Tracking Day 2 - So far So GOOD! :)

So yesterday I set up my tracking parameters to equal a loss of 1/2lb a week - following the ideals of the team I joined a few weeks ago - The Slowest Loser. :)

I am in a healthy weight range and I'm pretty active - I have my weekly calorie burn estimated at 3750, but as my running mileage increases or I am consistently running at higher mileages, I may need to increase that as well. I know that I will function better at requiring a smaller calorie deficit each week - so I'm not so hungry I'm tempted to binge, and I have plenty of energy to fuel my workouts. WOOT.

So yesterday it was very easy to stay within range. :)

I got some great grocery shopping done as well - LOTS of fruit in the kitchen. We have this clear plastic container (kind of a classy cylinder) that we use for our handheld fruit to stay out on the counter. It is filled with two gorgeous organic golden delicious apples that I couldn't resist, a bunch of plums, and some white and yellow flesh nectarines. I also have a container out of cherries that I have already washed - so I can easily eat a cherry every now and again if I need some small sweet munch. So good!

I bought some great granola from the local health food store that is made in AL -

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It is amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have eaten it today and yesterday w/ cottage cheese and a cut up nectarine. Yesterday I drizzled some agave nectar but today I went without - either way, delicious. The ingredient list is fantastic, I wish I had it here to list for you but very simple whole ingredients. :)

I also bought some of another old favorite treat of mine - unsweetened carob covered raisins. A very nice healthy treat!

Anyway - I'm feeling very positive with the tracking. It really takes all the anxiety out of eating for me. I felt really anxious before -- I THOUGHT I knew when I was eating well or not, but I didn't have the confirming numbers. I didn't realize how much anxiety that was giving me until I started tracking again.

Ideally - I'd like to be able to trust myself better. A lot of people commented yesterday (and very supportive comments THANK YOU ALL!! :D hehe) and mentioned tracking being a chore, how to think of it as not being that just another day to day activity and for me -- I actually like tracking. I don't mind putting in the numbers. I just didn't like feeling dependent and I didn't like the idea that I couldn't listen to my body and just eat the right things and not eat too much without the numbers telling me I was ok.

Well -- it's ok. I am ok that I need that support. I am ok with the fact that I need the reassurance of a system and of numbers to help me know that I'm doing the right thing. I have said it before -- and TURFGIRL mentioned it in her comment as well -- I didn't know what I was eating or how much or ANYTHING before 3.5 years ago. I had no clue. So that is about 23 years of my life. If I have to track my food for 20+ years into my future, so be it. I can deal with that. It's not that I find it unbearable to track - I just wish I could be more self-sufficient.

I will continue to work on listening to my body and not eating mindlessly. I can still really use the benefit of learning those skills for occasions when I am unable to track and do not want to sabotage my efforts to be healthy because I am eating at a social event because I don't want to have awkward silences... or anything like that.

KEAKMAN recently blogged about taking a mind-body approach. Looking at the reasons WHY and the internal while also taking the actions that will physically impact her body along the way. Well - I obviously did both recently. For a bit I said - 100% weight loss committed, change that tracker to 2lbs a week I did it before I can do it now, BAM LET'S GO. Then I realized there were some chinks in my armor of strength and I took some time to strictly explore the mind part, hoping the actions would follow. But without the structure, I went all willy nilly and gave myself even more stress.

So now I'm aiming to do BOTH.

Listen to myself in a safety zone. :)

I'm not sure I really mentioned my workouts after Saturday. To sum up:

Sunday - Pilates
Monday - 2 miles w/ some barefoot + Freestyle Trainer
Today - 5.23 miles

WOOT. Tomorrow will be shorter miles + Freestyle Trainer again. Thursday - medium miles... maybe 3. Depends how I'm feeling.

FRIDAY = LAST DAY AT MY CURRENT JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

Still no nibbles on the job front, I keep looking for new postings and applying to things I feel would suit me (regardless of the field). Good vibes are appreciated!