15 Thoughts After Losing 15 Pounds

This weekend I was editing photos for an upcoming post and when I had two images up on split screen for the first time I saw a noticeable difference in my face.  Wondering if it was just me I put it on Facebook to see if anyone else saw it too. A few hours later I had dinner with my brother who I had not spent time with in a few weeks and he told me it was the first thing he noticed was that I had lost weight.  🙂 

I have been hesitant to publish a true update on my fitness goals mainly because the scale has stalled lately. It is partially because wine and vodka soda have crept back in to my life and particularly because I am gaining muscle and loosing fat, so while I see a difference in my body and the way my clothes fit, my weekly weigh- ins are not nearly as satisfying as they used to be. But back to the point, the before and after midway photo: 

After two and a half months of hard work I am excited to share (with great trepidation I might add) that I have lost 15 pounds.  It was not fun.  Actually, to be blunt, it sucked.  These weeks have proved just how much I like food and sleep.  But enough whining, after loosing 15 pounds I have come to realize: 

1)  Class Pass is one of the best decisions I have made in a long time. I wrote a whole post about Class Pass but for $125  per month I get access to boutique fitness classes around New York City ranging from cycling and strength training to yoga and barre. I attend classes at 7am classes on weekdays near my Chelsea office and around my Upper East Side apartment on weekends  

2) Mornings are not that bad.  I swore when I stopped swimming I would never again workout in the morning.  No, I never want to get out of bed but knowing that I will be charged a $20 free for missing a class fee coupled with the fact I know I really should get out of bed at workout is the motivation I need.  Plus, at 8am when the class is over I am ready to take on the day! 

3) I don’t have to be the best.  One of my favorite classes is an outdoor bootcamp run by a CrossFit gym and there is no way my pushups are going to be better than those burly guys but if I can do two more than last week with better form, that is progress I am happy with. 

4) Why do I have so much laundry? 

5) I need off days. Over the past months I have kept, almost religiously, to a two days on, one day off workout schedule. I try and do one day of cardio (spinning at FlyWheel is my favorite) and one day of strength training (usually bootcamp) followed by a rest day. 

6) There is a TON of free candy and food at my office. And I like almost all of it.  But seriously, red velvet doughnuts – it is SO hard to say no.

7) Keeping a food log helps.  I use MyFitnessPal and write down every single thing I eat.  The good, the bad, and the ugly. I know I will not hit my calorie goal every day but it keeps me accountable and it makes saying no to my favorite foods just a tiny bit easier.

8) There are calories in unexpected things including peppercorn, hazelnut K-Cups, and balsamic vinegar.

9) I didn’t eat enough fiber.  After meeting with a nutritionist I now try to include more black beans, peas, and brussels sprouts into my diet in addition to Fiber One bars which help me stay fuller, longer. 

10) Why didn’t I do this sooner?  This one I am kicking myself for but honestly, I am doing it now and that is what matters. 

11) Snacks are key. I need to keep good snacks around me or else the goldfish, Milano cookies, bite-size Twizzlers, and peanut butter crackers in the office are just too tempting. Fresh fruit, crisp vegetables, and greek yogurt I have found are all great options. 

12) I like fitness focused social media accounts.  Sports Quotes on Twitter always has motivational quips that inspire me and Paige Hathaway and Devon Physique on Instagram remind me that it is a choice.

13)  I get a 72-hour itch. One day off from exercise is heavenly, two days is a mini-vacation but at three days I miss working out and am ready for a good sweat. 

14)  I am not there yet but I am closer that I was yesterday. I want to buy new clothes to celebrate my weight loss but for the most part I am holding off because I do not want to accept that this journey is over. I have made a big dent but I still have a ways to go.  

15) Let’s keep this up.  🙂 

Now I wish I had taken true before and after pictures as coming up with another progress shot was hard, especially as I lost the majority of my pictures but here is one from my April cocktail party and a selfie from two weeks ago: 

What are your best fitness tips?