Helpful Friends

I would like to introduce you to some of my friends that will help me with my journey and keep me accountable, honest, and motivated. Starting from the left we have my most trusted computer with the WW website and eTools pulled up. Then we have a WW pocket points calculator on top of a food scale. These three items paired with my iPhone to the right (with the WW application open) will help me keep track of what I'm eating, how much I'm eating, and if I'm eating all of the right things. Behind the scale is my beloved water bottle. It's large, has a huge straw, and has fluid increments on the side so I can measure how much water I'm drinking per day. Then there is a hefty stack of low-fat, low-carb, and quick & healthy cookbooks that I've just purchased and am super excited to start using. I really like to cook, but with my busy schedule and tiny kitchen I never really made it a priority. Now I am. Now I'm going to learn how to cook all the fantastic healthy dishes in the cookbooks and be cognizant of my nutritional needs. The last three are all best friends: iPod nano with Nike+, Nike+ running shoes, and Polar RS100 Heart Rate Monitor. These three are going to help me achieve and record my activity points.

I went to the grocery store yesterday and came home with all sorts of goodies. Below is a picture of some of the greatness I'm filling my fridge with. Lots of fruits (and frozen fruit to make smoothies) and veggies, chicken breasts, salad, yogurt, whole-wheat pasta, high fiber oatmeal and cereal. I love having so many healthy snack options! =D

Below is my workout schedule starting Monday, June 28th. This is on the front of my fridge so I see it everyday. I'm starting with the Couch to 5K program which is a 3x/week walking/jogging regimen that takes 9 weeks to complete. "The idea is to transform you from couch potato to runner, getting you running three miles (or 5K) on a regular basis in just two months". If anyone is interested in starting the program with me, just leave a comment. It would be cool to get a group together =)

I also made a calendar to visually track my journey and keep myself accountable. Everyday I have the opportunity the earn 3 different stars. Blue for staying on plan, silver for blogging, and red for activity. It's kind of a reward system because at the end of the week or month I'll be able to look back and see how many stars I have and if the whole week/month is filled with all three.

This is a sheet with a progress thermometer and achievement checklist. For every 1.25 lbs I lose, I get to color up to the next hash mark. 100% is 40 lbs gone which means I will have hit 150 lbs. Can't wait for that to happen! For every 10 lbs milestone I will be rewarding myself in a non-food manner. Like going for a manicure, getting my hair cut, going to a concert, maybe even buying the digital camera I want when I reach -40, etc. I haven't decided the order of everything, but I'll be posting them to the right side of my blog when I finally do.

I hope everyone finds their own helpful friends and has a fabulous day!

Peace out