steve, Author at FitnessFor.Us

November 25, 2019November 25, 2019

10 pounds in 4 weeks on Noom

I just finished my 4th week on the Noom program, and I’m down 10 pounds.

That’s pretty phenomenal.

And it’s not the result of starving myself. I was talking to my friend Lex the other day, and I said that exact thing — I don’t starve myself. If I’m hungry, I eat, even when it takes me over my calorie budget.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not going hog wild and pig crazy! But that’s another part of Noom: changing habits.

Where I would previously have potato chips, I have carrots and hummus. Where I would previously have a grilled cheese sandwich, I have a Boca Burger on sprouted whole grain bread. Those are both better choices for my current fitness goals, because the foods I’m choosing now have a lower caloric density than my old choices (Green or Yellow on the Noom color scale), and, from a hunger standpoint, that is more satisfying than those old Red foods.

Plus, I like those new choices. They are foods I ate before, but now I just eat more of them.

November 25, 2019

Finding sobriety

I quit drinking a few months ago. In fact, August 27, 2019, was the last day I had a drink.

I’d tried to quit drinking for years. It’s not that my drinking was disrupting my life. It wasn’t. But the potential was there.

Sometimes I’d say or do stupid things when I was drunk, but that’s normal (right?), and all part of being a drinker, who occasionally drinks to excess.

I’d drive drunk. Not often, but there were nights when I drove home with one eye closed, wondering why I wasn’t being pulled over by the cops.

I abhor the fact that I engaged in drunk driving. Not from the social responsibility standpoint, but from a more selfish understanding that a DUI had the potential to severely impact my life to the point of crippling it, and I always felt stupid for putting myself in that position. But I did it anyway.

Neither the possibility of a DUI, nor doing stupid shit in public were what I disliked most about my drinking. Nope.

November 21, 2019November 25, 2019

How I am changing myself through Noom

I’ve noticed some positive changes in myself since starting the Noom program 3.5 weeks ago.

My weight is down. I can see it. 8 pounds, and I can see it with my shirt off.
My skin is softer, which is weird, because I noticed this last week, when it was freezing cold here in San Antonio, and usually that means dry skin for me. I’ve experienced softer skin before, and it was directly attributable to a change in diet — I was on a vegan cleanse — so I’m going to assume this change is due to my participation in Noom.
My meat consumption — almost none — is about the same, but I’m not afraid to eat it, because sometimes it’s a better choice (maybe). My sugar consumption is down. And I am focusing more on fruits and vegetables plus whole grains (even though many whole grains are Red foods in Noom).
My dietary choices are changing. Where I’d normally eat bread, I’m eating sweet potatoes. Where I’d normally eat gelato, I’m eating sorbet. Where I’d normally not eat greens, I’m putting frozen spinach into my meal.
My dietary habits are changing. I’m more present in my eating, consuming food only until I’m full. Where I’d normally eat a lot, I’m eating less.

November 16, 2019November 16, 2019

My dietary and exercise habits are improving

I’m winding down Week 3 of my Noom program, and I’m feeling pretty good about how I’ve done so far.

My calorie overruns were not as out of control this week. I only went way over a couple times, and that was only by about 300 calories each time.

And I was under my budget several times. What? How’d that happen?

My physical activity is hanging in there really well, too. I’m doing 25-50 pushups and taking at least a 30-minute walk — often much longer than that — almost every day. I want to increase the pushups, so I’ll focus on that a bit more during Week 4.

I skipped a day of walking this week because it was freezing cold here in San Antonio. And rainy. But I want the next day, even though it was still freezing cold and rainy. Fortunately we usually have better weather than that, so outdoor exercise is not generally a problem, with the caveat that during the summer it must be done in the morning before the sun scorches the Earth.

So, yeah, overall I’m pretty impressed with what Noom has done for me thus far.

November 13, 2019November 25, 2019

Time to meet my Noom group. Am I ready for this?

It’s the start of Week 3 of my Noom program. That means that in addition to my Goal Specialist, Kyle, I now have a Group of I’m not sure how many other Noomies, and a Group Coach, Whitney.

I’ve avoided checking in with them, because, really, do I need more people in my life?

I’m sure I’ll hit the group later today, because I’m a team player, but do I need that? I’m self-motivated, so I just don’t know whether it’s necessary.

[ LATER THAT SAME DAY ]

I checked in with the group.