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The 50 Pound Challenge – Week 20

So….it looks like I am narrowing this blog down to only be my weight loss blog. I don’t mean to do this but work commitments and family commitments are pulling me in other directions. I have not even been able to start my new personal project. Of course these choices are my choice. I choose to fulfill my family commitments. I could call on other friends or family members to help me but I choose not to. I could choose to disregard my work commitments but I like my corporate job and want to excel in the job.

So….I only leave time to update this blog (lately) with my weight loss update. I am happy that I am doing this at the least because this is my important goal this year. So….that brings me to this week’s 50 Pound Challenge update.

This week is another week that did not go as I had planned it. Going into this week I was determined to fit in some road rides on my bike not only on the weekend but after work as well. Life had a different plan for me and family commitments did not allow me to do this. I also had to go to a different location for work this week so I was not able to use the gym either. The only thing exercise wise I was able to fit in this week is a 15 mile road ride. I was really happy with this ride even though it was my only one this week. I felt that I was much stronger and had a lot more stamina this week on the bike then I have in the past. I was almost able to climb the hill that I have been working to climb for a few months now. The only reason I had to stop this time was because I dropped my sunglasses! It was a great ride overall and I would not be surprised if I had burned close to 1,000 calories due to the heat and intensity of that ride. I am definitely looking forward to one or two more of these rides this week. Fitting in another one or two more rides like that gives me the confidence that I need to tackle the 19 mile ride in August.

I was also able to go on a walk twice this week pushing her in her stroller. Each walk was about a mile each and probably good for about 100 calories per walk.

Food wise, this week was not so good. My wife bought me Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup ice cream so I had a few scoops of that over the week. I did turn my father’s day lunch meal into four meals which I consider a success. On the other hand though, I did indulge in Wendy’s for dinner once this week. So definitely not a good week for me food wise. So what did the lack of exercise and bad eating do (or not do) for me this week as far as weight loss?

I was sure that I had gained at least a pound this week. So I was very hesitant to get on the scale this morning. It turns out that I had no reason to be hesitant because I actually lost 2 pounds this week!! I could NOT believe it! That not only brings me to my milestone that means I have PASSED MY MILESTONE!!! I have lost 21 pounds so far!!!

So I went from a 215 pound start to weighing in this morning at 194! All of that hard work and consistent exercise in the first few months must have shed fat and created enough muscle to burn more calories than before! Therefore by eating much less per meal and dividing up my meals I eat less calories than I burn with my new muscle. And I haven’t even started weight training yet! Imagine when I eat right, go back to exercising consistently AND incorporate weights?!?!

So my next milestone is 9 more pounds to bring me to a 30 pound loss. This should be easy since I already lost 21 pounds. I am still 2 pounds behind my target of losing 1 pound per week. Even though I am at 20 weeks of blogging about the 50 pound challenge I am really 23 weeks into the challenge since I started blogging 3 weeks late. I did lose 2 pounds this week though. Could I lose 3 pounds next week and be back at even and on track? Check back next week to find out!