This post is written as part of a journey inspired by the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s My Healthy Weight Action Plan, an online tool geared towards helping you live a healthier life. Feel free to get caught up on previous posts: Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10, Week 11, Week 12, Week 13, Week 14, Week 15, Week 16, Week 17, Week 18, Week 19, Week 20, Week 21
Here are the stats to show my progress in my “Get Healthy Challenge”:
| Start Weight: 190 pounds | Starting BMI: 28.9 |
|---|---|
| End of Week 1: 185 pounds | End of Week 1 BMI: 28.1 |
| End of Week 4: 179 pounds | End of Week 4 BMI: 27.2 |
| End of Week 8: 175 pounds | End of Week 8 BMI: 26.6 |
| End of Week 11: 175 pounds | End of Week 11 BMI: 26.6 |
| End of Week 14: 175 pounds | End of Week 14 BMI: 26.6 |
| End of Week 17: 175 pounds | End of Week 17 BMI: 26.6 |
| End of Week 20: 172 pounds | End of Week 20 BMI: 26.1 |
| End of Week 21: 172 pounds | End of Week 21 BMI: 26.1 |
According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, “People who track and set goals on an ongoing basis report long-term success in maintaining a healthier weight.” As of Friday, I have exactly 30 days to reach my latest goal of 164 pounds! Although, it is not quite in close enough reach, I am already thinking about how it would feel to say that I’ve reached this goal. I am also thinking about the fact that I have only 2 more pounds to go until I have lost 20 pounds since January! For now, I will continue to celebrate my small successes because every small goal that is met is still a great success.
As part of the Healthy Weight Action Plan, you receive weekly e-newsletters full of resources, tips, articles, recipe suggestions and more. I have found this part of the plan helps to make the experience more real. Reading the newsletters and the articles that it suggests really help to keep me focussed on my goal. Whether it is helpful tips or articles about heart health, I find myself feeling re-focussed after each newsletter.
This week, the newsletter talked about how important goals are. It also mentions the importance of not obsessing over temporary set-backs, failures or short-comings. This is something that I have been guilty of (obsessing), but I am slowly learning that this does me no good. Instead, I need to move forward with positive thinking and living.
Other than me wanting to live a healthy lifestyle, the main motivator in my Getting Healthy challenge has been the Healthy Weight Action Plan available FREE by the Heart and Stroke Foundation. I am able to easily track (by hand or online) the foods that I eat, the times that I eat and the breakdown of how items from each category I consume in a meal or day. I can also track how I am feeling each day and the amount and type of exercise that I accomplish. The My Healthy Weight Action Plan Tool has helped to motivate me and guide me to becoming a healthier individual.
Last week, one of my amazing readers commented, asking me if writing these weekly posts have had anything to do with helping me stay accountable. Absolutely, the answer is YES! I know that there are some people who come here every single Monday morning, expecting to read about my progress. Writing about my weight loss and getting healthy experience has definitely helped to keep me on track and focussed. As well, talking about my challenges with my friends has helped me stay accountable. The more people in my life who know I am using the Healthy Weight Action Plan to get healthier the better because they will ask me about my progress.
If you are one of those people who read these posts, I’d love to know you’re out there (please leave a comment below) because, I am very serious when I say that the more people who are behind me in this, the easier it is for me.
I came across a website and magazine for clean eating this week called Clean Eating. They have a wide variety of healthy recipes. I would like to try out the Almond Griddle Cakes with Cranberry Syrup.
Ok, your turn. Do you have a goal in your mind when it comes to getting healthy?
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I’m so happy for you, posting certainly keeps us accountable….and makes it easier to get back on the wagon when we slip
Wow – nice work! 😀 Way to go – 20 lbs is a HUGE accomplishment! :cheer:
I’ve started trying an accountability thread too – and I posted my goals for the week as well.
1. Wear pedometer and try to get step count up.
2. Aim for 4 cups (2 bottles) of water a day.
3. Eat a high-protein breakfast every day – or at least some sort of breakfast! hehe.
Feel free to link up if you’d like. 😀 http://www.learningtitus2.com/2012/06/saturday-sign-in.html
Good for you, Amanda; you’re doing so amazing! And that recipe sounds absolutely delicious. 🙂 What a great idea to write about your progress each week; it’s something I may have to try because I have been seriously neglecting myself lately and my body is beginning to show it. Time for some regular exercise and healthy meals for this Momma!
Looks like you are doing great. I will have to check out that clean eating site. I want to do better with what I eat.
My goal is to feel healthy, get reconditioned and to get back in shape. Of course an added bonus is looking better for me. But, with my health issues as of late, I NEED to do this.
Great job beautiful, maintaining is good. 😀
I’m a huge fan of Clean Eating. Their recipes and articles are super informative and anything that precalculates nutritional values for me is fabulous!
My goal in getting healthy is to lose all the weight I have put on since being diagnoised with an autoimmune disease. It took many years to get here so I keep trying to remind myself that correcting it will also take a very long time!
I’m proud of you ALL THE TIME! Keep it up, girlfriend, you ROCK!!!
I am so pleased with your progress!!!
“SASS” I get Clean Eating emails too, there is always some wonderful tips in their. Accountability is a HUGE help. Thanks for sharing!
Reading along.
20 pounds since January is incredible.
It seems like you’re choosing options that you will be able to sustain and that benefit your whole family.
I admire your courage to put yourself out there.
Visiting from SASS
Congratulations! Every time I read your updates on your progress it inspires me. Once this little munchkin exits my belly, I will be getting back on track with my healthy eating and lifestyle goals. And being held accountable by someone or something on a weekly basis is a great help. SASS
Congratulations on your 18 lb weight loss but most of congratulations on your goal to live a healthier life. I have bookmarked this post so that I can check out all of your links.
So happy that I found your post through SASS this week.
Take care!
K @ Storytime Fun
Nice work! You’ve come a long way and you’re doing amazingly! It’s great to see all of your hard work paying off.
(visiting from SASS: http://www.searchingforhappy.com/2012/06/09/red-swiss-chard-chips-recipe/)
December 3-Let’s get healthy together –week 24.–You are doing really well. You are not letting plalteaus get you depressed or turning you away from your goal. I hit a plateau this fourth week-same weight as last week sO i will follow your examplea and not allow myself to get discouraged. -Elva Roberts