Weight Loss Challenge: Back on the Plateau

I think my body has decided that I should weigh about 135, because despite lots of walking, I weighed in at 134.8 today.

Okay, confession time: lots of walking, not so much with the healthy eating. For instance, on Monday, I had a Dairy Queen blizzard (810 calories). I told myself that if we walked to the DQ and back (about 6,000 steps), it would negate the unhealthy snack, which was actually dinner. Let me say right here, replacing a healthy meal with a calorie and fat-laden treat? Not good.

I managed to go without my cola for a few days, then fell off the wagon while watching So You Think You Can Dance Canada. Not only did I have a Coke, I indulged in Cheese Nips. Not a lot of calories, but enough salt and bad fat to send dieticians into finger-wagging mode, I'm sure.

So, to draw some obvious conclusions: exercise without changing to a more healthy diet? Not going to lead to weight loss.

And I really do think that walking on ye olde person-powered treadmill burns several more calories than walking outside. However, walking outside yields other benefits in terms of sunshine and general overall stress reduction, so I'm aiming for a mix of indoor and outdoor exercise, depending on the weather.

I seriously doubt that I'll make my goal of 130 pounds by Sept. 19 unless I go on a crash diet. But I'm not going on any crash diets, as I think that's a recipe for disaster in terms of overall health. If I make close to 130, great. If not, I'm back on the exercise track, and I know that will pay off whether it's getting my weight a bit lower, or in general good health.

This week's step/treadmill tally:
Friday, Aug. 28 - 1 hr. on TM
Sat. Aug. 29 - 1 hr. on TM
Sun. Aug. 30 - 13,131 steps
Mon. Aug. 31 - 1/2 on TM, 11,696 steps
Tues. Sept. 1 - 18,329 (but full size can of Coke and many Cheese Nips)
Wed. Sept. 2 - 11,533 steps (mini coke and 18 Cheese Nips because they give the calorie count for that many on the box - 90 - for a total snack count of 190)
Thurs. Sept. 3 - 1/2 hr. on TM, because my legs were weary and I had yard work to do
(and discovered our weed wacker that we had repaired? Had died again. Argh.)

Next week, I'll try to do better with the snacks, especially the cola, but if it's hot... Also, I must make the traditional back-to-school chocolate chip cookies, even though there's nobody at home going back to school. (Sigh.) Fortunately, the recipe I use only makes about 1 1/2 dozen, so the temptation and extra calories will be short-lived.