Now What?

I still have some weight to lose, but I'm to a point where I'm happy with how I look and feel and any additional weight I can lose is just an added bonus. I've still go my goal, but I've decided to be patient. It's still coming off, albeit slowly. Importantly though, I'm settling into a healthy lifestyle while I'm still losing weight. I'm still practicing my healthy habits, and they are becoming a lot easier as I go.

That said, I cannot completely relax and slip back into old habits, so I need to be careful. For example, I went out to eat way too many times last week. I had to travel one day, so there was that - and I was careful not to overdo it. Then, there was a day when I went out to eat with a co-worker - again, I was careful, loaded up on veggies and had the fish - and I went out to eat with my husband, twice.  Even when I'm careful, the fact of the matter is that I get more salt when I eat at restaurants and, frankly, I eat more calories than I would were I eating a meal I made myself or pre-planned. In the end, I did not gain any weight to speak of (maybe a few ounces, and those do add up), but I didn't lose any either - and I worked my butt off last week. I should have lost weight. So, my take-away from last week is this: I need to watch the dining out. If I know that I am going to have lunch with a co-worker or that I am going to travel at some point during the week - then I need not only to watch what I'm eating when I dine out, but I also need to watch myself for the rest of the week and make sure I'm not dining out too much. Even when it is inconvenient.  Lesson learned....and just on time for the Holidays.

Another thing I am starting to do is to set goals for myself that will help me to continue maintain / lose weight without necessarily having weight loss / maintenance as the main thrust of the goal. For example: my husband and I have decided that we want to go on a hiking vacation in Ireland next year. In addition to the fiscal discipline it will require for us to save the money to do that, we will need to get in shape as some days on this trip will require us to hike for 20 miles / day.  We will probably go on this vacation sometime between June and August next year, so we have started training for it already. We are up to 12 miles walking on the weekend and tomorrow (this Saturday), we plan to go on a 16 mile walk. We are going to keep finding new and longer, more challenging walks and hikes so that we can prepare for our goal and have the endurance it will require to fully enjoy the gorgeous hike we are planning for this summer.

Have a great weekend, get out and enjoy the beautiful fall!!