My Five Best Weight-Loss Investments

So last January I did the whole weight-loss thing. I learned how to lose weight. I worked out every day. I entered my food and activities into fitday. I started out at 298 lbs and ended at 274 lbs. Then around the end of March, I got lazy. I kept meaning to start over again, but I kept putting it off until one day I was at the doctor's office and the scale read 315. 315 lbs! My jeans didn't fit anymore. I had very few clothes that fit. You'd think this would have been a wake up call, but it wasn't.

That was two months ago. Two weeks ago, R decided to jump back on the health bandwagon, and I followed him. If R, my wonderful, but lazy, boyfriend wanted to get healthy, then dammit, I could do it to.

I may have put on all the weight I lost and then some, but there were several investments that I made last time that have been super helpful this time around.


5. Strength Training Equipment
I got a set of resistance bands that came with a workout dvd and a set of 3lb and 5lb free weights. The cost was pretty small, but, when I get lazy and don't want to hit the gym, I know I have a workout that I can do at home that will still kick my ass.

4. Good Sneakers
Last time around, I injured my shins early by exercising in crappy, unsupportive old tennis shoes. This time around, I know my knees, ankles, shins, and back are protected by shoes that are truly supportive.

3. Bathroom Scale
I may not know my exact weight, due to being too fat for my scale, but it's a great scale that is highly accurate. Down to the .2. The scale was 60 bucks, but if there is one area where I want complete accuracy, it's in finding out how much weight I've lost.

2. Kitchen Scale
Counting calories works for me. I lose weight when I keep good track of what I'm putting in my mouth. So naturally, a great kitchen scale helps me know if I really ate an ounce of chips or cream cheese, or if I went way, way, way over. I chose the Salter 5 lb. Microtronic Scale. (about 60 bucks).

1. Heart Rate Monitor.
This is my favorite device in the whole world. I got a Black Polar F6, which was a bit pricey at close to $100. However, the money was so worth it. The guild of thinking I'm not trying hard enough? Gone. I know what my heartrate is, what it should be, and exactly how hard I'm working. Frustrated when the equipment says I've lost 150 calories? Nope, my HRM tells me how many calories I've burned, and as a fat girl, it's generally WAY more than the bike or treadmill say. Wanna skip the gym and workout at home? Done. I can do a dance for twenty minutes in my underwear in my living room, and the HRM tells me if I'm doing it hard enough to count as exercise. Working out without it is just awful in comparison.

I'm not saying rush out and spend 400 bucks on stuff. All I'm saying is that, if I were to make a choice between investing in one of these items, versus say, a new workout top or saving for one of these babies, I'd pick up one of these. They were integral to my success last time, and now that I'm refocused, they have made getting started again super easy.