OK...got verified and made it through this round by the skin of my teeth!
Reflecting back from Round 1 - was soooo hardcore. MFP, walking everyday - just overall good. However, I also kept asking one important question - can I do this longterm? The walking was talking a toll (5 miles 4-5 days a week) on my knees but I enjoyed it more than heading to my gym for HIIT or machines. MFP - I found myself eating past satisfaction to meet a calorie goal.
A mix of health roadblocks and general laziness, I fell off. Well...in a way.
So what do I mean...? The hardcore mentality from Round 1 helped me understand true hunger, portions, and the amount of energy needed vs expended. Here are some habits I started:
1. Although not walking as much, I was very consious to have fruit and almond milk and stevia with coffee in the morning.
2. I essentially kept to quality lunch around 1-3PM. Otherwise, kept (mostly - see below) to fruits and veggies during the day.
3. On days when I had a brunch, heavier breakfast (e.g. bagel with egg and cheese) or dinner - I didn't have a 'I failed' mentality - I slowly corrected with eating lighter. But the first step was to ge good to myself. I learned that if I thought 'I failed' it was just cause me to want to eat more. Now it's, that was great - time to move on.
4. Hydrate - of course.
5. Weigh-in morn and eve - The eve lets me see how much 'damage' was done during the day.
However....I need to get back to my walks on a more regular basis. I've been on the low side with that. Even if I need to shorten them because of my schedule. But getting out and moving is essential for a healthy body and mind.
Now...off to Round 3!