Fitness Journey - Before

I've seen a few people lately doing fitness journeys and including their progress pics along the way.  You probably don't need or want to see my cottage cheese thighs (credit: Mary Winter for that phrase) and my pudgy belly...too bad cause here it is!

I think the rational of people doing this is to be held accountable or embarrassed, so they work harder to achieve results.  I agree with the premise, but to be honest I doubt it will work on me.  Get ready for lots more pasty white, jiggly parts to show up on this blog!  

I mean, I will try, but this isn't gonna be a fast race and definitely won't inspire you.  If you are looking for that type of fitness blog...let me know, and I'll find some more appropriate links for you to check out.  

The current fitness plan/goal is to lose about 10 lbs and then tone up what's left.  The tools I am using to get there include:

• MyFitness Pal - got the app, got my deets entered.  I chose the lose half a pound a week option because I can't (won't even try) to do the 2lbs a week plan.  I'd only get 1,200 calories a day and that just isn't gonna work for me; at half a pound a week I get 1,370 and I blow through those regularly (on the 4th of July I was a cool 850 over budget).  As you can see, 2 lbs a week ain't gonna happen.  
• FitBit.  I wear my Fitbit every day and aim to hit 10,000 steps.  It is shocking that if I just get up, go to work, come home, and tinker around the house and watch some TV before bed that I am LUCKY to get 4,000 steps in.  ALL DAY.  So, I'll get up and pace the halls at work for a few minutes, or as my roommate, Katie, knows I'll march in place or step side to side while talking with her or watching TV to get my 10K steps logged.  

And that's it.  My goal is to not exceed 1,370 calories a day, whether by eating accordingly or working out to balance out how much I eat.  Please note: I've been on this "plan" for awhile and have never once managed to stay in my calorie budget just by watching what I eat.  

I started this journey on July 4th.  That was not a good day.  Ended up 850 in the hole.  Damn pizza and new Reece's PB oreos.  Holy shit, those new oreos are goooood.  If you haven't tried them, do so.  You aren't on this stupid fitness journey!   

I was on my A game the 5th - 9th, not only not going over my daily calorie budget but also being under every day in an attempt to make up for the freedom I exercised to stuff my fat face.  The 11th - 15th were then not so good being over each of those days with a slight 75 calorie redemption on the 16th.  As of today I am 1,364 calories in the hole.  Damn.  But I am rocking my steps every day.  Will see what I can do to whittle down my deficit before month end.

All I keep thinking is: all this time and energy spent tracking calories and working out...for a measly pound.  Losing weight is hard.  And you know what else, I've heard the phrase "fat and happy" but I have never heard "skinny and happy".  Just sayin.

Ok, now that I actually took photos to put on here, I'm more embarrassed than when I drafted this post.  Do I look skinnier with a baby?  I actually think I do!