up. I honestly figured I'd never be able to get all the way thru. I walked at 3.5 mph and then did my runs at 4.0 - 4.2 mph. God LOVE the man that did the podcast, because when he said "You're down to your final 2 intervals" I KNEW I could make it....the end was in sight and I WAS GONNA MAKE IT!

That's right people...I RAN. I'm sure it wasn't particularly pretty or graceful, but I RAN. I did the complete Week 1 Day 1 C25K and I did not die. I didn't fall off the treadmill...I wasn't begging for mercy. I was breathing hard, my heart rate was up there, and I was burning some cals. But I did not DIE! Yee Haw!

I love the trip meter on my BB Digital Display. I reset that meter when I started and then would periodically glance at it to see what my cals per minute were...the Digital Display told me I had gotten up to 10.x per minute. When I uploaded last night it showed that I got into the 12's at times. That's my highest burn per minute EVER.

Today...today is the true test right? If you really push yourself over you're going to feel it the next day. Well, the good news is, I am feeling NO soreness today. Nothing. The warm up and cool down 5 minute walks are built into the podcast so there's no skipping that.

I am really jazzed about this. Will I be able to run a 5K at the end of this training? Who knows...maybe...maybe not. But, by the end of it I will be more fit, and that's the whole point for ME. I find it amazing to type this, but I am honestly and truly looking forward to tomorrow's Week 1 Day 2 C25K workout. That's just unbelievable!

Find your accountability...whether it's a friend, a facebook group, a message board, a blog, or your friends/family. Find it and USE it! If accountability keeps you motivated, DO IT! Accountability is a HUGE motivator for me so I use all of the above! Twenty pounds in 2 months...something's working for me!

Lori

Breakfast Recipe...

OK, here's the deal. I get tired of eating the same thing day after day after day....you get the point. Also, I'm not a big fan of cereal, but it's a quick, easy, and low cal breakfast, so I've been doing Special K for quite a while now. It's time to change things up a bit.

The BL book has a recipe for Steel Cut oats. I've recently been buying these and like them a lot. So, I thought today I'd give it a go. The first thing they say to do is to cook a bunch of the oats ahead of time to shave off some time. Today I cooked a big batch of the oats and now have some in the fridge for the rest of the week.

One change is that the recipe suggested using Almond Milk instead of water. I tried it. I have never consumed Almond Milk in any way, shape, or form, so this was a new experience for me.

Once you have the cooked oats you add frozen berries, vanilla extract, 1/4 cup almond milk, and a packet of sweetener. Stir and microwave for a minute or two. It was REALLY good! Now, I used the recipe builder to see how close my version was to the recipe. I had measured everything out and made a few substitutions to use what I have on hand.

My concoction came in a little higher than the recipe in the book, but still reasonable. Mine had:

345 calories
10.5 g protein
59.5 g carbs
6.8 g fat
11 g fiber
220 mg. calcium
190 mg. sodium
0 cholesterol

I think tomorrow I will use less of the precooked oats to get the calories down a bit. And honestly, I am TOTALLY stuffed. That was a lot of oatmeal.

So, here's the general gist of the recipe:

Take 1/2 cup precooked steel cut oats (I used about 3/4 the first time and it was too much). Add in 1 cup frozen mixed berries, 1 packet splenda, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk. Stir...microwave for 1 - 2 minutes until heated through.

It was tasty and a good change from the Special K every day!

Lori

Fit Food

I recently picked up the newest Biggest Loser book. In it they give quite a few recipes and my goal is to try one recipe each week. I get in a same-old-food rut after a while, so I'm looking forward to trying some new things.

But, before that all begins I'd like to talk about cooking FIT food. There is a lot of good nutritional information in the BL book. If you're not really familiar with nutrition, the book has a lot to offer you. One thing that I LOVE about the body bugg is the "Build a Recipe" function. That's what I'm talking about today.

If you're unfamiliar with this function of the BB program you can find it under the "My Resources" tab. From here click on "Custom Foods" which is the second option, just after "Knowledge Builders".

Once you're in "Custom Foods" you have 3 choices:

1. Enter Nutrition Facts
2. Build a Recipe
3. List Custom Foods

Now, let me say that I'm a creature of habit and believe most people are as well. I buy the same brands of things 95% of the time. Only when the quality of a trusted product has declined will I switch to something else. Because of this it's pretty easy to keep an accurate track of what I'm eating by entering custom foods.

I enter a lot of custom foods. For example, I always eat the same canned black beans, so I entered the nutritional information for that particular brand. I eat the same bread, lunch meat, yogurt, etc. For all of those things that I eat on a regular basis I took the time and entered things in the custom foods in order for my food log to be as accurate as possible.

Now, building a recipe....this can be really fun and educational. The family wanted lasagna recently. Now I knew there was NO way I could eat lasagna...I'm on a diet for goodness sake. But, then I thought about it for a while...what if I could make a reduced fat and calorie lasagna that everyone could enjoy? This is where the Build a Recipe function comes in.

First I entered all of the ingredients I was using, each as a custom food. Then go into "Build a Recipe". First you name the recipe. Next you type an ingredient. This is where you're going to choose everything that you put into the recipe. Make sure that you use the correct portion amounts. If you use 3 cups of non-fat ricotta, make sure you indicate that you use 3 cups. When you enter the custom food you probably put the nutritional value for a 0.5 or 1 cup portion. If you use the entire package you can find the "number of servings per package" and that's the number you'll use.

After you enter all of the ingredients you have to choose how many servings the recipe makes. From my lasagna experiment I figured you could easily cut the pan into 8 servings, so that's what I used.

Then when you eat a meal and use something you've created a recipe for you can choose that food. When I make the lasagna I end up making 2 pans at once...one for now and one to freeze. We ate the frozen one last night. Logging dinner was SO easy! I had about 2 servings, so I just chose my lasagna from the list, entered 2 and my food log was done!

The way this function can be so incredibly useful is to lighten up a favorite dish. We all have those favorite comfort foods...but sadly many of them are high in fat and/or calories. Build the recipe and make some substitutions. Most of the time you won't even notice the difference in using a reduced fat or fat free product when mixed in with other ingredients. It's also educational to build the normal recipe and then build a reduced fat/calorie version by making some substitutions.

If you hate to cook this may not be an often-used feature of the bb program. But, if you're like me and enjoy cooking and creating new things for the family to eat, the Build a Recipe function could end up being your new best friend!

Happy healthy cooking buggers.....

Lori

Buggin' Bigtime....

Phew...today was a BREAKTHROUGH day. Today was the first day since the stomach flu hit our home that I worked out and left the gym feeling GOOD! After the illness ran through the house I'd go to the gym and then feel like there was about a 20% chance I'd die on the drive home, and another 20% chance I'd die in bed after I got home.

Well today was THE day....I went to the gym, worked out, and left that place feeling sweaty and GOOD! The moral of this story...getting sick sucks, and dehydration can do some crazy things to the body.

My trainer told me to get "Smart Water". It's actually called that and basically it's water with electrolytes. So, think Gatorade without the sugar and calories. Well, I bought 4 bottles of the stuff at the grocery store after the group workout on Wednesday and I've got to tell ya, I think it helped. I drank one bottle on the way home that night. Then I sat on the couch and watched Tuesday's Biggest Loser on the DVR and drank another bottle. Then Thursday am I drank the 3rd. I'm feeling just about back to normal now...

...and that is a good thing!

So, here's what's been going on. I've eased up on the whole "MUST INTAKE 2050 AND MUST BURN 2900" mentality. Some days I may not get to 2900, and that's ok. I also don't need to eat when I'm not hungry just to get to the 2050. The bugg is a TOOL to help me succeed in a long-term weight loss and healthy lifestyle journey. It is not the final word on every day.

Last night was our monthly girls get together "Bunco Night". I had about 1000 calories left in my daily allowance, so for that evening I didn't measure and weigh everything I ate. I made good choices and when I decided that the dessert just looked TOO good to pass up, I took a small piece of the corner, which was ONE bite. That one bite tasted really good and believe me, I would've LOVED to have eaten a whole piece. (Actually I would've LOVED to have eaten the rest of the tray!) But, that one bite really did satisfy my curiosity....it wasn't a craving per se, but more of a curiosity. I wanted to know if it tasted as delicious as it looked. It did, but a taste is what I got, and that was better than nothing at all!

So for logging in last night's food I created a new food item....and called it Girls Night Out. I made it 900 calories and then just figured out how much protein, fat, and carbs that needed to be in order to hit 900.

I also bought new workout pants. I like capri pants for exercising at the gym, so I picked up a pair at Wal Mart that were XL. I would normally wear a XXL or even a XXXL. I figured I'd hold them for future use. For God's sake...I've lost 20 lbs....not 50! But, curiosity got the best of me, so I tried 'em on.

Guess what I worked out in today....oh yeah....the new pants. And then tonight when I had to make another Wal Mart run (gotta start making a WM list...hate going there and then twice in one week....egads) I picked up 2 more pairs that were left in the XL section.

Smaller clothes are such a nice thing to buy!

Today I started some weight work on my arms and legs. I did 30 minutes on the treadmill, followed by 2 time on the cross trainer at 10 minutes per time. In between those sessions I did arm and leg weight work. I work until I'm feeling the exhaustion and then do 10 or so more.

One thing that I noticed today...I was working out solo...no friends, no trainer. Just me. Just me and my iPod. I recently downloaded some Podcasts related to my current state of mind. (Exercise, not General Insanity)

Well, I was listening to the Biggest Loser Fan Podcast, and you know what? I need to stop talking to everyone at the gym and start listening, 'cause I was working a lot harder when I wasn't running my jaws! I looked down one time on the Cross Trainer and I was "running" at 3.8 mph. I usually walk on the treadmill at 3.5 as the fastest....maybe 3.8 when I'm really kicking it up. But here I was, just listening along and going faster than I normally do.

More listening, less jaw jacking....gonna have to work on that!

Oh, and so since this blog is dedicated to my journey with the Body Bugg, here's what I want to say about this little device that I've grown oh-so-fond of....

When I was sick I took it off for a few days. When I put it back on I accepted the fact that I wouldn't be hitting an hour of "activity", 10,000 steps, or 2900 calories...and that was OK.

Well, now I'm back to hearing those beeps of the digital display telling me that I've got a message...Step Goal Reached.....Activity Level Goal Reached.....Calorie Target Reached.

Wow, I didn't realize how much I love hearing that little reminder and then looking down to see which of the targets I've hit. I like those beeps!

I've seen a lot of fellow buggers posting that they're doing the Wii Fit Walk It Out or Just Dance. I checked our local Blockbuster, but they did not have either available for rent, so I took the plunge and bought Just Dance tonight. I'm hoping that it's a fun way to get some exercise in at home when I can't get outside to walk or get to the gym. I also think it will be fun for my kids...they can dance along and see Mom act like a goofball.

Anyhoo...hopefully it's another fun way to get some calorie BURN in...I'll let ya know what I think once I break it out and bust a move!

Lori

Phone Coaching Notes

Here are notes from my Phone Coaching with Jamaica. I hope some of this helps with any questions other buggers may have.

Facts from Jamaica (the coach, not the beautiful country!)

• ONE pound = 3500 calories, so to lose 1 lb. per week you must have a deficit over the course of that week of 3500 calories.
• Never get below 1000 calories consumed.
• 2000 steps = 1 mile. A step is defined as a "toe heel stride".
• Your "activity" is measured as your resting low x 3. So, if your resting low is 2 calories per minute, when you get up to 6 calories per minute the bugg determines that you are doing "moderate activity".
• There is no journaling capability for the program at this time.
• Apex recommends that you get 96 oz. of water per day. You can use the reminder function to help remind you to drink water!

Labels on food are NOT ALWAYS correct, but you can check them. Here's how:

• 1 gram of protein = 4 calories
• 1 gram of carbohydrates = 4 calories
• 1 gram of fat = 9 calories

So, if you do the math and come up with WAY more calories than the label says, the label is wrong. This helps you check "too-good-to-be-true" foods! This also can help you if your bugg program shows that you're eating more than your log reflects. (gaining weight even with a deficit in the program). You can check labels to make sure that the labels are right. You may also need to measure as maybe you're underestimating the portion sizes.

DO NOT DRAIN THE BATTERY!!! Push the button and if you see 2 green lights the battery is good. If it is not green, charge for a bit when you can. Just do not let it run all the way down.

The "My Nutrition Plan" tab is useful if you want to budget calories for a special event, such as anniversary dinner or something. You can plug in what you're going to eat and drink and then plan that day and even day before around it to "bank" up the calories you need to maintain your deficit.

Once you hit your target in a specific program, CREATE A NEW PROGRAM. So if your goal is to lose 10 pounds in 2 months and you hit that goal in 6 weeks, create the new program at the 6 week mark when you hit the goal. If you set bigger goals (lose 50 pounds in 10 months) then you will be creating a new program less often. Whether or not to do long or short term goals really depends on the person and what motivates you. **Personal note here...I set short goals...I think my first one was for 1.6 pounds per week, which took me to mid-April. I'm almost to that goal weight, so I will start a new program once I hit that goal number. I do better with short term goals...I like to hit the goal, then set a new one! That's just me though. I'm more likely to succeed at losing 100 pounds if I look at it 10 at a time instead of 100 over a long time period. Do what works best for YOU!

And finally, a question lots of people have...do I wear the bugg when I'm sleeping? Jamaica suggests that you wear the bugg once every 4-6 weeks during sleep just to update your resting low. Your resting low will hopefully go UP as you increase muscle, so you want to make sure the bugg is aware of that when it goes up.

I did ask her WHERE to wear this thing! I've heard so many things, so I wanted her opinion. She said "closer to your shoulder than your elbow, along your triceps". OK...what about during biking. She said the only time you don't wear it in the aforementioned spot is when you are doing STATIONARY biking...then and ONLY THEN you should move it closer to your elbow and turned away from your body.

Honestly, I don't really know what all of that means, other than closer to elbow or closer to shoulder. I feel like normally my bugg is turned away from my body, so maybe I wear it wrong on a daily basis. I am going to talk to my trainer and see if she can pinpoint for me the exact path that my triceps runs from my elbow to shoulder and hopefully that will help me know where to put the bugg.

Jamaica also talked about "banking" up calories for special events, but I didn't take much note on this because honestly it's something I can't really see myself doing. If I know I'm going out or whatever I'm just going to be more careful that day and then make sure I exercise. Then if I feel like I ate too much and/or exercised too little I will compensate the next day. I suppose it's better to do the compensation ahead of time, but again, I think you have to do what works for YOU, and that's how it works best for me right now. Maybe once I'm done with the majority of the weight loss my view on that will change...I'll let ya know!

So, that's the low down from my phone coaching session. It lasted 30 minutes exactly, which was kinda disappointing because I thought I had 45 minutes coming to me. I did feel as if she was rushing me off the phone, and she even said she had another client to get to. I was going to mention that I had 45 minutes, but she was in a rush and I didn't have any more pressing questions. I would've liked more clarification on WHERE to wear it, but I think she answered that to the best of her ability and wasn't able to give any more of an answer.

Let me know if anyone has any questions!

Lori

A Sick Week

Well, the stomach flu came to visit our home, over Spring Break, nonetheless. Wow...what a little bug can do to a happy home!

First of all, I must sadly announce that this week-long uninvited unannounced visitor threw me off my game with the healthy eating and exercise thing. Big time...

I didn't eat horribly, in fact, once the illness made it's way to me I ate pretty much nothing, but my exercise got derailed for the entire week. Sunday night my 8 year old came down with it. I managed to escape to the gym on Monday and Tuesday nights, but since I wasn't feeling great myself I did a less intense cardio workout. (treadmill and arc trainer only)

Then my 3 year old came down with it and exercise was not even on my list of priority items...there was much laundry and snuggling and cleaning up to do. So, it was time for me to realize that I may not hit the 2900 burn target EVERY day...and that's going to have to be OK. These weren't days where I was just not feeling like working out 'cause I'd rather sit on the couch, eat bon bons, and watch soaps. These were days that I was struggling to keep my head above water and reality was just that...reality. I had to face it and realize that missing the 2900 target for a day (or two...or three...or whatever) isn't the end all of the "Fit By Forty" mission.

Then I got it. This made watching my calories consumed really easy. I ate very little, moved even less. I decided that a day or two without the bugg strapped to my arm wasn't going to kill anyone. Again, not like I was laying in bed just being lazy.

Even after the worst of it was over there was still lingering stomach issues and my back hurt. So, still no working out since going from the bed to the couch and back was difficult. I also was not hungry...so again, not making the burn, but not consuming much either.

Fast forward to today...we are one week post-barforama and I am finally feeling back in the game. I was hungry today for the first time since Wednesday. I ate more today that I had eaten in a while. I also took the dog for a walk around the neighborhood. I wasn't walking as fast as normal, but I was out there and I was moving.

I've put the bugg back on. I'm logging my food again. These are good things. I will not let the minor set-back be the end-all of my progress. It is just that...a SET BACK. It's not the end...but a new beginning of sorts.

Tomorrow is Monday...I am ready to start the new week with a new focus...and that focus is getting back on track with my healthy changes. I will log my food in faithfully...even get back to measuring and weighing the food. I will get exercise...I will STRIVE to get to that 2900 burn every day. I will keep my calories at or under that calories consumed goal of 2050. These are my numbers and my goals...this is MY life and I am in control.

Don't let a set back define you...don't let it be the catalyst for giving up. See it for what it is...a minor bump in your path towards your goal(s). This is life...we are going to have days or weeks where things will NOT go as planned and it's up to each of us to move FORWARD when that happens...not to get stuck and fail.

Tomorrow I'm throwing in the towel....I'm throwing it back in my gym bag and getting back to my workouts...2900, here I come!

Lori

Me = MIA

Sorry that I've been MIA for a while. The stomach flu came to visit our house...over Spring Break week, nonetheless. Anyway, after both kids, I was the lucky host, and I'm still feeling poor.

But, today it's back to laundry, trying to air out the house a bit, and return to a little eensy-weensy-bit of normalcy. (Normal is such a relative term in this house). Next week I promise to get back to blogging....

See you next week!

Lori

Phone Coaching....

Well, it was bound to happen, but today I suffered my first disappointment with the BodyBugg. Not really the Bugg itself, but with the phone coaching. My coach called right on time as promised...she had even called the day before to confirm our time. She answered all of my questions well, but I really felt she was rushing through it.

I had a 45 minute coaching session. Twenty eight minutes into it she told me that she needed to wrap it up and get on to her next coaching client...HUH? Well, I still have another question...she answered it quickly and told me goodbye and good luck.

Grrrr....Now, I must admit, there wasn't anything really UNanswered at that point, but I was hoping for some amazing insight into the program...some incredible tool that I haven't discovered yet. No dice there.

I did get some good information. I got some tips that I'll blog about in the days to come. One that I'll share now is that food labels can be off BIG TIME. But, there is an easy way to check something that seems "too-good-to-be-true".

There are 4 calories in 1 gram of protein.
There are 4 calories in 1 gram of carbohydrates.
There are 9 calories in 1 gram of fat.

So, if something claims to be 80 calories and that seems too low for you...check their math! Add the grams of total carbs and protein. Take this number and multiply by 4. Now take the number of fat grams and multiply by 9. Add the two numbers together and you should be close to calories. If not, the label LIES!!!!!

That's a tip I'm gonna use....I think.

Also, I have seen people complain that the coaching was a sales pitch for Apex products. I didn't feel that way at all...she asked me if I take a multivitamin. Yes, I responded.

Great, the coach replied, we encourage you to take at least a multivitamin. BB members get 10% off Apex products and free shipping. Then she told me where to click to order, should I choose to do so.

That was it. Not a huge sales pitch, in my opinion.

And finally, a parting tip....Do NOT let the battery completely run down. She said the battery indicator when you upload is not always accurate, and it will not be good for the bugg to run completely out. To really check it, push the button on the bugg...if you get 2 green lights, that's charged. If not, plug it in! Let it charge for 3 hours for a full charge (or until the light tells you it's fully charged).

We had a good discussion on WHERE to wear the bugg...look for that in my next blog post. The information I had read online is NOT accurate for stationary cycling. More to follow....

Have a great day, buggers!

Lori

Small Changes....

I'm not good at change. I like the status quo! But, in deciding to get Fit By Forty, I've realized that there are going to have to be some changes. Some of these changes are going to have to be BIG changes, but then there are going to be small changes...don't underestimate the impact those small changes can make!

The two biggest changes I think for me since 1/15 when I started are hitting the gym so much and my eating. I am not eating the junk that I used to. That's a big change not only for me, but for the family as well. I will still make the kids something they like, especially when I am fixing something they don't like, such as fish. Last night I fixed salmon and roasted vegetables for Jeff and I, but the kids got Corn Dogs. I think he was secretly jealous of their Corn Dogs!

But...today's blog isn't about those BIG changes...it's about the small ones. Since I started using the BodyBugg, it's all about the burn to me! Calorie Burn...how much am I burning at any given minute. How many calories do I have to burn to get to my "Target" burn? That's the focus for me. So, here are some small changes I've made to help me get that "burn" number up.

When I go shopping, whether it's Wal-Mart, the mall, or Kroger (Kroger being my most often visited spot!) I park farther out than I normally did. This isn't much, but it's something. I park out, get a cart for my 3 year old to ride in, and then we go about our shopping. When I'm done I always take the empty cart back to the cart corral.

My latest small change is probably a big one for me, but in all reality, it's a small change. I have set a goal for March to wake up at 6:20 am at LEAST 2 days per week and take the dog for a walk. I walk from 6:30 until 7:00. Then it's time to rally the troops and get everyone off to school and work. That might seem like a silly thing to many of you, but I am NOT a morning person. It is a struggle every day for me to get out of bed. Once I got up this am and was bundled up and outside walking I felt pretty good. I hate to admit it, but it was a much more pleasant way to start my day than the normal drag-ass way I normally start out! Plus, getting the kids and hubby up was much more pleasant since I was already going strong. I made breakfast while the kids were getting dressed and then we all had a nice healthy breakfast together.

Small change with pretty big results. Plus, I burned a couple hundred calories before I normally even woke up, so that's a bonus too. That little 30 minute walk around the neighborhood got my brain and my burn jump started for the day.

Small change...big results.

I think maybe I set the bar too low at 2 days per week...maybe I'll aim a little higher...maybe 3 days per week!

On another note...tomorrow is my phone coaching with the BodyBugg coach. I have written some questions down, but I'm sure I will forget something. I am making lasagna today for dinner tonight, so I am planning on using the "Meal Builder" function in the program to enter all of the ingredients and then see how that all works out. As always, I will test that feature out and then blog about it to let y'all know what I think!

Have a great, bugging day, and burn, burn, burn baby!

Lori

Hitting the Deficit....

Last night I went to bed thinking that I did NOT hit my calorie deficit. I had also not hit my calories consumed number, so I wasn't too worried about it, but that deficit number becomes a sort of game for us buggers!

See, I WANT to hit that deficit...I NEED to hit that number. My magic number is 2900. I normally refer to it as 29. The hubster will say "Where are you?" and I totally know he's referring to the calories burned number and not my location in the house! I may say 26, or whatever and he knows what I'm talking about.

We speak the language of the bugg.

So, last night when I was ready for bed I was at about 26 or so. I did some floor exercises but I wasn't getting the number up too much...I think I got 27 or maybe even 28 on the digital display, and then I thought......This is INSANE.

I am going to end the day in a deficit, and isn't that really the point? One day not hitting the 29 is not going to kill me. Had I gone over in my calories consumed number I may have been a bit more diligent about hitting the 29, but I knew I was around 1800 of my 2050 consumed so I wasn't too stressed. I decided to give it up and go to bed.

Well, when I got to the computer today and hooked the bugg, I was shocked to see that my final burn number for yesterday ended up being 2911. Ha ha...I actually DID make the 29. My calories consumed was 1854, of my 2050 allowed. That gave me a final deficit of 1057. My deficit target is 850 per day. I have hit and exceeded 850 every day since I got the bugg.

Today is the day of truth...today is the "official" weigh in for the Biggest Loser competition at the gym. Today I face the reality of the numbers that will be posted on the score board. I know I am down some weight, and that in itself is a good thing. Winning isn't the focus, but losing...hopefully losing a lot, but even losing a little is better than gaining, right?!?

At my last official weigh in I was 259 lbs. and 51% body fat. The body fat percentage bugs me more than anything...I am doing the strength exercises to build that muscle and get that fat percentage down. I think I have lost at least 5 pounds...perhaps more. I will post the official results here later as an edit to this post.

So, the lesson in today's blog is don't be too worried if you don't hit the target one day. There's always the next day where you can hit the target number and even go beyond to insure that in the end you are getting that burn and then some!

Lori

Edit...
Official Weigh In at the gym:
252.5
49% body fat
At the first weigh in 2 weeks ago these numbers were:
261
51%

I'm happy! I also looked through the last 10 days of my body bugg data and realized that I have an average over those 10 days of a 1085.8 calorie burn...my target is 850. Yippee!