Let me preface this post by saying that I am not a fitness expert. I have no certifications in nutrition or fitness, nor did I go to school for either. This post is based on my opinions and what is working for me. There are plenty of experts in those fields that can help you, if that is what you are looking for. I am just a Disney fan determined to lose some weight before the next trip!
I have set a goal for myself for the next Disney trip. I want to lose enough weight to feel comfortable when we go to the resort pool. I did not feel totally comfortable on the last trip and I decided that it is time to lose the weight. I am still carrying weight I gained from my pregnancy with my first child…who is now almost four. It is definitely time!
There was a time when I was able to go to the gym. I used to go five days a week for at least an hour. That was when I had a part on a morning radio show, so I was done with work by 10 a.m., 11 a.m. at the latest. It was great. I lost so much weight and I have never felt better. My problem is getting myself motivated to do some sort of workout. The gym was perfect, because once I was at the gym, there was nothing else to do but workout. So I had to find a way that works with my life as it is now…crazy busy with two very active kids under the age of 5.
Then one of our friends, who is also one of our Disney traveling buddies, started to lose all this weight. That is when I first learned what a Fitbit is. He said it worked well for him, because he had to get all five dots on the Fitbit lit each day. Getting all the dots lit means that you hit your step goal for the day. He also told us how you can connect with other people on the Fitbit app and compete with them to see who can get the most steps. So he would compete with his sister and if he saw she was ahead of him during the day, then he would get up and start walking around the office. Being competitive myself, I thought this would be a good fit for me.
The Dots on the Fitbit
I was given a purple (my favorite color) Fitbit for Christmas. It took me a couple of days to really get into it, but I am now hitting my step goal everyday (usually going over the goal) and I have lost a few pounds! I am very excited about this and it is a good motivator to keep going. My husband has the app too and we can challenge each other, which we have been doing, of course. We are both competitive so it is working out well for us. In the middle of writing this post I got a notification on my phone that my husband had pushed past me with his number of steps and was now in the lead, so I put the post on hold and got up to regain my lead. Seriously.
My Purple Fitbit
I am not doing any crazy workouts or anything. I am literally doing laps in my house to get the steps in. My neighbors must think I am crazy, because I am just walking in circles in my house! It works though! I use things around the house to help me. For instance, if I have the gate up because my one year old is playing in the family room, I use the gate as an obstacle in the walk and it feels like I’m doing a little extra every time I step over it.
A Screenshot of Part of the App
I have also taken things out of my diet, such as soda and foods with lots of sugar. I have tea throughout the day now, in addition to water, and have been eating more fruits and vegetables. I have to say, it hasn’t been long that I have been doing this, but I already feel better. It really is amazing how soon you feel the change in energy once you start moving and eating healthier foods. Don’t get me wrong. I will still have my sweets and by sweets I mean cookies, cupcakes, and pretty much anything from a bakery (yum!). I am not delusional, I know I will eat those again. I am just looking at the sweets as an occasional treat now, they have always been my downfall. So I definitely have to keep myself motivated.
The competition is motivation, but I also keep thinking about our Disney trip and how much better I am going to feel on the next trip. It is actually pretty exciting. Plus, I think about all the fun new Disney gear I can buy when I lose some weight…any excuse to buy Disney stuff! In addition to feeling healthier, Disney is a great motivation for weight loss!
I will be posting more updates about the weight loss and how everything is going, so follow along! If you want to lose weight before your next Disney trip feel free to comment or email. It doesn’t matter if your next trip is next month, next year, or undecided. It’s always a bonus to have support and people you can talk to who are going through the same thing!
I have to go walk now, my husband just took the lead. Can’t let that happen!
Thanks for reading!
Liz ⁰o⁰