#2 September Studies 2.0: How I Lost 20 Pounds One Month

  Welcome to the second post in the September Studies 2.0 Blog Series here at Createyou86.  This post is a pretty personal one.  I hope that i can encourage you to get up, and make that change that you may have been needing that extra push to start in yourself.  
I began my current weight loss journey in July of 2017.  I was self motivated one day when i came home from work, went to get undressed, and found that my bra (sorry guys!) had left bruises on my skin.  I was shocked.  This had never happened before, and i took it as a wake-up call.  I knew i needed to do something about my weight.  Now this did not come from any outward source (no bullying, body shaming, etc.)  I am that person that could care less about what other people think of my body because the only person that i need to please is myself.  I just took a good, hard look in the mirror, and decided that i needed a change.  I have lost weight in the past via very unhealthy means, and knew that it wouldn't work, and just wasn't healthy for my body.  I work a very high energy job (I chase around 1 year olds all day as a Head Teacher of a 1 year old classroom), and i wanted to do the healthiest thing for my body going forward as i am no spring chicken anymore.  So what steps did i take to lose this amount of weight in just about a month?

1. JOINED A GYM

The first thing i did was join a gym.  The most affordable gym around my area is Planet Fitness.  You can join for $10.00 a month (just the basic gym package), or $20.00 for The Black Card package which is what i did.  This package includes discounts, tanning (which i don't use), a membership area for relaxation, and hydro massage beds.
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2. MET WITH THE TRAINER
I believe that this is a crucial part of weight loss.  I met with the trainer at my gym, and she helped me devise a workout plan, and schedule that was designed specifically to my body.  The workout we devised is called a 3 day split (3 days working out, 2 days resting) in whichever order you like.  This schedule is created for everyone who does the program.  She explained that it is the best thing for your body to be able to recover from the exercises that you are doing.  In this class she also showed us how to properly use every weight lifting machine in the building.  My workout consists of 10-15 minutes of stretching, 15-30 minutes of cardio depending on the machine i am using, and about an hour of lifting weights at a ratio of 4:12 or 4 sets of 12 reps. I am doing this 2-3 times a week after work.

3. THE FOOD
One of the biggest questions i get asked is "WHAT DO YOU EAT?"  This is what everyone always wants to know because dieting is not easy at all.  I had found it to be particularly difficult in the past because where i work, we are required / asked to eat the same food that the children are eating (4 meals: Breakfast, morning snack, lunch, and afternoon snack) to encourage them to try different foods, and to replicate good eating habits, and etiquette.  Most of the food the children eat are carbs including rice, pizza, pita bread, regular bread and noodles.  Currently, i am still eating with the children, but i have started eating only the fruit/vegetables that they are served, and very small portions of other carbs. Everyday i bring a 64 oz. water bottle to work with me which was $5.00 at Five Below.  Some days i finish it, other days i don't finish it at work, but will finish it during dinner at home. I have also started packing my lunch instead of going out to lunch every single day.  It not only saves money, but keeps you on your diet.  I need to be completely, or close to completely full to be satisfied, and i have found the perfect lunch combination.   So....what do i eat?

 I currently purchase all of my lunch food from my local Costco.  Buying in bulk is saving me a ton of money because my food lasts longer.  I currently bring 2 Activia Yogurts with me per day in my lunch box.  I happen to love yogurt.

The next item in my lunchbox is Sargento Balanced Breaks.  I love cheese, nuts, and fruit so these are the perfect mix.  These come in packs of 12 at Costco (white, and yellow cheddar with different nuts).  Again, you can't beat the price of $9.99 that will last me at least 12 days not counting weekends.

Last, but not least i include a "snack" in my lunchbox.  Sometimes i eat this with my lunch around 12:00, and sometimes i eat this while the children in my class are eating their afternoon snack around 3:30.  I am fortunate enough to have a refrigerator in my classroom, and to be able to eat whenever i want, or need to.  I have actually checked the labels for these Kirkland (Costco Brand), and compared them to the Kashi Brand granola bars, and these Kirkland Brand are actually better for you in every way which was really shocking because Kashi is a well known health food brand.  These granola bars are only 100 Calories per bar. (which you can see in the yellow circle on the top left of the bar).  You really do need to compare labels to get the best out of your purchases.  I also learned recently from a healthcare professional that if you can not read the ingredients on the label of any food that you should not be eating that food.  These granola bars come 60 in a box at Costco so they last for at least 2 months.

NOTE AND CONFESSION:  
I am a soda drinker.  Plain old Coca Cola.  I drink soda every day.  I drink it at lunch for a little caffeine kick after having sat through nap time classical music it gives me some pep in my step (and as a caffeine product it does not give me migraines!!!).  There are definitely times that i cheat on my lunches, but i try to keep to this lunch, and some kind of protein for dinner to even out my meal intake.  This lunch, and water keeps me full from about 12:00-5:00 pm when i arrive at home for dinner around 6:30 pm.  What I will say right now which is actually what a co-worker said to me recently is that i workout so that i can eat what i want. 

DISCLAIMER:
If you feel that you need some kind of change in your life, or need to change what you are eating to lose weight i will firstly tell you to ask your physician what would be the best course for you.  I am not a doctor, and have no expertise.  This is simply my account of how i lost 20 pounds in about a month.  Everyone's body is different, and will react differently.  Here are my dated before, and after photos from the first day i started at my gym. 

I hope that you have enjoyed this post, and this series so far.  There is so much more to expect from this series.

​LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS BELOW: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SNACK FOOD?