Program…all the way..

So how did the first week of my diet go?? Well, 1kg (2Lb) less!! So, yes a good start!!  Had one or two days when I slipped and ate more than what was necessary, but managed to curb my cravings!!

What did I learn from this week??  To program everything:deciding what to eat, shopping at the food store, how to cook my meals etc.. How I see it, a diet should, as well as enable you to loose weight, teach you new healthier habits in regards to your food intake.  If, like me, you find yourself a lot overweight, it probably means you acquired a lot of bad habits, that need to be changed.  The way I work is that to change my wrong habits I need to program everything.  I need to be more aware to the choices I am making till it comes naturally, even if I have to become obsessive about reading food labels, weighting everything I eat and finding thinks to do when I get my cravings!!

me at the begin in of the diet

Not the best body in the world!!

the dreaded scale

So, I am obese. there is not much to say: I weigh in at 87.2kg (that is to say 192lb or nearly 14 stone!!).  How didi it happen? Well, lets face it: overeating, sitting around all day (I am a student and teach English language). Well, nothing new under the sun.

Looking at old photographs I was actually thin till my early twenties : I steadily weighed below 60 kg (122 lb), moved around a lot, active and happy (not everything was ok, but I was satisfied with the life I had).  So what happened?? Well, wrong choice of degree when I was 18. My parents put a lot of pressure on me to do medicine and I got into medical school in Milan (which by the way, you didn’t have to be motivated to pass, you just needed enough intellect to get through the entrance exam – no prior work experience needed!!!).  I didn’t cope with the studying, the pressure to do well, didn’t like the subjects and hated ward duties and b the end didn’t finish the degree, run away from home and went to live with the man who is now my husband.  I became an emotional eater and used food and the weight I had to, well, hide my failings.  Now emotionally am back on track (psychotherapy) and I am ready to loose the weight for good.

Lucily now I have a second chance in life as I have managed to enroll in civil engineering and happy (although struggling with some exams, but I suppose it is normal – it is not an easy degree!!).  I am looking for a part time job, but luckily money not a big issue at the moment!!

ok so lets go: todays weigh in: 87.2kg   So what to do now? I have given it some thought and here is my plan:

short term:

1)balanced diet: 1400/1500kcal

2)exercise plan: after looking throw books and sites on the net a good shot is to do 3 aerobic sessions 3 times a week (40min to an hour was thinking low impact aerobics) and three toning sessions (weight workouts) and generally be more active (walk more!!!)

medium/long term:

1)maintain a healthy balanced eating plan

2)start running: one thing I always wanted to do is to run a marathon, but guess what: no go if you have all those pounds on!! If I find it fun (yes, I know a lot of people who find marathons fun!!!) my aim would be to run one a year till my health allows me to do so!!

my weight goals are:

Ideally 54/55kg (118.8 – 121lb) – ideal weight to run a marathon for someone my height (1.65m).

happy with 57kg (125.4lb)

would accept a max weight of 60kg (132lb)!!

My psychologist suggested to me to make three goal weights since it may take a lot of effort to loose those last pounds and to reconsider what I should accept as a maintenance weight.

So lets see how this week goes and where this journey will take me!!