Operation Fit-the-Shorts-I-Bought-Last-Summer is a GO!

Right now it’s cold, rainy and windy, but I’ve lived in Southern California long enough to know not to fall for it. Next week it’s gonna be in the upper 80s and soon it’ll be beach weather. I am NOT ready.

Last summer, after I lost a bunch of weight I went out and bought shorts. Not new shorts, just shorts. Before I lost weight, I didn’t own any shorts. I was really uncomfortable with my legs. Sad thing is, I didn’t realize how uncomfortable I was with them. I just always covered them up. I didn’t even realize that I didn’t own shorts until I wanted to show off my new legs. I’m still not entirely comfortable with my knees though, I think they’re a little funny looking, but my friends say I’m silly for that….

Anyhow, in preparation for the coming months I went shopping today. When I came home, I tried on what I bought with my shorts and found that they were a little…. snugg. So it’s time to drop this extra “winter weight” and get back to loving my legs. How do I plan to do this? By eating more, working out more and keeping track of my caloric intake. That’s how I did it before so it shouldn’t be difficult to lose the few pounds I’ve gained since my birthday, then some.

When I say “eating more” I definitely mean more vegetables. During these winter months, I’ve been pretty heavy on the grains and have been neglecting raw vegetables. Overall, I haven’t been eating as much as I should, nor have I been working out as much as I should. I think it’s fairly safe to say that most people go into a figurative hibernation during the winter when it comes to staying active (as is evident by how empty the gym is during the colder months). This is completely understandable, who wants to go outside when it’s all cold and wet? Well, far be it from me to act like I’m any different. So it’s back to the gym with me.

And while calorie counting is not an exact science and is quite annoying at times, I believe that it is an effective tool in changing unhealthy habits. Many of us are unaware of 1) about how many calories we should be eating in a given day and 2) about how many calories we do eat (and drink) in a given day. After learning the former, calorie counting helps one keep track of the latter. Another added bonus of calorie counting is that since it’s much easier to log simple fruits, vegetables and grains than complex (often high calorie) meals, calorie counting promotes eating better. So for the next some-number of weeks, I’ll be logging everything I eat and drink. Sounds fun, don’t it?

I find that it’s easier for me to use an online site to keep track of everything. More specifically, I use CalorieCount. I initially chose this site over similar sites such as LiveStrong or MyFitnessPal because I liked the format better. They’ve since changed the food log format and though I’m not very fond of the changes, I already have an account and a profile, so CalorieCount it is for me. Eh, I may switch to another site. Who knows. Point is, I’m going to keep track of how many calories I eat day-to-day.

Hopefully, it doesn’t take too long to get to the point where I can’t wait to show off my legs again and can actually fit the shorts that I bought last year. Past experience being any indication, it shouldn’t take more than a few weeks of dedicated effort. So, here goes nothing – actually, I think I’ll start tomorrow. I still have some Girl Scout cookies that are calling me…..