Formalizing my strategy

Having given quite a bit of thought to how I’ll being my fitness journey, I’ve decided slow and steady wins the race.

One of my biggest challenges is that I’m an all-or-nothing kinda gal. When I want something, I want it. Like yesterday. When I get my mind set on something, I go at it 100%, full steam ahead. I study it, prepare for it, budget for it. I allow it to consume me.

In the past, I’ve approached weight loss with the same ambition. I immediately change what I eat, how much and how often. In addition, I also start some sort of physical exercise 3-4 days/week. I’m pumped and keep up the motivation. For all of three days. Then I tend to crash and burn.

With all of the changes I implement simultaneously, after a few days, nothing is familiar to me. My daily routines are all out of whack. I get frustrated with the unfamiliarity and I throw my hands up in full surrender.

Fortunately, since mid-December, I’ve been able to lose (and keep off) almost 7 lbs. At that time, I recognized my all-or-nothing approach as a barrier to sustained weight loss and I committed to slow and steady progress.

Since then, I’ve eaten smaller portion sizes. That’s pretty much been the only real change I’ve made and it seems to be working well.

With that challenge under my belt (literally), I think the next step will be incorporating physical exercise. I’d like to work out 3 days/ week for at least 30 minutes. If I can burn at least 300 calories each time, that’ll be a good start. I’m not sure if that’ll help me to lose 1.5 lbs per week, but I’m more interested in establishing a healthy, sustainable routine rather than be consumed by the scale.

Now is also a good time to make sure I’m physically healthy. I don’t feel the need to see the doctor just to get orders for lab tests and for him to tell me I’m generally healthy, so my plan is to get labs done online. I have a high deductible insurance plan combined with a Health Savings Account, so going the online route is the financially responsible choice.

Within the next two weeks, I will check my:

Vitamin D 25(OH)

TSH, T3, and Free T4

My last TSH done Aug 2008 was on the high end of normal (and “normal” is a moving target when it comes to TSH). Dr. Davis says a perfect TSH is 1.0 and my last level was 3.8 (five years ago, right before our wedding, my TSH was 0.8- and I weighed about 150 lbs and felt fantastic).

Your thyroid affects your metabolism, so having higher levels of TSH can negatively affect your metabolism.

Now that I’ve started supplementing Iodine in higher levels, my TSH will likely be high for a few months until my iodine levels optimize. As long as the T3 and Free T4 levels are normal, that’s what’s important.

I also feel the need to get a non-digital scale. The one we currently have shows we weigh about 5 lbs heavier than the one at my office (I work at a doctors office, so I’d like to think that scale is more accurate since they’re calibrated). We’ll see about getting a new scale. Mr. O doesn’t like when I get “on my new kick” because it inevitably means we’re spending more money on something.

Maybe if I just moved the scale out of the bathroom and onto a different surface….

In addition to adding the physical exercise and checking my blood levels, there are also a few daily routines that I need to adhere to:

1. Take my daily vitamins/supplements

• Vitamin D 10,000 IU
• Iodine 12.5mg (down from 50 mg during my initial replenishment)
• Magnesium 250 mg

2. Eight hours of restful sleep

I have other goals that I plan to incorporate into my daily routine (drink more water, etc), but SLOW and STEADY. Those goals will come later after I’ve established I can do the 2 things on my current list.

Weekly goals include:

1) Work out 3 times for 30 mins each

2) Blog at least once/week

I may eventually join Amber’s group, but again, too much at once has failed me before, so I’m keeping things light and reasonable (at least for now).

I’m scared that I won’t be able to keep up even these small routines. My motivation really kicked up a notch while I was on vacation, away from the real world and the daily responsibilities. Am I willing to do what it takes each and every day once I’m back to my life?

I know I CAN do it, but WILL I? Guess we’ll see.