Breakfast, a tool I use and an Update

This is a breakfast that I really enjoy eating. I take a small banana, a couple of strawberries and slice them, a small container of vanilla yogurt, a few blueberries and a couple of tablespoons of granola. I love the different textures and the sweetness of the yogurt combines nicely with the tanginess and sweetness of the fruit. I love granola but it typically has a lot of calories. This way I get the taste of the granola I like but with far fewer calories than if I just ate a bowl of granola cereal with milk. Whole Foods has several different flavors of granola to choose from in their bulk food area, I think this one is called gingersnap.

I have mentioned before that I use an app called Lose It! to log my meals and exercise. Since using this app I have become very aware of the calories in the food that I eat and it has enabled me to make healthier choices, especially on the go. For a long time I didn't realize that there was also an online community. I found that a couple of months ago and honestly credit that with the success I have had. Previously when I would try to lose weight, I would do great for the first 25 pounds or so. Then I would start easing up, adding in more and more unhealthy choices and the weight would creep back on and always with a few extra. Then I would get discouraged and just stop doing it, feeling more and more defeated with each cycle. I finally recognized that pattern and talked to Kip about it and my reasons for being so strict during that point. I also started participating and making friends on Lose It! I finally made it past that twenty five pound mark.

Now that I was past that mental hurdle, I decided it was time to really up the exercise portion of my weight loss journey so I joined the Y. I was making slow and steady progress then my online friends were doing an exercise challenge with a specific calorie burn in mind each week. I have been meeting and exceeding that goal every week. Then at the beginning of July I saw a posting about the July challenge and people talking about teams and such. I thought that would be another way of challenging myself so I wanted to be on a team. None of the people that I was talking to on a regular basis was participating but someone suggested that someone else that I didn't really know was forming a team. I pushed my timid feelings to the side, sent him a message asking if I could be on his team. he said yes and am I ever so grateful he did! I am being challenged in a new way each week. It's amazing! The people I have met on that site have been incredible and encouraging and willing to share what has worked for them But this team takes it even a step further. Since our challenge changes every week I have something different to focus on and that keeps me from getting bored.

Weekly weigh in: I lost 1.6 pounds this week!!! And that pushed my total weight loss past the 40 pound mark!!!!!!!!! I am a little happy and excited here to say the least.