Just wanted to pop on here right quick to let you know I am, indeed, still around.
Remember that photo shoot I said I was producing?
Well, little did I know it was going to turn into quite the monster. I've been traveling around Southern California since the first weekend in December putting together these photo shoots. So every second of my time I'm either at my desk or out in the field. It's been tiring but awesome!! And this is going to continue until mid-January when I wrap. As you can imagine, combined with the upcoming holidays, my schedule is quite full.
So, I'm going to put it out there and just let you know that I'll be rejoining you good folks in 2014.
One quick note ...
My Drop Two Sizes challenge never got to see the light of day.
But never fear, it has an official start date of January 2, 2013.
Why not the 1st you ask? Because the 2nd of January and I go way back. There's good joo-joo there and I need all the help I can get.
By that time, I'll be down to one location before my shoot is wrapped and then I can devote my time and energy to this new workout program. I have the DVDs, I've read the book, I've planned the menus, I even have my fiance on board. Well, he's doing the eating part with me but he has chosen to tackle something "less pink" for his workout. I guess he doesn't find the packaging very manly.
Anyway, I'm excited because I'll be honest, while I've tried to be careful with all this holiday eating, it inevitably is winning the battle. In terms of weigh-ins, I last checked in 11/22/13 and I am holding
steady-ish at that weight (up and down by 2-3 pounds). However, I have, indeed, developed a little, nay, BIG muffin top and it has GOT TO GO!!
In any case, after this photo project is done, my next big project is just going to be ME. I desperately need a little TLC to get all my cylinders firing again. I want to eat some healthy food, find time to actually sleep, and get in some good workouts. That all sounds so good I might cry ;)
So to all of you out there, have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR :)
See you soon :)
Monday, December 23, 2013
Friday, November 22, 2013
Drop Two Sizes!!
Did that get anybodies attention because it certainly got mine!
Has anyone ever heard of this?
Browsing the web over the years and reading pretty much everything I can about eating right, exercising, and losing weight, I've seen my fair share of programs, books and stuff.
So when I opened my email a couple of weeks ago and that was in the subject line, I dismissed it initially. And then I immediately went back and clicked on it because darn it, who doesn't want to lose 2 sizes right?
It was an offer to try a workout program. I usually don't go for these things and then I saw who's program it was. You may not have heard of her but I have. Her name is Rachel Cosgrove and over the years I've read a lot about her. And honestly, it's all mostly good stuff. I even already own a book that her husband (who is also in the health and fitness industry) co-wrote called The New Rules of Lifting for Women. Anyway, long story short, I received it yesterday.
What is it? Well, there is a book and there are DVDs. It's basically just a workout program. Nothing too crazy. It focuses on primarily on strength training with some metabolic training thrown in. It's so close to what I do I thought: Why not?
Now about that two sizes thing. Apparently Rachel and her husband own a gym just north of Los Angeles and they have a "Rock Your Jeans" challenge at their gym. I believe it started out as an 8 week program to help women fit into their "skinny" jeans and what she found was that usually after about 8 weeks, all of the women were losing around 2 sizes. So since they had such great success with this challenge, she decided to package it up and sell it. Now, I'm not too fond of the Drop Two Sizes title ONLY because it sounds like one of those scam programs, but otherwise, I'm really excited to start this up.
The program is in 3 phases that last 4 weeks each. You do 3 strength workouts and 1 cardio workout per week. The book is not included but I downloaded it thru amazon just to have. The book actually has the workouts in it as well but I love me some DVDs so I decided to only do the workouts with them. The book also has a meal plan which looks pretty simple and doable. Again, it's all really good, simple information so that's nice. I just needed new workout ideas.
Oh yeah, I also needed to drop 2 sizes so there's that.
So this will be my new workout adventure.
When am I starting?
Weelllllll
I'm producing a photo shoot for a magazine right now and I'm right in the thick of it so I think I might start this Sunday or Monday. So get ready for some new pics, measurements, and all that jazz.
Has anyone ever heard of this?
Browsing the web over the years and reading pretty much everything I can about eating right, exercising, and losing weight, I've seen my fair share of programs, books and stuff.
So when I opened my email a couple of weeks ago and that was in the subject line, I dismissed it initially. And then I immediately went back and clicked on it because darn it, who doesn't want to lose 2 sizes right?
It was an offer to try a workout program. I usually don't go for these things and then I saw who's program it was. You may not have heard of her but I have. Her name is Rachel Cosgrove and over the years I've read a lot about her. And honestly, it's all mostly good stuff. I even already own a book that her husband (who is also in the health and fitness industry) co-wrote called The New Rules of Lifting for Women. Anyway, long story short, I received it yesterday.
What is it? Well, there is a book and there are DVDs. It's basically just a workout program. Nothing too crazy. It focuses on primarily on strength training with some metabolic training thrown in. It's so close to what I do I thought: Why not?
Now about that two sizes thing. Apparently Rachel and her husband own a gym just north of Los Angeles and they have a "Rock Your Jeans" challenge at their gym. I believe it started out as an 8 week program to help women fit into their "skinny" jeans and what she found was that usually after about 8 weeks, all of the women were losing around 2 sizes. So since they had such great success with this challenge, she decided to package it up and sell it. Now, I'm not too fond of the Drop Two Sizes title ONLY because it sounds like one of those scam programs, but otherwise, I'm really excited to start this up.
The program is in 3 phases that last 4 weeks each. You do 3 strength workouts and 1 cardio workout per week. The book is not included but I downloaded it thru amazon just to have. The book actually has the workouts in it as well but I love me some DVDs so I decided to only do the workouts with them. The book also has a meal plan which looks pretty simple and doable. Again, it's all really good, simple information so that's nice. I just needed new workout ideas.
Oh yeah, I also needed to drop 2 sizes so there's that.
So this will be my new workout adventure.
When am I starting?
Weelllllll
I'm producing a photo shoot for a magazine right now and I'm right in the thick of it so I think I might start this Sunday or Monday. So get ready for some new pics, measurements, and all that jazz.
Friday Weigh In
I honestly have no idea what week I'm at anymore. I started counting weeks last September when I tried Weight Watchers (again) and I've lost track.
Perhaps a new start is what I need since I am no longer Watching my Weight. (see what I did there?)
So, I proclaim today to be the beginning of what I will now call "Friday Weigh In". No counting necessary.
How refreshing. A new start!
Anyway.
I'm not sure I should even count this week as I clearly have come off of what I would like to call a minor hiccup on this journey. Ah, who cares. When I weigh in, I always tell you what I lost from one Friday to the next so here goes.
weigh in: -9.0 lbs
Glory be!!! 9 pounds? Is that accurate? Yes, my friends, it is accurate. I lost 9 amazing pounds of what was clearly a helluva lot of water weight.
No wonder my jeans were crazy tight.
I knew I had been eating some high sodium foods/naughty foods so I was expecting a little bit of the bloat to go down but I'm telling you, it's night and day how I feel. And all it took was a week's worth of some seriously clean eating. Food really is like medicine.
What I did:
1. I went on a couple of walks but nothing too strenuous.
2. I ate between 1300-1400 calories every day. I tracked it one day and then just kind of ate the same foods every day.
3. I drank some water but more would definitely be better.
4. I ate pretty much just vegetables, fruit, meat, eggs, some nuts and a little cheese. Oh yes and coffee. Precious, precious coffee. Maybe I had some semi-sweet chocolate chips too. Love those things. Like little drops of heaven. Meals included: chicken wings with salad, steak with sauteed mushrooms, onions and red peppers and green salad, cashews with apples and slices of sheep's milk cheese, and steak omelet. I kind of just stuck to the same thing every day so I didn't have to track too much. Clever huh?
That's all for today. Have a great weekend all.
Perhaps a new start is what I need since I am no longer Watching my Weight. (see what I did there?)
So, I proclaim today to be the beginning of what I will now call "Friday Weigh In". No counting necessary.
How refreshing. A new start!
Anyway.
I'm not sure I should even count this week as I clearly have come off of what I would like to call a minor hiccup on this journey. Ah, who cares. When I weigh in, I always tell you what I lost from one Friday to the next so here goes.
weigh in: -9.0 lbs
Glory be!!! 9 pounds? Is that accurate? Yes, my friends, it is accurate. I lost 9 amazing pounds of what was clearly a helluva lot of water weight.
No wonder my jeans were crazy tight.
I knew I had been eating some high sodium foods/naughty foods so I was expecting a little bit of the bloat to go down but I'm telling you, it's night and day how I feel. And all it took was a week's worth of some seriously clean eating. Food really is like medicine.
What I did:
1. I went on a couple of walks but nothing too strenuous.
2. I ate between 1300-1400 calories every day. I tracked it one day and then just kind of ate the same foods every day.
3. I drank some water but more would definitely be better.
4. I ate pretty much just vegetables, fruit, meat, eggs, some nuts and a little cheese. Oh yes and coffee. Precious, precious coffee. Maybe I had some semi-sweet chocolate chips too. Love those things. Like little drops of heaven. Meals included: chicken wings with salad, steak with sauteed mushrooms, onions and red peppers and green salad, cashews with apples and slices of sheep's milk cheese, and steak omelet. I kind of just stuck to the same thing every day so I didn't have to track too much. Clever huh?
That's all for today. Have a great weekend all.
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Weekly Weigh In: Week ??
I can't believe a it's been about a month and a half since my last recorded weigh in.
Seriously, it felt like one week. I was a little flabbergasted when I looked at the calendar and I realized I was many, many weeks behind.
Anyway, while I've been gone, it has been both good and bad.
First the bad.
Cause that's how I roll.
Shortly after my last post, I had a few gains and a few losses. Then another gain. And another. And then I'd maintain and then I'd gain more. And as of my last weigh-in (last Friday) I stood on the scale and accepted my fate. I weighed my highest weight in 6 years. And I wasn't shocked at all. My eating habits during the last month and a half were clearly not in alignment with losing so I am happy I don't weigh more. And let me be clear, when I say my highest weight in 6 years, it's only 6 pounds more than what I weighed in January of 2013. But it's a big deal to me.
And now the really bad news, though I weigh just a few pounds more than I did even in September, the jeans that fit me back in September most definitely do not fit now. That tells me something very important. I've lost muscle and gained fat. A lot of fat. You know how you can't trust the scale to tell you when you have a true loss? Well, you can't trust it to keep you on track with a true gain. I might have only gained 6 pounds of scale weight, but the inches I gained around my waist probably sent me up two sizes. I wish I could say this is shocking, but it's not.
There are a lot of reasons this has happened. First, tis the season. Not an excuse just a matter of fact. Halloween, followed by my birthday, followed by Thanksgiving, followed by Christmas. It's a killer combination. Second, the time change. This gets me every year. I have a harder than usual time when we set the clocks back in November. I suffer mildly from seasonal affective disorder. Nothing too big but it does wreak a little havoc every year. And thirdly, well honestly, those 2 things added together equals most of it. The SAD zaps my motivation, gets me a little down, and then the string of food related holidays usually gives me the old one-two punch. And the next thing I know I'm sitting on the couch wondering what's wrong with me?
You know what? Nothing is wrong with me. I just didn't do what I was supposed to do. That's all. My body isn't broken, I just gave my body what it needed to gain fat. End of story. And the only way to get rid of it ...
Well, that's the easy part. I know how to get rid of it, I just had to find my mojo to get back into the swing of things. But we'll talk about that part later.
Now lets talk about the good stuff that has happened since last we met. Because believe it or not, it wasn't all bad ;)
I ran a 5k!
And I only had one goal. To run it in under 40 minutes. I know that's not a crazy fast time or anything but it's what I wanted. I'm pleased to say that I made that goal.
I have also been exercising since I last wrote. I continued to run 3 days a week. It has only been in the last week (after my 5k) that I took a week off.
I signed up for another 5k on Thanksgiving morning. I may have already told you this, but it's still something good I did.
I surprised my fiance with tickets to his first NBA game last weekend and I was utterly pleased to find out the seats were super close. I'm his hero now. And who doesn't love being a hero? That's Blake Griffith walking by us to go back to the locker room.
Doesn't he remind you of that famous Sasquatch photo?
And finally, yesterday I went out on my lunch break to go on a walk to try to get more activity into my day. I haven't done this in awhile so I was very happy that I took the initiative. Sometimes taking the first step back into a healthy lifestyle (no matter how small) is the hardest. And for something so small, it made a huge impact on my motivation because today I feel like a new person.
And wouldn't you know, the universe rewarded me for my healthy decision.
I took my usual walk up to Universal City and they were filming Extra TV up there. So I stood by for a few minutes and got to see AC Slater.
That is Mario Lopez and Nicolette Sheridan doing some ballet. I have no idea why, but I'm putting this in my good column because it's always nice to catch something fun. Especially during work hours. Plus I'm trying to be as positive as possible here folks.
Now if I could just win the lottery this week ...
Seriously, it felt like one week. I was a little flabbergasted when I looked at the calendar and I realized I was many, many weeks behind.
Anyway, while I've been gone, it has been both good and bad.
First the bad.
Cause that's how I roll.
Shortly after my last post, I had a few gains and a few losses. Then another gain. And another. And then I'd maintain and then I'd gain more. And as of my last weigh-in (last Friday) I stood on the scale and accepted my fate. I weighed my highest weight in 6 years. And I wasn't shocked at all. My eating habits during the last month and a half were clearly not in alignment with losing so I am happy I don't weigh more. And let me be clear, when I say my highest weight in 6 years, it's only 6 pounds more than what I weighed in January of 2013. But it's a big deal to me.
And now the really bad news, though I weigh just a few pounds more than I did even in September, the jeans that fit me back in September most definitely do not fit now. That tells me something very important. I've lost muscle and gained fat. A lot of fat. You know how you can't trust the scale to tell you when you have a true loss? Well, you can't trust it to keep you on track with a true gain. I might have only gained 6 pounds of scale weight, but the inches I gained around my waist probably sent me up two sizes. I wish I could say this is shocking, but it's not.
There are a lot of reasons this has happened. First, tis the season. Not an excuse just a matter of fact. Halloween, followed by my birthday, followed by Thanksgiving, followed by Christmas. It's a killer combination. Second, the time change. This gets me every year. I have a harder than usual time when we set the clocks back in November. I suffer mildly from seasonal affective disorder. Nothing too big but it does wreak a little havoc every year. And thirdly, well honestly, those 2 things added together equals most of it. The SAD zaps my motivation, gets me a little down, and then the string of food related holidays usually gives me the old one-two punch. And the next thing I know I'm sitting on the couch wondering what's wrong with me?
You know what? Nothing is wrong with me. I just didn't do what I was supposed to do. That's all. My body isn't broken, I just gave my body what it needed to gain fat. End of story. And the only way to get rid of it ...
Well, that's the easy part. I know how to get rid of it, I just had to find my mojo to get back into the swing of things. But we'll talk about that part later.
Now lets talk about the good stuff that has happened since last we met. Because believe it or not, it wasn't all bad ;)
I ran a 5k!
And I only had one goal. To run it in under 40 minutes. I know that's not a crazy fast time or anything but it's what I wanted. I'm pleased to say that I made that goal.
I have also been exercising since I last wrote. I continued to run 3 days a week. It has only been in the last week (after my 5k) that I took a week off.
I signed up for another 5k on Thanksgiving morning. I may have already told you this, but it's still something good I did.
I surprised my fiance with tickets to his first NBA game last weekend and I was utterly pleased to find out the seats were super close. I'm his hero now. And who doesn't love being a hero? That's Blake Griffith walking by us to go back to the locker room.
Doesn't he remind you of that famous Sasquatch photo?
And finally, yesterday I went out on my lunch break to go on a walk to try to get more activity into my day. I haven't done this in awhile so I was very happy that I took the initiative. Sometimes taking the first step back into a healthy lifestyle (no matter how small) is the hardest. And for something so small, it made a huge impact on my motivation because today I feel like a new person.
And wouldn't you know, the universe rewarded me for my healthy decision.
I took my usual walk up to Universal City and they were filming Extra TV up there. So I stood by for a few minutes and got to see AC Slater.
That is Mario Lopez and Nicolette Sheridan doing some ballet. I have no idea why, but I'm putting this in my good column because it's always nice to catch something fun. Especially during work hours. Plus I'm trying to be as positive as possible here folks.
Now if I could just win the lottery this week ...
Friday, October 11, 2013
Weigh In: Week 56
In case anyone was wondering, the magic castle last weekend was FANTASTIC. It was so much fun. A little pricey but a good time nonetheless. If you ever get the chance, you should go. The dressing up part was also fun. Since I work in entertainment, I don't dress up. Ever. The most I do at work is jeans, dressed up blouse and heels. And more often than not, I'm not even THAT dressed up. But I'm definitely never in dresses, sparkly jewelry, and fancy hair and makeup. And that's what I did for the magic castle. Unfortunately no photography is allowed in the castle (which I guess is part of the mystique) so there is no photographic evidence of my fancy self. But trust me, I was fancy.
As for my plans this weekend ..
I have just a few things on my plate. I'm in the market for a new sofa, so I have a few stores I'm going to check out and then hopefully purchase a brand new sofa.
Hopefully.
Wanna see it?
Beautiful isn't it? I'm a little worried it might be too big for the space but whatever. I want it.
Other than that, we have a housewarming/engagement party to go to tomorrow night. Thankfully, the couple lives near us so it's close. I'm just aching for the day I can be a home-body again. You know, staying in on a Saturday night. Renting some movies, cooking some dinner, just snuggling up with your favorite somebody and relaxing. I have a few more weekends to go but I can feel it coming!
And now on to my weigh in.
Result: +0.0
That's right. I maintained.
How did I get there?
1. I know it doesn't seem like it but I did eat in a deficit. This week I ran, on average, a -285 calorie deficit per day. Again, not the 500 I'm aiming for, but a step up from what I did last week! I'm hoping to do better again this coming week.
2. I also ran. Only 1 day. I'm 6 weeks in on my 10k training program and I was supposed to take this week off. I ran 1 day and then decided to give in. I'll admit, it's a little scary to take this much time off. I'm supposed to pick back up this weekend and a little voice inside my head is wondering if I'm actually going to start again. Of course I will!! I hope I will ? Oh please God let it not be hard.
3. I drank my water. Good not great. It needs work.
4. What I ate? I made everything and it all was gluten free and in some cases dairy free. The menu included: pumpkin pancakes, bacon, eggs, chicken/vegetable teriyaki with rice noodles, tacos, sushi, salad, apples, turkey, grapes, cheese, and peanut butter. oh yes and coffee. Lots of coffee. And some kettle chips were in there as well. But honestly, kettle chips are ALWAYS there somewhere. I kind of stuck to the same foods over and over this week. I found that once I had the calorie count down, it just was easier to eat the same things so that I didn't have to keep looking things up. Also, it just so happens I was really into all the food I made this week so win-win.
As for my plans this weekend ..
I have just a few things on my plate. I'm in the market for a new sofa, so I have a few stores I'm going to check out and then hopefully purchase a brand new sofa.
Hopefully.
Wanna see it?
Other than that, we have a housewarming/engagement party to go to tomorrow night. Thankfully, the couple lives near us so it's close. I'm just aching for the day I can be a home-body again. You know, staying in on a Saturday night. Renting some movies, cooking some dinner, just snuggling up with your favorite somebody and relaxing. I have a few more weekends to go but I can feel it coming!
And now on to my weigh in.
Result: +0.0
That's right. I maintained.
How did I get there?
1. I know it doesn't seem like it but I did eat in a deficit. This week I ran, on average, a -285 calorie deficit per day. Again, not the 500 I'm aiming for, but a step up from what I did last week! I'm hoping to do better again this coming week.
2. I also ran. Only 1 day. I'm 6 weeks in on my 10k training program and I was supposed to take this week off. I ran 1 day and then decided to give in. I'll admit, it's a little scary to take this much time off. I'm supposed to pick back up this weekend and a little voice inside my head is wondering if I'm actually going to start again. Of course I will!! I hope I will ? Oh please God let it not be hard.
3. I drank my water. Good not great. It needs work.
4. What I ate? I made everything and it all was gluten free and in some cases dairy free. The menu included: pumpkin pancakes, bacon, eggs, chicken/vegetable teriyaki with rice noodles, tacos, sushi, salad, apples, turkey, grapes, cheese, and peanut butter. oh yes and coffee. Lots of coffee. And some kettle chips were in there as well. But honestly, kettle chips are ALWAYS there somewhere. I kind of stuck to the same foods over and over this week. I found that once I had the calorie count down, it just was easier to eat the same things so that I didn't have to keep looking things up. Also, it just so happens I was really into all the food I made this week so win-win.
Friday, October 4, 2013
Weigh In: Week 55
Happy Friday everyone!!
I haven't done a real weigh-in post since August 9th. That's almost two months!! I've been busy. And while I really enjoy being busy, I'm getting tired of it.
I don't know what it was about this year, but every weekend I've had since August 9th has been booked for me.
And I have another 2 weekends to go before I get a breather.
I don't mind being busy and having things to do, but when it's one after the other after the other, it gets tiring. Sometimes having events on the weekends are nice, it helps to make you think your weekend was longer than it really was. Ever have that happen? When you have a regular two day weekend off from work and for some reason, the activities you have planned make it feel like a 3-day weekend.
While those weekends are what I strive for, the opposite also can happen. You know how it goes, you get off of work on Friday and you're so busy from that moment on. The next thing you know, it's Monday morning, you're on your way to work and you feel as if you haven't had one second of down time?
That second scenario has been my life since August 9th.
I'm hoping this weekend might be a little less cumbersome. Today, I'm getting off of work early, to rush home and get ready. And when I say ready, I mean get like ready, ready. Like dressed up fancy ready. So that in itself is some work.
We're getting all fancy tonight because we're going to the Magic Castle.
The Magic Castle in Los Angeles is a private club for magicians. And the only way to go is to be invited by a member. And once you're invited, you get really dressed up, eat a fancy dinner, and then see some crazy magic.
My fiance's sister is taking us tonight to celebrate our engagement. We've never been before so I'm pretty excited. I'm sure it'll be good times.
Then on Saturday, we agreed to house sit for a friend. You know, watch the house, take care of the dog. It's not too much work but it does require a lot of running back and forth. And then on Sunday, I'm hoping (HOPING), we don't have much to do. So yes, maybe this weekend won't be too bad at all.
As for this past week ...
Weigh In: -5.0 lbs
I didn't formally weigh in with my last post because I had just started writing again so that five pounds is since Tuesday 9/24/13.
What I did?
1. I worked out 3 times. I ran. I do between 35-40 minutes 2 times a week and then a long run on Sundays. This past week my long run took 68 minutes plus warm up and cool down. I'd say I'm burning about 300 on my short runs and in the upper 500s for my long run. That would work out to around 1100 calories total burned for the week. My goal is to add in an additional 1-2 days of strength training.
2. I ate in a deficit. Twas not the great deficit I had in mind when I started my wedding plan but I'll take it. I also didn't track as dutifully as I should have. I'm still working the kinks out of getting back in the swing of tracking calories full time. I averaged a deficit of -212 calories per day. Next week, I'm really aiming for two things. First and foremost, I'm going to track every day. And secondly, I'm shooting to make my deficit closer to the 500 calorie mark.
3. Water! Since it's becoming cooler, it's a little harder to remember to drink my water, but I'm still in the game. In fact, this entire year, my fiance (I really feel weird writing that. Like I'm pretentious or something. But honestly, it's kinda cool) and I have kept our soda intake to almost zero. We drank a few sips of Sprite while on vacation to see if it tasted different (it did. it was very sweet and the carbonation kind of burned my throat ... weird right?) and I believe we have had some cocktails while out that contained soda. But other than that, our drink of choice is water or coffee or if we're feeling crazy adventurous, unsweetened iced tea. What can I say? We're crazy like that. And here's another fun tip, drinking water saves you money. When we were on vacation with my family, my parents picked up the tab one night for dinner for a bunch of us. There were 11 people. Everyone but us ordered soda and when my dad got the bill he commented on how he should start ordering water more because the drinks alone cost $27.
4. What I ate? I've been eating a mixture of foods. I'm still trying to come out of my vacation fog with food. While I was gone I was not able to cook so I got used to packaged foods and eating out. Unfortunately that practice followed us back home for a little while, however, this past week was almost perfectly normal (for me). I made a vegan mushroom stroganoff over brown rice pasta, steak salad with roasted brussel sprouts, and I was supposed to make applesauce muffins but wouldn't you know I just couldn't get it done. I also ate some sushi, bacon and eggs, dark chocolate, potato chips, Trader Joe's pre-packaged salads, and Reese's Pumpkins (YUM!).
Today's Menu:
B: Bacon and Eggs + coffee
L: Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff + pasta
D: Magic Castle
I haven't done a real weigh-in post since August 9th. That's almost two months!! I've been busy. And while I really enjoy being busy, I'm getting tired of it.
I don't know what it was about this year, but every weekend I've had since August 9th has been booked for me.
And I have another 2 weekends to go before I get a breather.
I don't mind being busy and having things to do, but when it's one after the other after the other, it gets tiring. Sometimes having events on the weekends are nice, it helps to make you think your weekend was longer than it really was. Ever have that happen? When you have a regular two day weekend off from work and for some reason, the activities you have planned make it feel like a 3-day weekend.
While those weekends are what I strive for, the opposite also can happen. You know how it goes, you get off of work on Friday and you're so busy from that moment on. The next thing you know, it's Monday morning, you're on your way to work and you feel as if you haven't had one second of down time?
That second scenario has been my life since August 9th.
I'm hoping this weekend might be a little less cumbersome. Today, I'm getting off of work early, to rush home and get ready. And when I say ready, I mean get like ready, ready. Like dressed up fancy ready. So that in itself is some work.
We're getting all fancy tonight because we're going to the Magic Castle.
The Magic Castle in Los Angeles is a private club for magicians. And the only way to go is to be invited by a member. And once you're invited, you get really dressed up, eat a fancy dinner, and then see some crazy magic.
My fiance's sister is taking us tonight to celebrate our engagement. We've never been before so I'm pretty excited. I'm sure it'll be good times.
Then on Saturday, we agreed to house sit for a friend. You know, watch the house, take care of the dog. It's not too much work but it does require a lot of running back and forth. And then on Sunday, I'm hoping (HOPING), we don't have much to do. So yes, maybe this weekend won't be too bad at all.
As for this past week ...
Weigh In: -5.0 lbs
I didn't formally weigh in with my last post because I had just started writing again so that five pounds is since Tuesday 9/24/13.
What I did?
1. I worked out 3 times. I ran. I do between 35-40 minutes 2 times a week and then a long run on Sundays. This past week my long run took 68 minutes plus warm up and cool down. I'd say I'm burning about 300 on my short runs and in the upper 500s for my long run. That would work out to around 1100 calories total burned for the week. My goal is to add in an additional 1-2 days of strength training.
2. I ate in a deficit. Twas not the great deficit I had in mind when I started my wedding plan but I'll take it. I also didn't track as dutifully as I should have. I'm still working the kinks out of getting back in the swing of tracking calories full time. I averaged a deficit of -212 calories per day. Next week, I'm really aiming for two things. First and foremost, I'm going to track every day. And secondly, I'm shooting to make my deficit closer to the 500 calorie mark.
3. Water! Since it's becoming cooler, it's a little harder to remember to drink my water, but I'm still in the game. In fact, this entire year, my fiance (I really feel weird writing that. Like I'm pretentious or something. But honestly, it's kinda cool) and I have kept our soda intake to almost zero. We drank a few sips of Sprite while on vacation to see if it tasted different (it did. it was very sweet and the carbonation kind of burned my throat ... weird right?) and I believe we have had some cocktails while out that contained soda. But other than that, our drink of choice is water or coffee or if we're feeling crazy adventurous, unsweetened iced tea. What can I say? We're crazy like that. And here's another fun tip, drinking water saves you money. When we were on vacation with my family, my parents picked up the tab one night for dinner for a bunch of us. There were 11 people. Everyone but us ordered soda and when my dad got the bill he commented on how he should start ordering water more because the drinks alone cost $27.
4. What I ate? I've been eating a mixture of foods. I'm still trying to come out of my vacation fog with food. While I was gone I was not able to cook so I got used to packaged foods and eating out. Unfortunately that practice followed us back home for a little while, however, this past week was almost perfectly normal (for me). I made a vegan mushroom stroganoff over brown rice pasta, steak salad with roasted brussel sprouts, and I was supposed to make applesauce muffins but wouldn't you know I just couldn't get it done. I also ate some sushi, bacon and eggs, dark chocolate, potato chips, Trader Joe's pre-packaged salads, and Reese's Pumpkins (YUM!).
Today's Menu:
B: Bacon and Eggs + coffee
L: Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff + pasta
D: Magic Castle
Saturday, September 28, 2013
And Now Back to Our Regularly Scheduled Weigh-Ins
I don't want to say I'm glad my vacations are over because I won't really mean it. But, in a way, I'm glad the vacations are over.
I went away for a couple of weeks. Got back home for a couple of days and then went away again. It was exhausting.
And you know what all that left me with?
An apartment full of dirty laundry, an empty bank account, and cravings for naughty foods. ;)
But it was fun. FUN. FUN!!!! I got to see my family, have my mom cook for me, get oohed and ahhed over for finally being engaged, meet my brand new twin nieces, and see one of my closest friends get married.
Good times indeed.
I know I've missed a couple of weeks of weigh-ins, but I honestly have no idea how many because I didn't weigh myself at all while I was gone. So I'm just going to jump right in and get the ball rolling again.
Huzzah!
And now to get everyone up to speed ...
Let's see. My Weight Watchers subscription came to an end a couple of weeks ago so I'm counting calories which is kind of the same thing (but cheaper!). I'm still running three times a week (up to 5 miles!) and I have officially started my countdown to my Wedding Plan.
Yes, a wedding plan.
As of Tuesday, September 25th, I have 44 weeks until August 1, 2014. And wouldn't you know, I'd like to lose 44 pounds before my wedding. Now, I don't have an exact date for the day just yet as we still aren't sure if we're having an actual wedding or eloping, but I do know no matter what, it'll be closer to September because we think that is when we want to take our Honeymoon. You know, priorities. So I have given myself an August 1 goal date just in case plans change (as they often do).
And with 44 weeks, that leaves me with a goal of losing a pound a week on average.
So what am I doing to reach this goal?
1. I'm eating in a deficit. I chose to use this calculator to find my BMR. Then with the help of Leigh Peele and her Fat Loss Troubleshoot book and Activity Calculator, I found my activity multiplier. End result: I supposedly need 1980 calories to maintain my current weight given my daily activity and exercise regime. So to start, I'm taking that number and eating 35% less which leaves me with 1287 calories to shoot for. (As time goes by and my weight drops, so will the level of the deficit. But we can talk about that when I get there)
In a perfect world, that would leave me in a deficit that would create a 1.4 pound loss per week. While I wish we lived in a perfect world, we do not. So I will be adjusting that number as necessary. In any case, I'm hoping it's enough for the 1 pound per week that I'm shooting for.
2. I'm exercising. When I calculated my calorie needs, I added exercising to the mix. I chose the 3-5 days per week of moderate intensity. So that means I actually have to DO that or I won't be eating the right amount of calories. DOH! So far, I'm running 3 days a week and I don't know about you, but for me running DEFINITELY counts as moderate intensity. So as long as I continue that I'm covered. And if for some reason my routine changes, I'll have to remember to rethink my calories.
3. I'm eating good, whole foods. Not only do you get more bang for your buck calorie wise, but your body gets the nourishment it needs. It's a win-win situation.
4. I'm going to try to not stress and enjoy the ride.
My weight loss has taken on a whole new meaning since I got engaged. I think this is the first time I've had a REAL end date. I mean, a wedding isn't something you can keep pushing back just because you haven't reached a weight loss goal. You see, I want to wear a certain kind of dress and look a certain kind of way on that day and to be honest, how I look right now doesn't really go along with that image. So when I say #4 is to try not to stress I really mean it. I already have anxiety about whether I'm going to succeed or not. It's not to a debilitating point or anything. I guess I have recently just realized how important it is to me to start my new life with my future husband the way I've always envisioned. Not just skinny, but healthy and crazy happy.
So for the next 44 weeks, I'm going to do my best to make sure that happens.
I went away for a couple of weeks. Got back home for a couple of days and then went away again. It was exhausting.
And you know what all that left me with?
An apartment full of dirty laundry, an empty bank account, and cravings for naughty foods. ;)
But it was fun. FUN. FUN!!!! I got to see my family, have my mom cook for me, get oohed and ahhed over for finally being engaged, meet my brand new twin nieces, and see one of my closest friends get married.
Good times indeed.
I know I've missed a couple of weeks of weigh-ins, but I honestly have no idea how many because I didn't weigh myself at all while I was gone. So I'm just going to jump right in and get the ball rolling again.
Huzzah!
And now to get everyone up to speed ...
Let's see. My Weight Watchers subscription came to an end a couple of weeks ago so I'm counting calories which is kind of the same thing (but cheaper!). I'm still running three times a week (up to 5 miles!) and I have officially started my countdown to my Wedding Plan.
Yes, a wedding plan.
As of Tuesday, September 25th, I have 44 weeks until August 1, 2014. And wouldn't you know, I'd like to lose 44 pounds before my wedding. Now, I don't have an exact date for the day just yet as we still aren't sure if we're having an actual wedding or eloping, but I do know no matter what, it'll be closer to September because we think that is when we want to take our Honeymoon. You know, priorities. So I have given myself an August 1 goal date just in case plans change (as they often do).
And with 44 weeks, that leaves me with a goal of losing a pound a week on average.
So what am I doing to reach this goal?
1. I'm eating in a deficit. I chose to use this calculator to find my BMR. Then with the help of Leigh Peele and her Fat Loss Troubleshoot book and Activity Calculator, I found my activity multiplier. End result: I supposedly need 1980 calories to maintain my current weight given my daily activity and exercise regime. So to start, I'm taking that number and eating 35% less which leaves me with 1287 calories to shoot for. (As time goes by and my weight drops, so will the level of the deficit. But we can talk about that when I get there)
In a perfect world, that would leave me in a deficit that would create a 1.4 pound loss per week. While I wish we lived in a perfect world, we do not. So I will be adjusting that number as necessary. In any case, I'm hoping it's enough for the 1 pound per week that I'm shooting for.
2. I'm exercising. When I calculated my calorie needs, I added exercising to the mix. I chose the 3-5 days per week of moderate intensity. So that means I actually have to DO that or I won't be eating the right amount of calories. DOH! So far, I'm running 3 days a week and I don't know about you, but for me running DEFINITELY counts as moderate intensity. So as long as I continue that I'm covered. And if for some reason my routine changes, I'll have to remember to rethink my calories.
3. I'm eating good, whole foods. Not only do you get more bang for your buck calorie wise, but your body gets the nourishment it needs. It's a win-win situation.
4. I'm going to try to not stress and enjoy the ride.
My weight loss has taken on a whole new meaning since I got engaged. I think this is the first time I've had a REAL end date. I mean, a wedding isn't something you can keep pushing back just because you haven't reached a weight loss goal. You see, I want to wear a certain kind of dress and look a certain kind of way on that day and to be honest, how I look right now doesn't really go along with that image. So when I say #4 is to try not to stress I really mean it. I already have anxiety about whether I'm going to succeed or not. It's not to a debilitating point or anything. I guess I have recently just realized how important it is to me to start my new life with my future husband the way I've always envisioned. Not just skinny, but healthy and crazy happy.
So for the next 44 weeks, I'm going to do my best to make sure that happens.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Weigh In Update
Hello everybody.
It's been a few weeks since I have last posted on here. I wasn't expecting to take a break, it just kind of happened!
So the last we spoke, I was just finishing up my Whole30 and I do have additional comments on that whole experience but I'll have to get to that in another post.
First, a couple of things have changed since the last time and I hope they will only impact me POSITIVELY.
First and foremost, I got engaged!! It happened a couple days after my last reported weigh-in. So we've been in a whirlwind of excitement over that. I kind of lost track of blogging as were being doted on by our friends. No, we don't have a date set yet but off-handed it's looking like next August or September. In any case, things just kind of got real on my weight loss efforts. I've always envisioned myself losing all my weight before I got married. But you know, that was always in the future. Well it looks like the future just caught up with me. GULP ;)
Wanna see my ring?? I didn't want to go with traditional so we went with black AND white diamonds in a non-traditional setting. I love it! It's crazy sparkly. And oh how I love sparkles.
Secondly, I quit weight watchers. I had been thinking about this one for a while so it wasn't a spontaneous decision. Over the last 8 months, I have been tracking my food and trying my best to lose weight and what I found was that, for me, the quality of the food completely outweighed how I tracked the food. And lets face it, money is tight for everyone right now. It doesn't officially go away until mid-September but I've already switched back over to my LoseIt application. I was an original member of their premium program so it only costs me $15 a year to continue with that. So I'll save over $200 for the year with the switch. I'm in a hard save mode since the engagement so every little bit helps. Besides, it'll be a nice little experiment. My theory is that I won't see a major difference in my weight loss. I think it's the balance of everything that dictates whether I lose weight or not. I don't think it has anything to do with the method of tracking. Meaning, if the quality of the food I eat is at its highest (whole foods) and I get in my workouts (ugh) then I'll lose.
In any case, it's nice to change things up. And it's SUPER nice to get that money back each month.
And thirdly, I signed up for a 5k in November. It's actually on my birthday! For the last 3 years I've always done a race and I haven't done one this year so I decided to find one and this one happened to be on my birthday so I signed up! It's the Hard Rock Cafe 5k and this one is in Hollywood running down the boulevard. I haven't done a race in Hollywood yet so I thought it would be interesting. Plus, it's a nice little incentive to keep me working out. The competitor in me hates Hates HATES to do less than her best. I started training last week and I'm proud to report that even though I haven't run since last November (my last race actually) I was able to eek out 2 miles without any major difficulty.
And finally the moment you've been waiting for. Since my last weigh-in I'm up 5.8 pounds. And I'm sheepishly smiling as I'm typing this. We've been in celebratory mode for 2 weeks in a row AND in 3 days we leave for the east coast to see my family. The original plan had been to do the Whole30 then take a weekend off then hit it again so we'd be prepared for our beach vacation. However, he had other plans. He asked me to marry him and so our plan turned into: do the Whole30 take a weekend off, get engaged, then CELEBRATE CELEBRATE CELEBRATE!!!
In all honesty though, while I don't regret my celebrations because we've just experienced a major life event that DESERVES to be celebrated, I do, however, feel yuck yuck YUCK!! I tried on some things last night to start mentally packing for the upcoming trip and to my chagrin, things weren't fitting so well. Especially bathing suits. I was kind of depressed last night but after getting a good night's sleep I woke up with a little perspective. I decided to stop stressing, get back on track, let you guys know that I was still alive and enjoy life right now. Our last celebratory event was Sunday night so my body is still working out some of the gunk that I ingested and I know that I'll easily drop most of those 5 pounds in a few days. It's just hard to work through the mental aspect of it sometimes. You know? So I've been eating lost of vegetables and chicken this week and trying to get in my workouts.
And that's what's been going on.
I have a lot more to talk about but those will have to be in future posts. They include: engagement plans, vacation plans, racing plans, and Whole30 afterthoughts to name a few.
Hope you guys are all excellent!!
Today's Menu:
B: paleo breakfast casserole
L: chicken zoodle soup
D: chicken salad on top of giant salad
can you tell I made a lot of chicken this week? :)
It's been a few weeks since I have last posted on here. I wasn't expecting to take a break, it just kind of happened!
So the last we spoke, I was just finishing up my Whole30 and I do have additional comments on that whole experience but I'll have to get to that in another post.
First, a couple of things have changed since the last time and I hope they will only impact me POSITIVELY.
First and foremost, I got engaged!! It happened a couple days after my last reported weigh-in. So we've been in a whirlwind of excitement over that. I kind of lost track of blogging as were being doted on by our friends. No, we don't have a date set yet but off-handed it's looking like next August or September. In any case, things just kind of got real on my weight loss efforts. I've always envisioned myself losing all my weight before I got married. But you know, that was always in the future. Well it looks like the future just caught up with me. GULP ;)
Wanna see my ring?? I didn't want to go with traditional so we went with black AND white diamonds in a non-traditional setting. I love it! It's crazy sparkly. And oh how I love sparkles.
Secondly, I quit weight watchers. I had been thinking about this one for a while so it wasn't a spontaneous decision. Over the last 8 months, I have been tracking my food and trying my best to lose weight and what I found was that, for me, the quality of the food completely outweighed how I tracked the food. And lets face it, money is tight for everyone right now. It doesn't officially go away until mid-September but I've already switched back over to my LoseIt application. I was an original member of their premium program so it only costs me $15 a year to continue with that. So I'll save over $200 for the year with the switch. I'm in a hard save mode since the engagement so every little bit helps. Besides, it'll be a nice little experiment. My theory is that I won't see a major difference in my weight loss. I think it's the balance of everything that dictates whether I lose weight or not. I don't think it has anything to do with the method of tracking. Meaning, if the quality of the food I eat is at its highest (whole foods) and I get in my workouts (ugh) then I'll lose.
In any case, it's nice to change things up. And it's SUPER nice to get that money back each month.
And thirdly, I signed up for a 5k in November. It's actually on my birthday! For the last 3 years I've always done a race and I haven't done one this year so I decided to find one and this one happened to be on my birthday so I signed up! It's the Hard Rock Cafe 5k and this one is in Hollywood running down the boulevard. I haven't done a race in Hollywood yet so I thought it would be interesting. Plus, it's a nice little incentive to keep me working out. The competitor in me hates Hates HATES to do less than her best. I started training last week and I'm proud to report that even though I haven't run since last November (my last race actually) I was able to eek out 2 miles without any major difficulty.
And finally the moment you've been waiting for. Since my last weigh-in I'm up 5.8 pounds. And I'm sheepishly smiling as I'm typing this. We've been in celebratory mode for 2 weeks in a row AND in 3 days we leave for the east coast to see my family. The original plan had been to do the Whole30 then take a weekend off then hit it again so we'd be prepared for our beach vacation. However, he had other plans. He asked me to marry him and so our plan turned into: do the Whole30 take a weekend off, get engaged, then CELEBRATE CELEBRATE CELEBRATE!!!
In all honesty though, while I don't regret my celebrations because we've just experienced a major life event that DESERVES to be celebrated, I do, however, feel yuck yuck YUCK!! I tried on some things last night to start mentally packing for the upcoming trip and to my chagrin, things weren't fitting so well. Especially bathing suits. I was kind of depressed last night but after getting a good night's sleep I woke up with a little perspective. I decided to stop stressing, get back on track, let you guys know that I was still alive and enjoy life right now. Our last celebratory event was Sunday night so my body is still working out some of the gunk that I ingested and I know that I'll easily drop most of those 5 pounds in a few days. It's just hard to work through the mental aspect of it sometimes. You know? So I've been eating lost of vegetables and chicken this week and trying to get in my workouts.
And that's what's been going on.
I have a lot more to talk about but those will have to be in future posts. They include: engagement plans, vacation plans, racing plans, and Whole30 afterthoughts to name a few.
Hope you guys are all excellent!!
Today's Menu:
B: paleo breakfast casserole
L: chicken zoodle soup
D: chicken salad on top of giant salad
can you tell I made a lot of chicken this week? :)
Friday, August 9, 2013
Weight Watchers Weigh In: Week 47 & Whole30 Results
I haven't been this happy to see a Friday in a looooooong time.
Only because my Whole30 is officially over (HOORAY) and tomorrow is pizza day.
It's the little things in life.
Weigh in: +/- 0
Awww. I was hoping for at least a little loss. I even stuck to the rules of my Whole30 til my weigh-in.
Oh Well. I will say one of the best things about doing a Whole30 is that when I would have a weigh-in, I didn't sweat getting on the scale. At ALL. Simply because I knew I was eating pretty darn perfectly. So whatever happened on the scale, I just chalked it up to my body doing it's thing. I didn't really care because I was already working out and eating as clean as humanly possible so there was nothing left for me to tweak!
Add that one to the list of good things about the Whole30 folks.
Now what I did this week:
1. I earned around 18 AP. I did SIX Jillian Michaels workouts. And I kicked butt every single time.
2. I ate 214 points. WOO HOO!! Finally got that total up to where it should be.
3. Water is officially my beverage of choice these days! In fact, I haven't had a soda at all this year. My boyfriend actually pointed this out to me last night. I wasn't really a big soda drinker to begin with but still, I think that's excellent. I'm a big proponent of never drinking soda regardless of your weight. I have one family member who had a giant soda problem. He would go through a case of diet dr. pepper like every day or two by himself. BY HIMSELF. He never had a weight problem in his life but he now has a neurological disorder that his doctors attribute to over-consumption of artificial sweetener from the soda. Something to think about.
4. What I ate? I ate what I was supposed to eat. Breakfast casserole with veggies, zucchini noodles with a seafood tomato sauce, steak with veggies and mushrooms, salads, fruit, almonds, ... you get the picture.
And now for my Whole30 results.
I don't really know how to handle my Whole30 results. The rules of the program are you are NOT supposed to weigh yourself during the entirety of the 30 days. I obviously didn't do that and continued my weigh-ins as per usual.
That's where this gets tricky. If I had done the program to their rules, I would have weighed myself on the morning of July 9 (Day 1) and logged that number (which I did) and then waited until the morning of August 8 (Day 31) to weigh myself again (which I also did). And If I had followed that protocol, the numbers would have told you that I lost 10.2 pounds in 30 days.
But I didn't do that. I continued my weekly weigh-ins. I started the Whole30 on Tuesday July 9th but the tricky part is my last "official" weigh-in was Friday, June 28th so while I was blogging I used that last "official" number as the starting number. So if you go by my blog posts, I lost 3.2 pounds in 30 days.
Which is right? Both I guess. It just depends on how you want to look at it.
I know most people are going to try the Whole30 for weight loss even though a lot of the success stories in the book are from people who have body ailments that get healed (tendonitis, skin problems, digestive issues etc.).
I know one of the reasons I wanted to try it was because people were spouting about losing upwards of 15 pounds in 30 days. How can that NOT be motivating? In any case, I thought it was important to give you both sets of numbers.
I don't care which one is accurate because I lost inches. Which, for me, is more important. A 10 pound weight loss matters not if you don't get smaller in the process. So because I lost inches, I don't care if it was 10 pounds or 3 pounds, I still lost the same amount of inches. But don't forget, I was doing my Jillian Michaels challenge at the same time so I was working out too.
Here are the numbers:
Start
Chest: 39.5
Ribs: 32.5
Waist: 33.5
Hips: 41
Belly Button: 34
Upper Thigh: 22.75
Leg @ Knee: 17
Left Arm: 12.75
End
Chest: 39
Ribs: 32
Waist: 32
Hips: 40
Belly Button: 33
Upper Thigh: 22.5
Leg @ Knee: 17
Left Arm: 11.25
Total inches lost: -6.25"
And here are the pics:
The area I lost the most from is probably the least recognizable from the pics. It was from my waist and hip area. My hips aren't as wide now and my waist is a little more defined. I know I lost inches from that area because I can fit into pants that didn't fit prior. And the difference in my clothes is pretty amazing so I figured the pictures would definitely reflect that but I don't think it's as noticeable in a picture as it is to me. No matter. I'm pleased to be able to add some pieces of clothing to my wardrobe that were previously too tight!
And there you have it folks. Nothing too major for me. But as a disclaimer, I've never lost weight quickly or easily. It takes me longer than an average person to lose weight. It's something I've had to learn to deal with over the years. I don't always deal with it very well but I do my best to work with what I have.
Case and point. My boyfriend did the Whole30 with me. We ate the same foods every day except he would add in a couple pieces of fruit or extra protein to pad his calories because he eats more than I do. We both also workout usually 5 days a week. However, he does ride his bike to work 5 days a week so in addition to his regular workouts, he automatically gets in the extra cardio from his bike.
His Whole30 results? He lost 20 pounds. And he needed to lose maybe five. When I first heard his results I was, of course, jealous. But after some time, I decided to use his results as encouragement. I did the exact same things as he did. I ate the same food, I got in my workouts. Therefore, my results were the best that my body could give me. I was already aware of my body's sluggish metabolism (it's documented somewhere on this blog - I had it tested YEARS ago and they told me it was -18% slower than it should be). I am acutely aware that I've always had a hard time losing weight so I should be proud of my accomplishments. I didn't cheat on the diet. I ate as perfectly as a human being can eat and I did my workouts when I could. And no, I didn't lose 20 pounds but I lost some and I lost inches. So, I am very happy with my results. I mean, hey, I could have not done anything at all and gained weight during that time.
Right?
So, we're taking the weekend off and then I'm going to hit it again. I'm going to do an almost Whole30 as best I can until we leave for vacation at the end of the month. And after vacation, we're going to be at it again until I get to where I want to be. And he is determined to do it with me until I reach my goal.
Isn't he the best??
Have a great weekend!
Only because my Whole30 is officially over (HOORAY) and tomorrow is pizza day.
It's the little things in life.
Weigh in: +/- 0
Awww. I was hoping for at least a little loss. I even stuck to the rules of my Whole30 til my weigh-in.
Oh Well. I will say one of the best things about doing a Whole30 is that when I would have a weigh-in, I didn't sweat getting on the scale. At ALL. Simply because I knew I was eating pretty darn perfectly. So whatever happened on the scale, I just chalked it up to my body doing it's thing. I didn't really care because I was already working out and eating as clean as humanly possible so there was nothing left for me to tweak!
Add that one to the list of good things about the Whole30 folks.
Now what I did this week:
1. I earned around 18 AP. I did SIX Jillian Michaels workouts. And I kicked butt every single time.
2. I ate 214 points. WOO HOO!! Finally got that total up to where it should be.
3. Water is officially my beverage of choice these days! In fact, I haven't had a soda at all this year. My boyfriend actually pointed this out to me last night. I wasn't really a big soda drinker to begin with but still, I think that's excellent. I'm a big proponent of never drinking soda regardless of your weight. I have one family member who had a giant soda problem. He would go through a case of diet dr. pepper like every day or two by himself. BY HIMSELF. He never had a weight problem in his life but he now has a neurological disorder that his doctors attribute to over-consumption of artificial sweetener from the soda. Something to think about.
4. What I ate? I ate what I was supposed to eat. Breakfast casserole with veggies, zucchini noodles with a seafood tomato sauce, steak with veggies and mushrooms, salads, fruit, almonds, ... you get the picture.
And now for my Whole30 results.
I don't really know how to handle my Whole30 results. The rules of the program are you are NOT supposed to weigh yourself during the entirety of the 30 days. I obviously didn't do that and continued my weigh-ins as per usual.
That's where this gets tricky. If I had done the program to their rules, I would have weighed myself on the morning of July 9 (Day 1) and logged that number (which I did) and then waited until the morning of August 8 (Day 31) to weigh myself again (which I also did). And If I had followed that protocol, the numbers would have told you that I lost 10.2 pounds in 30 days.
But I didn't do that. I continued my weekly weigh-ins. I started the Whole30 on Tuesday July 9th but the tricky part is my last "official" weigh-in was Friday, June 28th so while I was blogging I used that last "official" number as the starting number. So if you go by my blog posts, I lost 3.2 pounds in 30 days.
Which is right? Both I guess. It just depends on how you want to look at it.
I know most people are going to try the Whole30 for weight loss even though a lot of the success stories in the book are from people who have body ailments that get healed (tendonitis, skin problems, digestive issues etc.).
I know one of the reasons I wanted to try it was because people were spouting about losing upwards of 15 pounds in 30 days. How can that NOT be motivating? In any case, I thought it was important to give you both sets of numbers.
I don't care which one is accurate because I lost inches. Which, for me, is more important. A 10 pound weight loss matters not if you don't get smaller in the process. So because I lost inches, I don't care if it was 10 pounds or 3 pounds, I still lost the same amount of inches. But don't forget, I was doing my Jillian Michaels challenge at the same time so I was working out too.
Here are the numbers:
Start
Chest: 39.5
Ribs: 32.5
Waist: 33.5
Hips: 41
Belly Button: 34
Upper Thigh: 22.75
Leg @ Knee: 17
Left Arm: 12.75
End
Chest: 39
Ribs: 32
Waist: 32
Hips: 40
Belly Button: 33
Upper Thigh: 22.5
Leg @ Knee: 17
Left Arm: 11.25
Total inches lost: -6.25"
And here are the pics:
The area I lost the most from is probably the least recognizable from the pics. It was from my waist and hip area. My hips aren't as wide now and my waist is a little more defined. I know I lost inches from that area because I can fit into pants that didn't fit prior. And the difference in my clothes is pretty amazing so I figured the pictures would definitely reflect that but I don't think it's as noticeable in a picture as it is to me. No matter. I'm pleased to be able to add some pieces of clothing to my wardrobe that were previously too tight!
And there you have it folks. Nothing too major for me. But as a disclaimer, I've never lost weight quickly or easily. It takes me longer than an average person to lose weight. It's something I've had to learn to deal with over the years. I don't always deal with it very well but I do my best to work with what I have.
Case and point. My boyfriend did the Whole30 with me. We ate the same foods every day except he would add in a couple pieces of fruit or extra protein to pad his calories because he eats more than I do. We both also workout usually 5 days a week. However, he does ride his bike to work 5 days a week so in addition to his regular workouts, he automatically gets in the extra cardio from his bike.
His Whole30 results? He lost 20 pounds. And he needed to lose maybe five. When I first heard his results I was, of course, jealous. But after some time, I decided to use his results as encouragement. I did the exact same things as he did. I ate the same food, I got in my workouts. Therefore, my results were the best that my body could give me. I was already aware of my body's sluggish metabolism (it's documented somewhere on this blog - I had it tested YEARS ago and they told me it was -18% slower than it should be). I am acutely aware that I've always had a hard time losing weight so I should be proud of my accomplishments. I didn't cheat on the diet. I ate as perfectly as a human being can eat and I did my workouts when I could. And no, I didn't lose 20 pounds but I lost some and I lost inches. So, I am very happy with my results. I mean, hey, I could have not done anything at all and gained weight during that time.
Right?
So, we're taking the weekend off and then I'm going to hit it again. I'm going to do an almost Whole30 as best I can until we leave for vacation at the end of the month. And after vacation, we're going to be at it again until I get to where I want to be. And he is determined to do it with me until I reach my goal.
Isn't he the best??
Have a great weekend!
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Whole30: Days 22 - 28 and Final Thoughts
Today is Day #29.
ONE MORE DAY TO GO.
This last week has been the hardest. I went from feeling amazing to feeling like I'm crawling thru mud. It's completely due to me not eating enough. Don't worry - that is all explained in the novel that is below.
But first -
What I ate:
Breakfast:
egg casserole: spinach, mushroom, onion, sausage, coconut milk (I generally made a variation of a breakfast casserole for each week)
Lunch/Dinner:
chicken pot pie soup: chicken, coconut milk, mushroom, peas, carrots, red pepper, onion, garlic, shallots, chicken broth
sirloin steak with mushroom gravy and sweet potato fries
bacon, lettuce and tomato wraps (in lettuce)
plain old scrambled eggs
salad, raw vegetables, chicken, oil and vinegar
apples (BONUS: apples taste like candy to me now. CANDY!)
And while I haven't officially completed my Whole30, I'm going to go ahead and give my thoughts on this whole process.
I'll be honest, it was both good and bad. For me, it was a seesaw of good and bad. Some days the bad outweighed the good. And some days it was worth it. And honestly, it still changes from day to day.
I'll go over the good first:
1. How can eating wholesome foods be bad? Short answer: it can't. So 30 days of eating a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, nuts and grassfed meat was pretty awesome.
2. You get a sort of pride when you eat healthfully. And when you're doing it 100% of the time for THIRTY days. Well, they should make a t-shirt for that because I think it's an amazing accomplishment.
3. In an effort to mix up my menu, I turned to foods I never have cooked before. Trying new vegetables is always a plus in my book. I tried kale, parsnips, and turnips to name a few. Some were more successful than others.
4. I learned a few things about my eating habits and how I can tweak my pre-Whole30 diet to be a little better.
5. Consciously cutting out sugar is a good idea. When you're mindful about not using it, you find that it's really not that big of a deal and you're really better off eating less of it.
6. My body shrunk.
And now, the bad:
1. It was, of course, hard.
2. I didn't feel I actually needed to do it once it was underway. In January of this year, I did my elimination diet and this was basically the same thing. EXCEPT, I only took out gluten. This took out the entire grains category. I already know I have problems with gluten, dairy, soy, and a little bit with corn (it makes me have crazy cravings). And after I learned all of my new food limitations I was already eating with those in mind. I rarely ate out, got fast food, or ate anything processed. I had been doing that for 6+ months and I had such a handle on it, this just felt redundant to me.
3. I felt deprived. Mainly because of #2. I already had my food problems identified and I knew how to manage them and eat around them. I read the book, I understood their reasons for taking out certain foods, but once I got about 3 weeks in, I really, REALLY felt like I didn't fully agree this process was right for me. I do agree that if I had been an individual who had been eating a Standard American Diet then this shock would be necessary, but I'm not that person.
4. If I didn't know how to cook and didn't have my previously learned knowledge about cooking dairy free and gluten free especially, I would have been screwed. I get why people quit. You HAVE to get creative to keep things interesting. Unless you're the type of person who likes to eat just a protein and veggie (and believe it or not some do), you'll get bored and you'll get cranky. Quick.
5. I also didn't agree with the not using Whole30 approved foods to make fan favorite dishes (you know, dessert, pizza, pancakes etc.). I feel the best thing I learned from my first elimination diet was just this. I taught myself how to make dishes that were "normal". In fact, I tried hard to modify my favorite dishes to keep them in the rotation. I often felt like an "outcast" because I couldn't eat normal foods. When people invited me over, I was happy I could bring something that looked and tasted normal - and little did they know it fit into the strict confines of my diet. Furthermore, this one thing is mainly the reason I have continued eating this way this whole year. If I want pizza, I have a great grain free crust that really hits the spot. It has 3 ingredients in it. And I top it with the best ingredients I can find. If I hadn't taught myself how to do this, I would rely on getting a gluten free pizza from a restaurant. And just because something is gluten free does NOT mean it's healthier. I'm sure it's laden with soybean oil, processed cheese, and all kinds of other not good stuff.
6. I did not eat enough. Plain and simple. This happened to both myself and my boyfriend. I don't know the science behind it but the last week my energy dropped like a brick. And I realized, I wasn't averaging enough calories to even have my body function normally. This is actually both good and bad. It's good because it shows you how hard it is to overeat on wholesome foods. They are so filling and much lower in calories than say, a Big Mac. But at the same time, it was bad because I found it hard to eat ENOUGH calories to even get me through my workouts. I'll admit this last point is driven by the deprivation I was feeling. I'm sure I could have stuffed my face with anything to get my calories up, but the bad thing was I didn't want to eat. At all. I just started to hate eating food.
and lastly ....
7. I think it sets you up for a binge. Especially because of reason #5. I'm actually afraid of this. I went to the forums to see how many people were dealing with this and guess what, there are TONS of posts about being afraid. And rightly so. Never before this year have I wanted to just throw caution to the wind and eat ... well ... everything. I've written before about how this year I've had such a handle on my eating. I don't feel that way right now. I feel like if I allowed myself, I could have 2 weeks solid of just eating. I've already made a firm plan for the upcoming weekend to help me with this. I'm allowing myself pizza. It's the one thing I think both of us really want so on Saturday (we finish tomorrow) we're having pizza. And yes, we're both afraid that it'll be like opening up pandora's box. However, we've agreed that no matter what happens, come Monday, we're starting back up again with our healthy eating habits.
CONCLUSION:
While it appears I had mostly negative things to say about this I'm happy I did it, although I probably won't be doing it ever again (as written). But I've been wanting to do it and I did it. And most importantly, I finished. So of course that makes me happy. I also learned a lot about how my body reacts to certain foods. What keeps me full longer and what doesn't. I learned about some new veggies which is awesome. On the down side, I kind of feel like I messed with a good thing. I was in a great place with my eating, weight loss and such. I had a handle on my cravings, on my food choices and my overall relationship with food. This was truly a learning experience. And in case you're wondering, yes, I would recommend people try it out. It may be the thing for you. And again I would like to stress, while at times it seemed it wasn't for me, I never would have known unless I tried it. Such a weird thing isn't it? I'm spouting that It made me unhappy but I'm supremely happy I did it and made it all the way through despite my personal findings. See what I mean? Seesaw.
I said I wouldn't be doing this again but only not as written. I have tried to read up on grains and there is validity to what they say about grains but I've also read the counterarguments. I, personally, don't think wheat is ever a good idea but there are other whole grains out there that I wouldn't be opposed to eating on occasion (basically rice). Cutting out gluten permanently for me was honestly not a big deal. The beans argument also isn't a big one for me. I actually rarely eat them, however, I won't purposefully not eat something tasty and healthy if it has beans in them. And dairy. I don't eat it every day or even once a week. It's one of those once in awhile things for me and it will continue to be that way for me. And alcohol, again, I'm not a big drinker but every now and then I like to have a hard apple cider or a glass of wine. And finally sugar. There is no argument from me. Sugar is not good and I definitely will try my best to keep it out as much as possible and choose my battles when it comes to indulging. As far as processed ingredients, they have been out and will stay out!
So there you have it.
Again, I encourage everyone to give it a try. And if you need ideas for recipes give me a shout. I have a ton.
Also I'll post my before/after pics and measurements once I'm officially done. Also I have some thoughts on the weight loss aspect of this program because I feel like most people do it for that ;)
Today's Menu:
B: egg casserole: spinach, mushroom, onion, sausage, coconut milk
L: chicken pot pie soup: chicken, coconut milk, mushroom, peas, carrots, red pepper, onion, garlic, shallots, chicken broth
D: maybe some sashimi!
ONE MORE DAY TO GO.
This last week has been the hardest. I went from feeling amazing to feeling like I'm crawling thru mud. It's completely due to me not eating enough. Don't worry - that is all explained in the novel that is below.
But first -
What I ate:
Breakfast:
egg casserole: spinach, mushroom, onion, sausage, coconut milk (I generally made a variation of a breakfast casserole for each week)
Lunch/Dinner:
chicken pot pie soup: chicken, coconut milk, mushroom, peas, carrots, red pepper, onion, garlic, shallots, chicken broth
sirloin steak with mushroom gravy and sweet potato fries
bacon, lettuce and tomato wraps (in lettuce)
plain old scrambled eggs
salad, raw vegetables, chicken, oil and vinegar
apples (BONUS: apples taste like candy to me now. CANDY!)
And while I haven't officially completed my Whole30, I'm going to go ahead and give my thoughts on this whole process.
I'll be honest, it was both good and bad. For me, it was a seesaw of good and bad. Some days the bad outweighed the good. And some days it was worth it. And honestly, it still changes from day to day.
I'll go over the good first:
1. How can eating wholesome foods be bad? Short answer: it can't. So 30 days of eating a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, nuts and grassfed meat was pretty awesome.
2. You get a sort of pride when you eat healthfully. And when you're doing it 100% of the time for THIRTY days. Well, they should make a t-shirt for that because I think it's an amazing accomplishment.
3. In an effort to mix up my menu, I turned to foods I never have cooked before. Trying new vegetables is always a plus in my book. I tried kale, parsnips, and turnips to name a few. Some were more successful than others.
4. I learned a few things about my eating habits and how I can tweak my pre-Whole30 diet to be a little better.
5. Consciously cutting out sugar is a good idea. When you're mindful about not using it, you find that it's really not that big of a deal and you're really better off eating less of it.
6. My body shrunk.
And now, the bad:
1. It was, of course, hard.
2. I didn't feel I actually needed to do it once it was underway. In January of this year, I did my elimination diet and this was basically the same thing. EXCEPT, I only took out gluten. This took out the entire grains category. I already know I have problems with gluten, dairy, soy, and a little bit with corn (it makes me have crazy cravings). And after I learned all of my new food limitations I was already eating with those in mind. I rarely ate out, got fast food, or ate anything processed. I had been doing that for 6+ months and I had such a handle on it, this just felt redundant to me.
3. I felt deprived. Mainly because of #2. I already had my food problems identified and I knew how to manage them and eat around them. I read the book, I understood their reasons for taking out certain foods, but once I got about 3 weeks in, I really, REALLY felt like I didn't fully agree this process was right for me. I do agree that if I had been an individual who had been eating a Standard American Diet then this shock would be necessary, but I'm not that person.
4. If I didn't know how to cook and didn't have my previously learned knowledge about cooking dairy free and gluten free especially, I would have been screwed. I get why people quit. You HAVE to get creative to keep things interesting. Unless you're the type of person who likes to eat just a protein and veggie (and believe it or not some do), you'll get bored and you'll get cranky. Quick.
5. I also didn't agree with the not using Whole30 approved foods to make fan favorite dishes (you know, dessert, pizza, pancakes etc.). I feel the best thing I learned from my first elimination diet was just this. I taught myself how to make dishes that were "normal". In fact, I tried hard to modify my favorite dishes to keep them in the rotation. I often felt like an "outcast" because I couldn't eat normal foods. When people invited me over, I was happy I could bring something that looked and tasted normal - and little did they know it fit into the strict confines of my diet. Furthermore, this one thing is mainly the reason I have continued eating this way this whole year. If I want pizza, I have a great grain free crust that really hits the spot. It has 3 ingredients in it. And I top it with the best ingredients I can find. If I hadn't taught myself how to do this, I would rely on getting a gluten free pizza from a restaurant. And just because something is gluten free does NOT mean it's healthier. I'm sure it's laden with soybean oil, processed cheese, and all kinds of other not good stuff.
6. I did not eat enough. Plain and simple. This happened to both myself and my boyfriend. I don't know the science behind it but the last week my energy dropped like a brick. And I realized, I wasn't averaging enough calories to even have my body function normally. This is actually both good and bad. It's good because it shows you how hard it is to overeat on wholesome foods. They are so filling and much lower in calories than say, a Big Mac. But at the same time, it was bad because I found it hard to eat ENOUGH calories to even get me through my workouts. I'll admit this last point is driven by the deprivation I was feeling. I'm sure I could have stuffed my face with anything to get my calories up, but the bad thing was I didn't want to eat. At all. I just started to hate eating food.
and lastly ....
7. I think it sets you up for a binge. Especially because of reason #5. I'm actually afraid of this. I went to the forums to see how many people were dealing with this and guess what, there are TONS of posts about being afraid. And rightly so. Never before this year have I wanted to just throw caution to the wind and eat ... well ... everything. I've written before about how this year I've had such a handle on my eating. I don't feel that way right now. I feel like if I allowed myself, I could have 2 weeks solid of just eating. I've already made a firm plan for the upcoming weekend to help me with this. I'm allowing myself pizza. It's the one thing I think both of us really want so on Saturday (we finish tomorrow) we're having pizza. And yes, we're both afraid that it'll be like opening up pandora's box. However, we've agreed that no matter what happens, come Monday, we're starting back up again with our healthy eating habits.
CONCLUSION:
While it appears I had mostly negative things to say about this I'm happy I did it, although I probably won't be doing it ever again (as written). But I've been wanting to do it and I did it. And most importantly, I finished. So of course that makes me happy. I also learned a lot about how my body reacts to certain foods. What keeps me full longer and what doesn't. I learned about some new veggies which is awesome. On the down side, I kind of feel like I messed with a good thing. I was in a great place with my eating, weight loss and such. I had a handle on my cravings, on my food choices and my overall relationship with food. This was truly a learning experience. And in case you're wondering, yes, I would recommend people try it out. It may be the thing for you. And again I would like to stress, while at times it seemed it wasn't for me, I never would have known unless I tried it. Such a weird thing isn't it? I'm spouting that It made me unhappy but I'm supremely happy I did it and made it all the way through despite my personal findings. See what I mean? Seesaw.
I said I wouldn't be doing this again but only not as written. I have tried to read up on grains and there is validity to what they say about grains but I've also read the counterarguments. I, personally, don't think wheat is ever a good idea but there are other whole grains out there that I wouldn't be opposed to eating on occasion (basically rice). Cutting out gluten permanently for me was honestly not a big deal. The beans argument also isn't a big one for me. I actually rarely eat them, however, I won't purposefully not eat something tasty and healthy if it has beans in them. And dairy. I don't eat it every day or even once a week. It's one of those once in awhile things for me and it will continue to be that way for me. And alcohol, again, I'm not a big drinker but every now and then I like to have a hard apple cider or a glass of wine. And finally sugar. There is no argument from me. Sugar is not good and I definitely will try my best to keep it out as much as possible and choose my battles when it comes to indulging. As far as processed ingredients, they have been out and will stay out!
So there you have it.
Again, I encourage everyone to give it a try. And if you need ideas for recipes give me a shout. I have a ton.
Also I'll post my before/after pics and measurements once I'm officially done. Also I have some thoughts on the weight loss aspect of this program because I feel like most people do it for that ;)
Today's Menu:
B: egg casserole: spinach, mushroom, onion, sausage, coconut milk
L: chicken pot pie soup: chicken, coconut milk, mushroom, peas, carrots, red pepper, onion, garlic, shallots, chicken broth
D: maybe some sashimi!
Friday, August 2, 2013
Weight Watchers Weigh In: Week 46
Happy Friday one and all.
I come to you with a raging headache that no amount of medication seems to be touching. However, I am so dedicated to write this blog post I am foraging past the pain and misery in order to bring you this week's weigh in.
Actually, since nothing has worked so far to make it feel better, I figure I might as well do anything and everything I can to distract myself. And since nothing but a nap is going to help at this juncture (and I'm still at work so that's out of the question), blogging is all I have left.
So blog I shall.
Guess what I woke up to this morning?
Water pouring out of both the sink and dishwasher thus flooding my kitchen and dining room.
Huzzah!
Good times. Although I was in a mad panic trying to get it to stop, I'm thankful I went out there when I did. The water was just about to hit items that would have been seriously damaged or ruined had I not intervened.
But we managed to get it all fixed. Hopefully. It just made for an exciting Friday morning. Well, not really exciting. More like exasperating.
Weigh In: -0.6 lbs
Weekly Round-up:
1. I earned around 12 AP. That is from 4 workouts. 4 awesome workouts.
2. I ate 172 points. Now folks this is way too low for me. I had a rough week with food. I do this every now and again and I wish I knew why. I just get in this funk where NO food sounds good. The thought of food even makes me sick. I just have to force myself to eat and honestly it's not fun. Hopefully I'll come out of this soon.
3. Water. I love it!
4. What I ate: I am still on my Whole30. Tomorrow is day #26. I'll be honest, although I'm tickled pink with how I look and feel, I will be more than pleased for this to come to a close. I'll give my full opinion after it's over but know this: Day 30 can't come soon enough. Anyway, some of the items I ate: steak and eggs, chicken pot pie soup, kelp noodles with seafood sauce, and spinach salad with chicken breast. Blackberries, almonds, and sweet potatoes also made an appearance.
And now I have to go workout. I don't want to, but I'm going to do it anyway :)
today's menu:
B: coffee + handful of almonds (with a flooding kitchen it was all I could grab)
L: house salad + chicken
D: chicken pot pie soup
I come to you with a raging headache that no amount of medication seems to be touching. However, I am so dedicated to write this blog post I am foraging past the pain and misery in order to bring you this week's weigh in.
Actually, since nothing has worked so far to make it feel better, I figure I might as well do anything and everything I can to distract myself. And since nothing but a nap is going to help at this juncture (and I'm still at work so that's out of the question), blogging is all I have left.
So blog I shall.
Guess what I woke up to this morning?
Water pouring out of both the sink and dishwasher thus flooding my kitchen and dining room.
Huzzah!
Good times. Although I was in a mad panic trying to get it to stop, I'm thankful I went out there when I did. The water was just about to hit items that would have been seriously damaged or ruined had I not intervened.
But we managed to get it all fixed. Hopefully. It just made for an exciting Friday morning. Well, not really exciting. More like exasperating.
Weigh In: -0.6 lbs
Weekly Round-up:
1. I earned around 12 AP. That is from 4 workouts. 4 awesome workouts.
2. I ate 172 points. Now folks this is way too low for me. I had a rough week with food. I do this every now and again and I wish I knew why. I just get in this funk where NO food sounds good. The thought of food even makes me sick. I just have to force myself to eat and honestly it's not fun. Hopefully I'll come out of this soon.
3. Water. I love it!
4. What I ate: I am still on my Whole30. Tomorrow is day #26. I'll be honest, although I'm tickled pink with how I look and feel, I will be more than pleased for this to come to a close. I'll give my full opinion after it's over but know this: Day 30 can't come soon enough. Anyway, some of the items I ate: steak and eggs, chicken pot pie soup, kelp noodles with seafood sauce, and spinach salad with chicken breast. Blackberries, almonds, and sweet potatoes also made an appearance.
And now I have to go workout. I don't want to, but I'm going to do it anyway :)
today's menu:
B: coffee + handful of almonds (with a flooding kitchen it was all I could grab)
L: house salad + chicken
D: chicken pot pie soup
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Jillian Michaels Challenge: Update
Hello internet world.
I'm still doing my Jillian Michaels challenge. Man, I'm really starting to like her. I've always been a fan but I'm really loving her DVDs.
Since I'm doing so many different DVDs, I thought I'd review some of the new ones.
Killer Buns and Thighs: Level 1
The Facts:
This is a 30 minute workout PLUS warm up and cool-down. You'll need a set of dumbbells and a mat if you're working on a hard surface. (Actually, the dumbbells aren't desperately needed in this one. You could get away without using them say, if you were traveling or something.) This is a circuit workout. She runs you through a series of moves that, obviously, targets your lower body, you repeat that circuit and then you move on. She throws in some cardio moves every now and then but this is mainly a strength/toning video. But you DEFINITELY will be burning some calories.
I burned 362 calories according to my HRM.
I LOVE this DVD. Mainly because I LOVE working out my legs. Always have. But this is also a great workout. I love the pace, she changes poses quickly but you will definitely feel the burn in all the right places. If you do this one regularly enough, there is no way your butt won't look amazing. And I'm just on level 1!
No More Trouble Zones:
The Facts:
The workout is 40 minutes PLUS WU and CD. Get out your dumbbells and mat for this one. This is another circuit style workout. Each circuit targets something up top and something down below. You'll do a series of moves targeting said muscle groups, repeat the series and then move on to 2 other muscle groups. I believe you do this for 5 circuits total but I'll have to double check that. This DVD also is predominantly strength training.
I still need to wear my HRM while doing this to get a count. But I'll do that soon. I promise.
I also LOVE this DVD. Every since I did p90x last year, I've grown very fond of strength training. So this DVD is right up my alley. It's called no more trouble zones because she literally hits every zone in your body. Even if you're short on time and can only do half of it you'll still hit both upper and lower body and get in a good workout. The only caveat with this one is that there is just one workout. I plan on keeping it in my rotation sparingly so I won't get sick of it.
6 Week 6 Pack: Level 1
The Facts:
This is a 30 minute workout PLUS WU and CD. Like Killer Buns and Thighs you need a set of dumbbells and a mat (if on a hard surface) BUT you can definitely do this without the weights. It's another fast paced routine that targets the abdominal muscles. But don't think you'll be on the floor the whole time. She has you doing moves you wouldn't think target the waist but they do. In addition to my abs being worked, I also felt like my arms and shoulders got a decent (not great) workout due to moves like the plank. Just holding your body weight up is enough to give them a workout.
Need to do a HRM reading with this as well.
I very much like this workout. I'm not going to use the word love yet, but I feel like I MIGHT fall in love with this one too. I like that the moves are different. I was a little apprehensive about doing a workout that focused only on getting a 6 pack, but after doing it and seeing how well rounded the moves were, I was definitely up for keeping it in my rotation. And yes, I definitely think if you do this workout, your waist will shrink.
And now my disclaimer about all 3 videos. I firmly believe you will get excellent results with these videos. But only EXCELLENT results if your diet is clean. And when I say clean I mean just short of perfect clean. I didn't realize how much more effective workouts were until I changed my eating. There is a reason she includes menus with most of her DVDs and talks about eating. It's more than half the battle. That being said, I imagine you'll get really good results if your diet is still in progress.
I believe diet is the most important factor of getting a great body and also the hardest element. It is TOUGH. So take it a little at a time. It took me years of trying to get to a point where I was willing to change things. I had the info, my soul was willing but my brain wasn't on board. This year, things have fallen into place. I've made changes that I sincerely hope are lifelong. And I also hope I keep seeing results.
Mini Progress Report:
I'm about halfway thru week 3 of my 7 week challenge which is kind of like a halfway point so I took some preliminary measurements last night. I'm down around 6 inches all over. I also tried on some previously too tight pants/shorts and they seem to be fitting now. Week 1 was a great week. I did 4 workouts. Week 2 was less than stellar - only did 1 workout. And now I'm on Week 3 with my 3rd workout happening this evening. I'm pretty happy with the 6 inches considering I feel like I lost a week with Week 2. No matter, I will push forward. I'll give a real update next week with pictures and actual measurement numbers after my Whole30 is over.
I'm still doing my Jillian Michaels challenge. Man, I'm really starting to like her. I've always been a fan but I'm really loving her DVDs.
Since I'm doing so many different DVDs, I thought I'd review some of the new ones.
Killer Buns and Thighs: Level 1
The Facts:
This is a 30 minute workout PLUS warm up and cool-down. You'll need a set of dumbbells and a mat if you're working on a hard surface. (Actually, the dumbbells aren't desperately needed in this one. You could get away without using them say, if you were traveling or something.) This is a circuit workout. She runs you through a series of moves that, obviously, targets your lower body, you repeat that circuit and then you move on. She throws in some cardio moves every now and then but this is mainly a strength/toning video. But you DEFINITELY will be burning some calories.
I burned 362 calories according to my HRM.
I LOVE this DVD. Mainly because I LOVE working out my legs. Always have. But this is also a great workout. I love the pace, she changes poses quickly but you will definitely feel the burn in all the right places. If you do this one regularly enough, there is no way your butt won't look amazing. And I'm just on level 1!
No More Trouble Zones:
The Facts:
The workout is 40 minutes PLUS WU and CD. Get out your dumbbells and mat for this one. This is another circuit style workout. Each circuit targets something up top and something down below. You'll do a series of moves targeting said muscle groups, repeat the series and then move on to 2 other muscle groups. I believe you do this for 5 circuits total but I'll have to double check that. This DVD also is predominantly strength training.
I still need to wear my HRM while doing this to get a count. But I'll do that soon. I promise.
I also LOVE this DVD. Every since I did p90x last year, I've grown very fond of strength training. So this DVD is right up my alley. It's called no more trouble zones because she literally hits every zone in your body. Even if you're short on time and can only do half of it you'll still hit both upper and lower body and get in a good workout. The only caveat with this one is that there is just one workout. I plan on keeping it in my rotation sparingly so I won't get sick of it.
6 Week 6 Pack: Level 1
The Facts:
This is a 30 minute workout PLUS WU and CD. Like Killer Buns and Thighs you need a set of dumbbells and a mat (if on a hard surface) BUT you can definitely do this without the weights. It's another fast paced routine that targets the abdominal muscles. But don't think you'll be on the floor the whole time. She has you doing moves you wouldn't think target the waist but they do. In addition to my abs being worked, I also felt like my arms and shoulders got a decent (not great) workout due to moves like the plank. Just holding your body weight up is enough to give them a workout.
Need to do a HRM reading with this as well.
I very much like this workout. I'm not going to use the word love yet, but I feel like I MIGHT fall in love with this one too. I like that the moves are different. I was a little apprehensive about doing a workout that focused only on getting a 6 pack, but after doing it and seeing how well rounded the moves were, I was definitely up for keeping it in my rotation. And yes, I definitely think if you do this workout, your waist will shrink.
And now my disclaimer about all 3 videos. I firmly believe you will get excellent results with these videos. But only EXCELLENT results if your diet is clean. And when I say clean I mean just short of perfect clean. I didn't realize how much more effective workouts were until I changed my eating. There is a reason she includes menus with most of her DVDs and talks about eating. It's more than half the battle. That being said, I imagine you'll get really good results if your diet is still in progress.
I believe diet is the most important factor of getting a great body and also the hardest element. It is TOUGH. So take it a little at a time. It took me years of trying to get to a point where I was willing to change things. I had the info, my soul was willing but my brain wasn't on board. This year, things have fallen into place. I've made changes that I sincerely hope are lifelong. And I also hope I keep seeing results.
Mini Progress Report:
I'm about halfway thru week 3 of my 7 week challenge which is kind of like a halfway point so I took some preliminary measurements last night. I'm down around 6 inches all over. I also tried on some previously too tight pants/shorts and they seem to be fitting now. Week 1 was a great week. I did 4 workouts. Week 2 was less than stellar - only did 1 workout. And now I'm on Week 3 with my 3rd workout happening this evening. I'm pretty happy with the 6 inches considering I feel like I lost a week with Week 2. No matter, I will push forward. I'll give a real update next week with pictures and actual measurement numbers after my Whole30 is over.
Whole30: Days 15 - 21
According to the timeline, the tiger blood feeling is supposed to come at Day 16.
What is tiger blood? Well, the best I can figure, it just means you feel like you are awesome. Like nothing can touch you.
It didn't come at Day 16 for me, but they clearly also tell you that your miles may vary.
I believe I got my tiger blood transfusion Monday (Day 21). And I waited thru Tuesday to confirm that the transformation was complete. Seriously, it hit me like a ton of bricks. Well, a ton of good bricks. I had more energy than I knew what to do with, food thoughts were a thing of the past, and I felt like I could wrestle a bear and win.
And that's really all I have to report about this last week. What's funny is all of that anger I had, all the pining for conventional food seems like months ago. My brain now can't seem to grasp why I ever would have those feelings or cravings.
I've said it before and I'll say it again ...
Life moves pretty fast. If you don't look around once in awhile...
Wait, no. That's something else.
What I was meant to say is that the human body and brain are AMAZING. And what's crazy to me is how much food can affect both of those systems.
Before I started these 30 days, I scoured forums and blogs to find information about this part of the phase. I wanted to know exactly what I could do to get to this point. And fast. Nobody wants to suffer through the ugly to get to the good. However, everything I found written said kind of the same thing. It was days and days of the bad or the uncomfortable and then BOOM. The good. I was looking for some sort of transition and I couldn't find it. Now I know why.
There is no transition folks. It just happens. And it may happen for you on Day 12, Day 16, Day 21, even Day 30 or later. So basically, you'll eat these foods, you probably will have some food grumpies, you'll feel like giving up, then BOOM. The end. You feel great and it's all worth it.
That's all I have to say about that.
Food:
Breakfast:
parsnip casserole: parsnips, sugar free bacon, coconut milk, seasonings
apples and almonds
veggie scramble: eggs, vegetables of choice
Lunch/Dinner:
chili: ground beef, yellow/orange/green peppers, onions, tomatoes, seasonings
baked drumsticks, green beans, cole slaw (broccoli slaw, mayo, vinegar) and deviled eggs
eggs and bacon
sashimi: salmon, tuna
steak and eggs with tomato slices
What is tiger blood? Well, the best I can figure, it just means you feel like you are awesome. Like nothing can touch you.
It didn't come at Day 16 for me, but they clearly also tell you that your miles may vary.
I believe I got my tiger blood transfusion Monday (Day 21). And I waited thru Tuesday to confirm that the transformation was complete. Seriously, it hit me like a ton of bricks. Well, a ton of good bricks. I had more energy than I knew what to do with, food thoughts were a thing of the past, and I felt like I could wrestle a bear and win.
And that's really all I have to report about this last week. What's funny is all of that anger I had, all the pining for conventional food seems like months ago. My brain now can't seem to grasp why I ever would have those feelings or cravings.
I've said it before and I'll say it again ...
Life moves pretty fast. If you don't look around once in awhile...
Wait, no. That's something else.
What I was meant to say is that the human body and brain are AMAZING. And what's crazy to me is how much food can affect both of those systems.
Before I started these 30 days, I scoured forums and blogs to find information about this part of the phase. I wanted to know exactly what I could do to get to this point. And fast. Nobody wants to suffer through the ugly to get to the good. However, everything I found written said kind of the same thing. It was days and days of the bad or the uncomfortable and then BOOM. The good. I was looking for some sort of transition and I couldn't find it. Now I know why.
There is no transition folks. It just happens. And it may happen for you on Day 12, Day 16, Day 21, even Day 30 or later. So basically, you'll eat these foods, you probably will have some food grumpies, you'll feel like giving up, then BOOM. The end. You feel great and it's all worth it.
That's all I have to say about that.
Food:
Breakfast:
parsnip casserole: parsnips, sugar free bacon, coconut milk, seasonings
apples and almonds
veggie scramble: eggs, vegetables of choice
Lunch/Dinner:
chili: ground beef, yellow/orange/green peppers, onions, tomatoes, seasonings
baked drumsticks, green beans, cole slaw (broccoli slaw, mayo, vinegar) and deviled eggs
eggs and bacon
sashimi: salmon, tuna
steak and eggs with tomato slices
Friday, July 26, 2013
Weight Watchers Weigh In: Week 45
Another week. Another weigh in.
I am -2.8 pounds for the week.
Things I've learned this week:
1. The human body is amazing. As is the brain.
2. The Whole30 is really hard.
3. My dog sleeps an awful lot.
#1 is a 2-parter.
First the body:
I've been going to physical therapy the past couple of weeks. Since March, I've had what, at times, feels like a debilitating pain in my hips and pelvic bones. Well, I know now that is where the pain was coming from but it took 2 specialists, 2 medical guesses, and months of online research from yours truly to find the right person who could point me in the right direction. Anyway, I went yesterday and she had to put my pelvic bones back into place. Seriously. This is why I say the human body is amazing. I mean, yeah, it can do that whole Wolverine healing thing, but have one tiny little thing out of place and it feels like you're dying. She had to rotate and pull my hips back into alignment. Yes, this was as painful as you'd think. However, the moment she was done, I immediately noticed that pain was gone. And not just pain in my hips, back pain, and neck pain too. However, it will take daily exercises and me keeping my hips in place to keep the pain away.
Now the brain:
That sucker is one powerful thing. It doesn't matter how strong you are physically, the brain is always stronger.
Which leads me to #2.
The brain is why the Whole30 is hard. As you know, I've been doing my Whole30. Today is Day #18 and I'm still going strong with keeping to the rules. But it's not easy. My brain is rebelling. I'm starting to think I know what addicts feel like. And it's sugar. I'm positive it's the sugar. My brain is telling me that I want it. And it's telling me I want it like I've never wanted it before in the form of foods I've never really wanted before. I feel like a 2 year old. I've told myself "No, you can't have it" - therefore, that's all I want. Honestly, it's the most annoying feeling on earth. It's not painful or anything. It's just this mind numbing thought that sits there in the forefront of my mind on a daily basis. And it won't go away. Or at least it feels like it won't go away. Now, I'm not trying to deter anybody from trying a Whole30 or from a leading healthier life, I'm just telling you how my week has been. From what I've read online in forums, this feeling takes some time to go away. And it's this feeling that makes or breaks someone during these 30 days. Don't worry, it's not going to break me. It's just really freaking annoying.
And #3.
My dog. Seriously, it's like all day every day.
And that's what I've learned this week. For some positive notes on these things, my physical therapy, while painful, is helping. More than anything it offered me mental relief to know what was going on with me. The Whole30, while also painful, is providing some serious results in both myself and my boyfriend. My body shape is changing in a good way. I put on a bathing suit last night to see if I could notice anything and I was very pleased with myself. It looked like I had been crazy working out (hint: I haven't). I wasn't all muscular or anything I just looked more toned if that's possible. I won't even get started on my boyfriend. It's like every day his body is changing. Like turning into hot guy on the beach changing. Yes, I hate him for it. I hate all males for that ability. But I'm happy for him because he works really, really hard. He works out hard, he eats what I make him and he is committed to do this with me because I need the support. Also, it's motivating. And finally, my dog. I don't care if she sleeps. She's the light of my life.
What I did this week:
1. I earned about 3 AP. I made my house sitting plan and I tried to follow it. I just was not prepared for the lack of sleep that I was getting. My last night there, I was so determined to workout that I got in my one (and only) workout. It was a GREAT workout but I was in so much pain the next day at work. Not muscle pain but pain from the sleep deprivation. That workout was Wednesday night. I got home Thursday, went to bed as early as possible and here we are. I gave myself permission to take today off as well because I feel like I need it. Seriously, if I agree to house sit for them again someone hit me in my head. I was miserable the whole time. Maybe that's why I found my cravings extra hard this week. Makes sense.
2. I ate 187 points plus. Again, off my pace of 200 points for the week but I ate until I was full every time. I promise.
3. Water. Still good here. The key is to take my "sippy cup" with me everywhere. I forgot it when I went to house sit and so my first day there I couldn't figure out why I felt so bad. It was because I hadn't had enough water. I promptly corrected it. I never thought I would get to a point where I love my water. Apparently it's happened.
4. What I ate: sticking hard and fast to the Whole30 rules. I eat meats, vegetables (no white potatoes), no sugar of any kind (or artificial substitute), and fruit. I made a vegetable quiche like thing for breakfast. A wonderful vegetable soup with ground beef. Had some sashimi (I do miss regular sushi). Eggs and bacon made an appearance and so did some watermelon. Here's the thing, I might be having a hard time with my brain telling me I want sugar, but the food I'm eating is super good. And while I'm eating it, I'm enjoying every moment immensely. It's just in those "quiet times" that it gets tough.
And that's it for this week.
Have a great weekend!!!!!!!!
I am -2.8 pounds for the week.
Things I've learned this week:
1. The human body is amazing. As is the brain.
2. The Whole30 is really hard.
3. My dog sleeps an awful lot.
#1 is a 2-parter.
First the body:
I've been going to physical therapy the past couple of weeks. Since March, I've had what, at times, feels like a debilitating pain in my hips and pelvic bones. Well, I know now that is where the pain was coming from but it took 2 specialists, 2 medical guesses, and months of online research from yours truly to find the right person who could point me in the right direction. Anyway, I went yesterday and she had to put my pelvic bones back into place. Seriously. This is why I say the human body is amazing. I mean, yeah, it can do that whole Wolverine healing thing, but have one tiny little thing out of place and it feels like you're dying. She had to rotate and pull my hips back into alignment. Yes, this was as painful as you'd think. However, the moment she was done, I immediately noticed that pain was gone. And not just pain in my hips, back pain, and neck pain too. However, it will take daily exercises and me keeping my hips in place to keep the pain away.
Now the brain:
That sucker is one powerful thing. It doesn't matter how strong you are physically, the brain is always stronger.
Which leads me to #2.
The brain is why the Whole30 is hard. As you know, I've been doing my Whole30. Today is Day #18 and I'm still going strong with keeping to the rules. But it's not easy. My brain is rebelling. I'm starting to think I know what addicts feel like. And it's sugar. I'm positive it's the sugar. My brain is telling me that I want it. And it's telling me I want it like I've never wanted it before in the form of foods I've never really wanted before. I feel like a 2 year old. I've told myself "No, you can't have it" - therefore, that's all I want. Honestly, it's the most annoying feeling on earth. It's not painful or anything. It's just this mind numbing thought that sits there in the forefront of my mind on a daily basis. And it won't go away. Or at least it feels like it won't go away. Now, I'm not trying to deter anybody from trying a Whole30 or from a leading healthier life, I'm just telling you how my week has been. From what I've read online in forums, this feeling takes some time to go away. And it's this feeling that makes or breaks someone during these 30 days. Don't worry, it's not going to break me. It's just really freaking annoying.
And #3.
My dog. Seriously, it's like all day every day.
And that's what I've learned this week. For some positive notes on these things, my physical therapy, while painful, is helping. More than anything it offered me mental relief to know what was going on with me. The Whole30, while also painful, is providing some serious results in both myself and my boyfriend. My body shape is changing in a good way. I put on a bathing suit last night to see if I could notice anything and I was very pleased with myself. It looked like I had been crazy working out (hint: I haven't). I wasn't all muscular or anything I just looked more toned if that's possible. I won't even get started on my boyfriend. It's like every day his body is changing. Like turning into hot guy on the beach changing. Yes, I hate him for it. I hate all males for that ability. But I'm happy for him because he works really, really hard. He works out hard, he eats what I make him and he is committed to do this with me because I need the support. Also, it's motivating. And finally, my dog. I don't care if she sleeps. She's the light of my life.
What I did this week:
1. I earned about 3 AP. I made my house sitting plan and I tried to follow it. I just was not prepared for the lack of sleep that I was getting. My last night there, I was so determined to workout that I got in my one (and only) workout. It was a GREAT workout but I was in so much pain the next day at work. Not muscle pain but pain from the sleep deprivation. That workout was Wednesday night. I got home Thursday, went to bed as early as possible and here we are. I gave myself permission to take today off as well because I feel like I need it. Seriously, if I agree to house sit for them again someone hit me in my head. I was miserable the whole time. Maybe that's why I found my cravings extra hard this week. Makes sense.
2. I ate 187 points plus. Again, off my pace of 200 points for the week but I ate until I was full every time. I promise.
3. Water. Still good here. The key is to take my "sippy cup" with me everywhere. I forgot it when I went to house sit and so my first day there I couldn't figure out why I felt so bad. It was because I hadn't had enough water. I promptly corrected it. I never thought I would get to a point where I love my water. Apparently it's happened.
4. What I ate: sticking hard and fast to the Whole30 rules. I eat meats, vegetables (no white potatoes), no sugar of any kind (or artificial substitute), and fruit. I made a vegetable quiche like thing for breakfast. A wonderful vegetable soup with ground beef. Had some sashimi (I do miss regular sushi). Eggs and bacon made an appearance and so did some watermelon. Here's the thing, I might be having a hard time with my brain telling me I want sugar, but the food I'm eating is super good. And while I'm eating it, I'm enjoying every moment immensely. It's just in those "quiet times" that it gets tough.
And that's it for this week.
Have a great weekend!!!!!!!!
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Whole30: Days 8 - 14
I am officially halfway thru my Whole30 as today is Day #16.
Well, this past week both my boyfriend (who is doing this with me) and I had some pretty interesting conversations regarding our Whole30s.
We got angry.
Yup.
Angry.
The first week I had my cravings for a Milky Way - they weren't super fun but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle.
Enter the second week.
According to the Whole30 timeline, days 8-15 are the moments of: "Boundless energy! Now give me a damn Twinkie"
I've read this timeline many times hoping to gain some insight into what I should expect and while I had this info beforehand I still had no idea why I was so angry.
We were angry because we wanted to eat ... whatever. We wanted anything that we couldn't have. My boyfriend just kept saying, "I just want to put slices of bread into my mouth". We kept talking about quitting just so we could have some random food. We didn't have any dreams about food but rather very serious conversations about food. Very serious, angry conversations.
Actually if you were a fly on the wall I'm sure these conversations would have been hilarious. It's like we were fighting with ourselves for agreeing to do this 30 days.
Then I woke up yesterday (Day 15) and everything was a little calmer. I didn't feel so angry. I wasn't completely calm, there was still a little wave of something under there. But it was nice not to start yelling at him about how unfair life was. We also started to notice body changes. My boyfriend just commented yesterday about how he "hasn't been this skinny since high school". Seriously folks, he started out looking pretty good but now he's got muscles starting to ripple everywhere. Especially the abs. I'm actually excited to see what he will look like at the 30 day mark. I'm gonna be one lucky lady. As for me, I'm definitely changing but I can't really tell where as I started out more fluffy than he did. Definitely the stomach area - the poof has shrunken. I guess the waist in general feels smaller. When I put my hands on my hips yesterday I noticed that it felt different (in a good way). My face looks slimmer as well.
Then I woke up today. And, thank God, today is also better. It's like I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and it's no big deal getting there. Like seriously, I don't see any problem whatsoever getting to day 30. In fact, I'm looking forward to the future now that I have some info about what works for me and what doesn't. You know what works for me? This way of eating. My digestion is phenomenal. I don't really remember any moment in my adult life when I have ever said that. Also I'd like to think my energy is up but I really can't tell yet. I've been house-sitting for a friend since Saturday and I haven't really slept yet. I don't EVER sleep when I'm there because he has 2 dogs that like to bark constantly. I mean constantly. Giant dogs that bark like there is an intruder so every night it just jerks you awake because it's that scary kind of bark like something is wrong. And when I say all night, I mean all night. I did not want to house sit for him. I said no so many times because I knew this was going to happen. But he persisted and won. Sigh. Anyway, another thing I love about life right now is that I'm never starving. I'm never desperate for food. I was also this way eating how I ate pre-Whole30 (gluten free, dairy free, soy free with whole foods). It's one of my most favorite things about going the whole foods route. Without the processed stuff, you really just feel satisfied and in control of your food choices.
Now, even with all these wonderful things, do I think it's possible to eat this way every day forever? No. Perfection is not possible (no matter what type of diet you have) but eating this way the vast majority of the time? Absolutely. But only because I like cooking and I'm creative and pretty good at it. I only say that because, personally, I get really bored with food. I need variety in order to stay interested.
What have I been eating?
Breakfast:
Paleo breakfast casserole: sausage, onion, eggs, coconut milk (canned), sweet potato
Lunches/Dinner:
Tomato Bisque Soup: tomatoes, onion, carrot, celery, homemade chicken broth, coconut milk (canned)
Hamburger Mushroom Stroganoff: grass-fed hamburger, mushrooms, coconut milk, seasonings served with cauliflower rice
Filet Mignon with mashed sweet potatoes, grilled onions and grilled asparagus
Eggs and Bacon
Spinach Salad with clementine slices, carrots and apple cider dressing
Amongst other things ...
Next time we meet, I'll be done with week 3!
Well, this past week both my boyfriend (who is doing this with me) and I had some pretty interesting conversations regarding our Whole30s.
We got angry.
Yup.
Angry.
The first week I had my cravings for a Milky Way - they weren't super fun but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle.
Enter the second week.
According to the Whole30 timeline, days 8-15 are the moments of: "Boundless energy! Now give me a damn Twinkie"
I've read this timeline many times hoping to gain some insight into what I should expect and while I had this info beforehand I still had no idea why I was so angry.
We were angry because we wanted to eat ... whatever. We wanted anything that we couldn't have. My boyfriend just kept saying, "I just want to put slices of bread into my mouth". We kept talking about quitting just so we could have some random food. We didn't have any dreams about food but rather very serious conversations about food. Very serious, angry conversations.
Actually if you were a fly on the wall I'm sure these conversations would have been hilarious. It's like we were fighting with ourselves for agreeing to do this 30 days.
Then I woke up yesterday (Day 15) and everything was a little calmer. I didn't feel so angry. I wasn't completely calm, there was still a little wave of something under there. But it was nice not to start yelling at him about how unfair life was. We also started to notice body changes. My boyfriend just commented yesterday about how he "hasn't been this skinny since high school". Seriously folks, he started out looking pretty good but now he's got muscles starting to ripple everywhere. Especially the abs. I'm actually excited to see what he will look like at the 30 day mark. I'm gonna be one lucky lady. As for me, I'm definitely changing but I can't really tell where as I started out more fluffy than he did. Definitely the stomach area - the poof has shrunken. I guess the waist in general feels smaller. When I put my hands on my hips yesterday I noticed that it felt different (in a good way). My face looks slimmer as well.
Then I woke up today. And, thank God, today is also better. It's like I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and it's no big deal getting there. Like seriously, I don't see any problem whatsoever getting to day 30. In fact, I'm looking forward to the future now that I have some info about what works for me and what doesn't. You know what works for me? This way of eating. My digestion is phenomenal. I don't really remember any moment in my adult life when I have ever said that. Also I'd like to think my energy is up but I really can't tell yet. I've been house-sitting for a friend since Saturday and I haven't really slept yet. I don't EVER sleep when I'm there because he has 2 dogs that like to bark constantly. I mean constantly. Giant dogs that bark like there is an intruder so every night it just jerks you awake because it's that scary kind of bark like something is wrong. And when I say all night, I mean all night. I did not want to house sit for him. I said no so many times because I knew this was going to happen. But he persisted and won. Sigh. Anyway, another thing I love about life right now is that I'm never starving. I'm never desperate for food. I was also this way eating how I ate pre-Whole30 (gluten free, dairy free, soy free with whole foods). It's one of my most favorite things about going the whole foods route. Without the processed stuff, you really just feel satisfied and in control of your food choices.
Now, even with all these wonderful things, do I think it's possible to eat this way every day forever? No. Perfection is not possible (no matter what type of diet you have) but eating this way the vast majority of the time? Absolutely. But only because I like cooking and I'm creative and pretty good at it. I only say that because, personally, I get really bored with food. I need variety in order to stay interested.
What have I been eating?
Breakfast:
Paleo breakfast casserole: sausage, onion, eggs, coconut milk (canned), sweet potato
Lunches/Dinner:
Tomato Bisque Soup: tomatoes, onion, carrot, celery, homemade chicken broth, coconut milk (canned)
Hamburger Mushroom Stroganoff: grass-fed hamburger, mushrooms, coconut milk, seasonings served with cauliflower rice
Filet Mignon with mashed sweet potatoes, grilled onions and grilled asparagus
Eggs and Bacon
Spinach Salad with clementine slices, carrots and apple cider dressing
Amongst other things ...
Next time we meet, I'll be done with week 3!
Friday, July 19, 2013
Weight Watchers Weigh In: Week 44
It's that special, precious time again.
It's Friday.
Man I love Friday.
So lets kick off this post with the weigh-in.
Drumroll please ....
Weigh-In: +0.8
Oh fluctuation weight loss how I love thee. I feel amazing today ladies and gentlemen. My clothes are hanging just a tad, I woke up pretty easy today, and I feel like I am going to have a kick-ass weekend.
Good times.
What I Did:
1. I earned about 12 AP. I did four of my Jillian Michaels workouts (my workout week started Saturday the 13th so I still have one workout to go for "the week") They were: 30 Day Shred, Ripped in 30, No More Trouble Zones, and 6 week Six Pack. Tonight will be my fifth workout and it will be Banish Fat Boost Metabolism. Haven't done this one before so I'm excited!
2. I ate 199 points plus. (note: I never eat my AP or even account for them online.) I usually shoot for around 205-210 so I was under for the week but I wasn't hungry. Everything I've been eating has been so filling. I don't know if this is a good or bad thing yet.
3. I still am doing well with my water. In fact, I feel worse when I don't drink enough! You know what that is? That's called progress.
4. What did I eat? I'm still doing my Whole30 and today is day 11 - so I'm still sticking to proteins, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and healthy oils. If you check out my Whole30 update you'll see specifically some of the stuff I've been eating. But so far this week I've made: tomato soup, hamburger mushroom stroganoff, and a really awesome breakfast casserole. And I've been indulging in apples, watermelon, baby carrots, almonds and sunflower seeds. I can say that YES I do have moments where I would like to eat candy or even just a side of rice but all in all, it's not too bad. The feeling crazy good part is a pretty nice reward to sticking with it.
This weekend is going to be yet another challenging experience. Starting Saturday, I've agreed to house sit for a friend who lives on the other side of Los Angeles. It's always hard not to be in my own home w/ my own kitchen and have all my lovely cooking utensils and appliances but I'll manage. I'll just adjust my menu to not require any super fancy kitchen stuff.
I also have to account for working out over there since I'll be there for the next 5 days. Thankfully Jillian doesn't require much in terms of equipment so I'll just grab my yoga mat and some dumbbells and be done with it. If I have time tonight, I'm going to rip all of my DVDs onto my ipad - that will save me having to lug my laptop around as well.
And the silver lining in this house-sitting debacle, they have a washer and dryer in their home. I am not fortunate to have one in my apartment, so I will be fully enjoying the luxury whilst I'm there.
And that's it for me.
I hope you all have a fun filled weekend. I plan on hitting the beach, doing some laundry, cooking up some awesome food, working out, and hopefully some relaxing.
Coming up:
I still haven't posted my starting pics and measurements so that's coming soon. I think I will do it at the 3 week (or so) mark so I can put up some comparison photos and numbers too. These days the numbers on the scale don't get me nearly as excited as the numbers on my tape measure going down so here's hoping.
It's Friday.
Man I love Friday.
So lets kick off this post with the weigh-in.
Drumroll please ....
Weigh-In: +0.8
Oh fluctuation weight loss how I love thee. I feel amazing today ladies and gentlemen. My clothes are hanging just a tad, I woke up pretty easy today, and I feel like I am going to have a kick-ass weekend.
Good times.
What I Did:
1. I earned about 12 AP. I did four of my Jillian Michaels workouts (my workout week started Saturday the 13th so I still have one workout to go for "the week") They were: 30 Day Shred, Ripped in 30, No More Trouble Zones, and 6 week Six Pack. Tonight will be my fifth workout and it will be Banish Fat Boost Metabolism. Haven't done this one before so I'm excited!
2. I ate 199 points plus. (note: I never eat my AP or even account for them online.) I usually shoot for around 205-210 so I was under for the week but I wasn't hungry. Everything I've been eating has been so filling. I don't know if this is a good or bad thing yet.
3. I still am doing well with my water. In fact, I feel worse when I don't drink enough! You know what that is? That's called progress.
4. What did I eat? I'm still doing my Whole30 and today is day 11 - so I'm still sticking to proteins, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and healthy oils. If you check out my Whole30 update you'll see specifically some of the stuff I've been eating. But so far this week I've made: tomato soup, hamburger mushroom stroganoff, and a really awesome breakfast casserole. And I've been indulging in apples, watermelon, baby carrots, almonds and sunflower seeds. I can say that YES I do have moments where I would like to eat candy or even just a side of rice but all in all, it's not too bad. The feeling crazy good part is a pretty nice reward to sticking with it.
This weekend is going to be yet another challenging experience. Starting Saturday, I've agreed to house sit for a friend who lives on the other side of Los Angeles. It's always hard not to be in my own home w/ my own kitchen and have all my lovely cooking utensils and appliances but I'll manage. I'll just adjust my menu to not require any super fancy kitchen stuff.
I also have to account for working out over there since I'll be there for the next 5 days. Thankfully Jillian doesn't require much in terms of equipment so I'll just grab my yoga mat and some dumbbells and be done with it. If I have time tonight, I'm going to rip all of my DVDs onto my ipad - that will save me having to lug my laptop around as well.
And the silver lining in this house-sitting debacle, they have a washer and dryer in their home. I am not fortunate to have one in my apartment, so I will be fully enjoying the luxury whilst I'm there.
And that's it for me.
I hope you all have a fun filled weekend. I plan on hitting the beach, doing some laundry, cooking up some awesome food, working out, and hopefully some relaxing.
Coming up:
I still haven't posted my starting pics and measurements so that's coming soon. I think I will do it at the 3 week (or so) mark so I can put up some comparison photos and numbers too. These days the numbers on the scale don't get me nearly as excited as the numbers on my tape measure going down so here's hoping.
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Whole30: Staying the Course AND Serving my Country
I had my first challenging day with my Whole30 yesterday.
I had jury duty.
Ugh.
This is my first time ever being called for jury duty.
I would not mind doing jury duty at all except my employer does not pay me for doing my civic duty. And the average trial in Los Angeles is 5 to 7 business days.
Yeah, that would be 5 to 7 days of work that I would just not get magically paid for. I could use my vacation time for this but 1. who REALLY wants to use their precious vacation time for something stressful like jury duty and 2. I have already paid for a vacation that is happening in September which will use up what vacation I have left.
I don't know about any of you but that's a lot of money to just give away. And the $15 a day that Los Angeles provides (starting on the second day natch) doesn't really cover much.
But I digress. This is NOT a post about the injustice of my employer (or probably most employers) not paying me for jury duty. Wait, one more complaint. Government employees give unlimited days of jury duty paid. UNLIMITED. They should just be required to cover all jury duty requirements. End complaint.
This is a post about what to do when life throws you a curveball.
So I had jury duty yesterday. And since I've never served before, I had no idea how I was going to survive food wise. So instead of hoping that things would swing my way, I planned on having to provide for myself.
So what did I do?
I PLANNED!
I pretty much knew I would NOT have access to a kitchen so anything I took had to be good sitting in my purse. And since I was using public transportation to get to the courthouse, I had to make sure it wasn't too bulky.
I knew I couldn't take full meals but snacks were completely doable. I figured if all else failed, I would eat my snacks and just wait til I got home to eat a big meal.
And that's what I did.
I packed an apple, 2 larabars, a bag of baby carrots, almonds and a bottle of water.
When I got there, I found a cafe right outside of the jury assembly room. So, I went in there during one of our breaks and I kid you not, not a single thing in there was compliant. Actually not a single thing in there was even healthy. It was bags of candy, bags of chips, sodas, pizza, hotdogs, nachos ... you get the picture. It was like a little gas station in there.
I also checked out the menu for the cafeteria in the courthouse and again, nothing. If I wanted an iceberg lettuce salad with tomato only maybe I could have found that but otherwise, everything was a no go.
Now, we DID get an hour and a half for lunch, and downtown Los Angeles has great restaurants within walking distance, so in all fairness, I'm sure I COULD have ventured out and found something. But I'm so glad I packed my snacks. I ended up only needing the apple and one larabar.
I'll be honest, I was SO STRESSED about getting picked for a panel and losing my pay that I wasn't really that hungry.
And while it was one the longest, most stressful days I've had in awhile. I managed to make it thru 9 hours and not get called.
Service done!
Today's Menu:
B: paleo casserole: eggs, sausage, onions, sweet potato, coconut milk
L: tomato soup, almonds, apple
D: mushroom stroganoff, cauliflower rice
I had jury duty.
Ugh.
This is my first time ever being called for jury duty.
I would not mind doing jury duty at all except my employer does not pay me for doing my civic duty. And the average trial in Los Angeles is 5 to 7 business days.
Yeah, that would be 5 to 7 days of work that I would just not get magically paid for. I could use my vacation time for this but 1. who REALLY wants to use their precious vacation time for something stressful like jury duty and 2. I have already paid for a vacation that is happening in September which will use up what vacation I have left.
I don't know about any of you but that's a lot of money to just give away. And the $15 a day that Los Angeles provides (starting on the second day natch) doesn't really cover much.
But I digress. This is NOT a post about the injustice of my employer (or probably most employers) not paying me for jury duty. Wait, one more complaint. Government employees give unlimited days of jury duty paid. UNLIMITED. They should just be required to cover all jury duty requirements. End complaint.
This is a post about what to do when life throws you a curveball.
So I had jury duty yesterday. And since I've never served before, I had no idea how I was going to survive food wise. So instead of hoping that things would swing my way, I planned on having to provide for myself.
So what did I do?
I PLANNED!
I pretty much knew I would NOT have access to a kitchen so anything I took had to be good sitting in my purse. And since I was using public transportation to get to the courthouse, I had to make sure it wasn't too bulky.
I knew I couldn't take full meals but snacks were completely doable. I figured if all else failed, I would eat my snacks and just wait til I got home to eat a big meal.
And that's what I did.
I packed an apple, 2 larabars, a bag of baby carrots, almonds and a bottle of water.
When I got there, I found a cafe right outside of the jury assembly room. So, I went in there during one of our breaks and I kid you not, not a single thing in there was compliant. Actually not a single thing in there was even healthy. It was bags of candy, bags of chips, sodas, pizza, hotdogs, nachos ... you get the picture. It was like a little gas station in there.
I also checked out the menu for the cafeteria in the courthouse and again, nothing. If I wanted an iceberg lettuce salad with tomato only maybe I could have found that but otherwise, everything was a no go.
Now, we DID get an hour and a half for lunch, and downtown Los Angeles has great restaurants within walking distance, so in all fairness, I'm sure I COULD have ventured out and found something. But I'm so glad I packed my snacks. I ended up only needing the apple and one larabar.
I'll be honest, I was SO STRESSED about getting picked for a panel and losing my pay that I wasn't really that hungry.
And while it was one the longest, most stressful days I've had in awhile. I managed to make it thru 9 hours and not get called.
Service done!
Today's Menu:
B: paleo casserole: eggs, sausage, onions, sweet potato, coconut milk
L: tomato soup, almonds, apple
D: mushroom stroganoff, cauliflower rice
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Whole30: Days 1 - 7
Today is Day #8 for my Whole30.
What can I say?
So far so good. I don't want to jump the gun here but it honestly hasn't been that bad. I have obviously had some cravings. I'd imagine that everyone who tries this has them. But it hasn't been anything I haven't been able to handle. I do tend to text my boyfriend some days - and the text will consist of 2 words.
Milky Way.
My cravings are still for that elusive, mysterious Milky Way.
But other than that candy bar, I haven't really been dying to eat anything.
The weeks before I began, I took the time to prepare. I talked to my boyfriend about potential meals, things he would want, things I would want, things that I would need to take the time to learn how to cook. I had menus scribbled down for moments of inspiration and recipes galore waiting in my email. I already had the dairy/gluten free cooking thing down so everything else seemed to fall in place.
The day before I began, I did a ton of grocery shopping and cooking. Actually, it's what I usually do every weekend. On a typical week, we go shopping around midnight (yes, midnight) on Friday night to get the bulk of our groceries. That way on Saturday and Sunday it's just running to get the smaller items that are in specialty stores. And then on Sunday, I cook. If he can help me he does (he's a whiz at chopping) but usually I just take a few hours out of my day and cook away. And the best part? Since I cook, he cleans. Can't beat that deal.
I then package everything. We have a his and hers side of the fridge. That way, come Monday when I'm rushing to get to work, I just go to my side and grab something and I'm good for breakfast and lunch. And when I get home, dinner is waiting. When I cook a meal I tend to make sure it'll last for at least 2 meals a piece. Doing this really helps cut down on cost. I don't know how some people can afford to cook a new meal every single day.
Since we don't eat any of our meals together Monday thru Friday (completely opposite work schedules), it works for us. He can eat whatever he wants, in whatever amounts he wants. If he wants to supplement food, he goes to the grocery store and buys fruits and veggies to cook on his own.
And then usually on Wednesday after work, I'll cook an additional meal that usually satisfies both lunch and dinner to pad the food we already have to get us to the weekend. I really like to limit the amount of time that is spent cooking because lets be real, every meal needs to be prepared in the kitchen to make sure you're following the guidelines. Again, I've been doing this for the both of us since January of this year so I'd like to think I've got it down pat.
What also helps is that back in May, I started ordering meat from U.S. Wellness. I wanted us to start eating the majority of our protein from grassfed/finished sources regardless, so that was just kind of a lucky stroke since they also offer Whole30 approved bacon and other sugar free meat options. To be honest, these items are really, really hard to find in grocery stores. And after cost comparison shopping for these items at grocery stores, the prices really do stack up well.
So that's how this whole gambit is running in my household.
I started my exercise regime last Saturday (the 13th) and haven't had any problems with stamina or anything. Actually, I didn't even really give it a thought. I also took my measurements and before pictures on that day. And as far as weight goes, I'm breaking the rules and weighing myself. And so far, I have nothing out of the ordinary to report. I've held steady everyday and am in an increase right now due to my upcoming time of the month. My clothes also are holding steady.
But lets talk about how I feel for a second. Oh, I'd say I feel pretty good. Like really good. I'm not ready to go out and fight a bull or anything. But I think something can be said for when you eat wholesome foods. It just gives you an all around good feeling.
Now for what I need to work on: I need to get more sleep. I know I'm supposed to be logging the hours while doing this but I'm not quite there yet. I'm going to do my best this week to set my bedtime earlier and stick with it. I'm going to try for 11pm. That will give me 8 hours of shut eye.
And now for what we ate:
Week #1:
Breakfasts:
Quiche Muffins: onion, tomato, mushrooms, sausage
Sweet Potato Hash: onion, yellow pepper, orange pepper, sausage, sweet potatoes
Lunches/Dinners:
Creamy Chicken and Artichoke Soup: chicken, artichoke, red pepper, onion, carrot, celery, onion, coconut milk (canned)
Balsamic Marinated Skirt Steak: (marinade = balsamic vinegar, garlic, rosemary) + sauteed zucchini and mushrooms
Pan Fried Salmon and Peach Salsa: salsa = peach, tomato, onion, cilantro, lime juice, garlic, apple cider vinegar, cucumber
Grass Fed Hamburger Patty: on grilled onions, sauteed mushrooms, lettuce, tomato, mayo, and side salad with balsamic
And that's it so far. 7 Days down, 23 to go. Next thing you know, I'm going to be halfway there!
Today's Menu:
B: paleo casserole: sweet potatoes, eggs, coconut milk, sausage, caramelized onions
L: beef medallions, portabello mushrooms, peppers, on spinach salad
D: hamburger mushroom stroganoff, cauliflower rice
What can I say?
So far so good. I don't want to jump the gun here but it honestly hasn't been that bad. I have obviously had some cravings. I'd imagine that everyone who tries this has them. But it hasn't been anything I haven't been able to handle. I do tend to text my boyfriend some days - and the text will consist of 2 words.
Milky Way.
My cravings are still for that elusive, mysterious Milky Way.
But other than that candy bar, I haven't really been dying to eat anything.
The weeks before I began, I took the time to prepare. I talked to my boyfriend about potential meals, things he would want, things I would want, things that I would need to take the time to learn how to cook. I had menus scribbled down for moments of inspiration and recipes galore waiting in my email. I already had the dairy/gluten free cooking thing down so everything else seemed to fall in place.
The day before I began, I did a ton of grocery shopping and cooking. Actually, it's what I usually do every weekend. On a typical week, we go shopping around midnight (yes, midnight) on Friday night to get the bulk of our groceries. That way on Saturday and Sunday it's just running to get the smaller items that are in specialty stores. And then on Sunday, I cook. If he can help me he does (he's a whiz at chopping) but usually I just take a few hours out of my day and cook away. And the best part? Since I cook, he cleans. Can't beat that deal.
I then package everything. We have a his and hers side of the fridge. That way, come Monday when I'm rushing to get to work, I just go to my side and grab something and I'm good for breakfast and lunch. And when I get home, dinner is waiting. When I cook a meal I tend to make sure it'll last for at least 2 meals a piece. Doing this really helps cut down on cost. I don't know how some people can afford to cook a new meal every single day.
Since we don't eat any of our meals together Monday thru Friday (completely opposite work schedules), it works for us. He can eat whatever he wants, in whatever amounts he wants. If he wants to supplement food, he goes to the grocery store and buys fruits and veggies to cook on his own.
And then usually on Wednesday after work, I'll cook an additional meal that usually satisfies both lunch and dinner to pad the food we already have to get us to the weekend. I really like to limit the amount of time that is spent cooking because lets be real, every meal needs to be prepared in the kitchen to make sure you're following the guidelines. Again, I've been doing this for the both of us since January of this year so I'd like to think I've got it down pat.
What also helps is that back in May, I started ordering meat from U.S. Wellness. I wanted us to start eating the majority of our protein from grassfed/finished sources regardless, so that was just kind of a lucky stroke since they also offer Whole30 approved bacon and other sugar free meat options. To be honest, these items are really, really hard to find in grocery stores. And after cost comparison shopping for these items at grocery stores, the prices really do stack up well.
So that's how this whole gambit is running in my household.
I started my exercise regime last Saturday (the 13th) and haven't had any problems with stamina or anything. Actually, I didn't even really give it a thought. I also took my measurements and before pictures on that day. And as far as weight goes, I'm breaking the rules and weighing myself. And so far, I have nothing out of the ordinary to report. I've held steady everyday and am in an increase right now due to my upcoming time of the month. My clothes also are holding steady.
But lets talk about how I feel for a second. Oh, I'd say I feel pretty good. Like really good. I'm not ready to go out and fight a bull or anything. But I think something can be said for when you eat wholesome foods. It just gives you an all around good feeling.
Now for what I need to work on: I need to get more sleep. I know I'm supposed to be logging the hours while doing this but I'm not quite there yet. I'm going to do my best this week to set my bedtime earlier and stick with it. I'm going to try for 11pm. That will give me 8 hours of shut eye.
And now for what we ate:
Week #1:
Breakfasts:
Quiche Muffins: onion, tomato, mushrooms, sausage
Sweet Potato Hash: onion, yellow pepper, orange pepper, sausage, sweet potatoes
Lunches/Dinners:
Creamy Chicken and Artichoke Soup: chicken, artichoke, red pepper, onion, carrot, celery, onion, coconut milk (canned)
Balsamic Marinated Skirt Steak: (marinade = balsamic vinegar, garlic, rosemary) + sauteed zucchini and mushrooms
Pan Fried Salmon and Peach Salsa: salsa = peach, tomato, onion, cilantro, lime juice, garlic, apple cider vinegar, cucumber
Grass Fed Hamburger Patty: on grilled onions, sauteed mushrooms, lettuce, tomato, mayo, and side salad with balsamic
And that's it so far. 7 Days down, 23 to go. Next thing you know, I'm going to be halfway there!
Today's Menu:
B: paleo casserole: sweet potatoes, eggs, coconut milk, sausage, caramelized onions
L: beef medallions, portabello mushrooms, peppers, on spinach salad
D: hamburger mushroom stroganoff, cauliflower rice
Friday, July 12, 2013
Vacation Plan Part 2: My Jillian Michaels Challenge
Now that I have the food component of my vacation plan taken care of, it's now time to turn to the second half of that equation.
Exercise.
So far this year I have had great results using DVDs and working out in my home gym. I still have my gym membership and I'm usually an everyday participant but for some reason working out at home has been pretty successful. And if it ain't broke ...
Let's do a quick recap:
I did Beachbody's Slim in 6 from March to late April
results: -7 inches
And then Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred from April to June
results: -8.25 inches
That's -15.25 inches in just about 3 months.
And from the start of Slim in 6 to the finish of 30 Day Shred (I did them pretty much back to back), I lost 5.2 pounds total.
Both programs were effective but I did enjoy the 30 Day Shred much more. Probably because the workouts were shorter and just a little more challenging.
After the 30 Day Shred, I started Jillian Michael's Ripped in 30 DVD. I managed to make it to the level 2 DVD when I decided to stop. It had nothing to do with the workouts or the quality of the workouts. I was just burnt out on the same workout everyday format.
Since I enjoyed Jillian Michael's program so much, my next thought was to buy her Body Revolutions program. It's 3 months long and has 15 DVDs. It is, however, $100. I mean, that's not too bad but still, I'd rather not spend that much. So I had an idea.
I really wanted to do the Ripped in 30 and I already loved my 30 Day Shred workouts so I thought, why not just make up my own Jillian Michaels program.
And so I did.
I went and bought a couple more DVDs and ended up spending about $50 on 6 more DVDs (they were around 8 bucks each). In total, I now have 8 DVDs and from those DVDs I have 17 different workouts to choose from.
$50 is so much better than $100.
So for the next 7 weeks, I'm going to put all of my eggs in one Jillian Michael's basket.
My goal is to do exactly as I did with the other programs: work out 5-6 days a week, eat as cleanly as possible, and just enjoy the ride.
I've scheduled the first four weeks below.
Weeks 1 and 2 are going to look like this:
Day 1: Ripped in 30 (RIP30): Level 1
Day 2: 30 Day Shred (30DS): Level 1
Day 3: No More Trouble Zones (NMTZ)
Day 4: 6 Week Six-Pack (6W6P): Level 1
Day 5: Banish Fat Boost Metabolism (BFBM)
Day 6: Killer Buns and Thighs (KBT): Level 1 (optional day off)
Day 7: off
Weeks 3 and 4 are going to look like this:
Day 1: KBT: Level 2
Day 2: 30DS: Level 2
Day 3: 6W6P: Level 2
Day 4: RIP30: Level 2
Day 5: NMTZ
Day 6: Shred It - with weights (SI): Level 1 (optional day off)
Day 7: off
I have only done the 30 Day Shred and Ripped in 30 so I know I like those workouts. I'm a little nervous to see how the other ones pan out! I'm sure it'll be fine because hey, I kinda only have to do them, what, 7 times max if that.
I'm beginning to think I'm a genius.
Saturday July 13th will be my Day #1 and August 30th will be my last day as I fly out for the east coast on August 31st.
I'll do the usual and post pics, measurements and updates as I try new DVDs.
I'm really excited about this one folks. And I'm really hoping Jillian's workouts don't let me down!!
Exercise.
So far this year I have had great results using DVDs and working out in my home gym. I still have my gym membership and I'm usually an everyday participant but for some reason working out at home has been pretty successful. And if it ain't broke ...
Let's do a quick recap:
I did Beachbody's Slim in 6 from March to late April
results: -7 inches
And then Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred from April to June
results: -8.25 inches
That's -15.25 inches in just about 3 months.
And from the start of Slim in 6 to the finish of 30 Day Shred (I did them pretty much back to back), I lost 5.2 pounds total.
Both programs were effective but I did enjoy the 30 Day Shred much more. Probably because the workouts were shorter and just a little more challenging.
After the 30 Day Shred, I started Jillian Michael's Ripped in 30 DVD. I managed to make it to the level 2 DVD when I decided to stop. It had nothing to do with the workouts or the quality of the workouts. I was just burnt out on the same workout everyday format.
Since I enjoyed Jillian Michael's program so much, my next thought was to buy her Body Revolutions program. It's 3 months long and has 15 DVDs. It is, however, $100. I mean, that's not too bad but still, I'd rather not spend that much. So I had an idea.
I really wanted to do the Ripped in 30 and I already loved my 30 Day Shred workouts so I thought, why not just make up my own Jillian Michaels program.
And so I did.
I went and bought a couple more DVDs and ended up spending about $50 on 6 more DVDs (they were around 8 bucks each). In total, I now have 8 DVDs and from those DVDs I have 17 different workouts to choose from.
$50 is so much better than $100.
So for the next 7 weeks, I'm going to put all of my eggs in one Jillian Michael's basket.
My goal is to do exactly as I did with the other programs: work out 5-6 days a week, eat as cleanly as possible, and just enjoy the ride.
I've scheduled the first four weeks below.
Weeks 1 and 2 are going to look like this:
Day 1: Ripped in 30 (RIP30): Level 1
Day 2: 30 Day Shred (30DS): Level 1
Day 3: No More Trouble Zones (NMTZ)
Day 4: 6 Week Six-Pack (6W6P): Level 1
Day 5: Banish Fat Boost Metabolism (BFBM)
Day 6: Killer Buns and Thighs (KBT): Level 1 (optional day off)
Day 7: off
Weeks 3 and 4 are going to look like this:
Day 1: KBT: Level 2
Day 2: 30DS: Level 2
Day 3: 6W6P: Level 2
Day 4: RIP30: Level 2
Day 5: NMTZ
Day 6: Shred It - with weights (SI): Level 1 (optional day off)
Day 7: off
I have only done the 30 Day Shred and Ripped in 30 so I know I like those workouts. I'm a little nervous to see how the other ones pan out! I'm sure it'll be fine because hey, I kinda only have to do them, what, 7 times max if that.
I'm beginning to think I'm a genius.
Saturday July 13th will be my Day #1 and August 30th will be my last day as I fly out for the east coast on August 31st.
I'll do the usual and post pics, measurements and updates as I try new DVDs.
I'm really excited about this one folks. And I'm really hoping Jillian's workouts don't let me down!!
Weight Watchers Weigh In: Week 43
Happy Friday everyone!!
I trust everyone had a fantastic week. Since I had the day off of work on Monday I had a short work week therefor my week was very awesome.
Now lets get down to business - since I did not weigh in last Friday my report today will be the difference between week 41 and today.
Drum-roll please ....
Weigh In: -0.6 pounds
hoorah!!
The last we met, I had mentioned a sneak peek at my scale revealed a larger than usual gain. And I believe the number I reported was 7 pounds. Well look at what I did with some crazy clean eating. I was able to offset my awesome holiday weekend bloat AND edge in a loss for the week!
What did I do exactly?
Lets take a look shall we?
1. I earned 0.5 AP. :) I did that one 5 minute workout over the holiday weekend. Don't worry. I have a big exercise post coming up either tonight or tomorrow.
2. I don't know my total points for the week because I did not track Friday thru Monday. However, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday I ate around 26-28 points per day.
3. My water started slipping just a bit but I picked it up by the end of the week.
4. What did I eat? Well starting July 4th and thru the weekend, I loosened my reigns and splurged a little. Or maybe a lot would be a better word for it. Yes, I'm definitely going with a lot. I ate out at restaurants, I ate at barbecues, I had plenty of cocktails. Some of the food was what I usually eat, however, MOST of it was not. A few examples: I had doritos, Baskin Robbins ice cream, and candy bars at the movie theater!! I even had fast food for the first time this year during that time frame. I had a Big Mac and guess what? While I was eating it I made note to my boyfriend that while it was REALLY good, I didn't think it was THAT much better than the version I created. I was pretty happy about that discovery. That being said, McDonald's french fries are awesome and I bow to their greatness. (Sidenote: This fast food item was the LAST thing I ate before I took that "sneak peek" at the scale and that's why I was not too shocked to see that 7 pound swing - - hello sodium bloat!). The bad food pretty much made up my menu Friday - Monday. Then I started my Whole30 Tuesday. And then I made: pan fried salmon with peach salsa, balsamic marinated skirt steak with zucchini and mushrooms, creamy chicken and artichoke soup (this was my version of the one served at the Cheesecake Factory - just a tip: if you ever go to Cheesecake Factory and the soup of the day is their chicken and artichoke soup, get it. you won't regret it). My version is dairy free, sugar free, and grain free to meet my Whole30 requirements - and STILL was so amazing. The boyfriend even made it his #1 favorite soup that I've made thus far. :) What else? I also made a sweet potato hash with italian sausage and quiche muffins. All of my dishes complied with my Whole30 rules and were pretty awesome.
So a pretty good week.
I'm still on my Whole30. Today is day #4. I've had a few sugar cravings but nothing I can't handle. Really the only thing I keep thinking about are Milky Way candy bars. Which is odd because I don't really eat them. Ever.
Have a great weekend!!
Today's Menu:
B: sweet potato hash + italian sausage
L: chicken and artichoke soup
D: balsamic steak + zucchini + mushrooms + apple (for dessert)
I trust everyone had a fantastic week. Since I had the day off of work on Monday I had a short work week therefor my week was very awesome.
Now lets get down to business - since I did not weigh in last Friday my report today will be the difference between week 41 and today.
Drum-roll please ....
Weigh In: -0.6 pounds
hoorah!!
The last we met, I had mentioned a sneak peek at my scale revealed a larger than usual gain. And I believe the number I reported was 7 pounds. Well look at what I did with some crazy clean eating. I was able to offset my awesome holiday weekend bloat AND edge in a loss for the week!
What did I do exactly?
Lets take a look shall we?
1. I earned 0.5 AP. :) I did that one 5 minute workout over the holiday weekend. Don't worry. I have a big exercise post coming up either tonight or tomorrow.
2. I don't know my total points for the week because I did not track Friday thru Monday. However, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday I ate around 26-28 points per day.
3. My water started slipping just a bit but I picked it up by the end of the week.
4. What did I eat? Well starting July 4th and thru the weekend, I loosened my reigns and splurged a little. Or maybe a lot would be a better word for it. Yes, I'm definitely going with a lot. I ate out at restaurants, I ate at barbecues, I had plenty of cocktails. Some of the food was what I usually eat, however, MOST of it was not. A few examples: I had doritos, Baskin Robbins ice cream, and candy bars at the movie theater!! I even had fast food for the first time this year during that time frame. I had a Big Mac and guess what? While I was eating it I made note to my boyfriend that while it was REALLY good, I didn't think it was THAT much better than the version I created. I was pretty happy about that discovery. That being said, McDonald's french fries are awesome and I bow to their greatness. (Sidenote: This fast food item was the LAST thing I ate before I took that "sneak peek" at the scale and that's why I was not too shocked to see that 7 pound swing - - hello sodium bloat!). The bad food pretty much made up my menu Friday - Monday. Then I started my Whole30 Tuesday. And then I made: pan fried salmon with peach salsa, balsamic marinated skirt steak with zucchini and mushrooms, creamy chicken and artichoke soup (this was my version of the one served at the Cheesecake Factory - just a tip: if you ever go to Cheesecake Factory and the soup of the day is their chicken and artichoke soup, get it. you won't regret it). My version is dairy free, sugar free, and grain free to meet my Whole30 requirements - and STILL was so amazing. The boyfriend even made it his #1 favorite soup that I've made thus far. :) What else? I also made a sweet potato hash with italian sausage and quiche muffins. All of my dishes complied with my Whole30 rules and were pretty awesome.
So a pretty good week.
I'm still on my Whole30. Today is day #4. I've had a few sugar cravings but nothing I can't handle. Really the only thing I keep thinking about are Milky Way candy bars. Which is odd because I don't really eat them. Ever.
Have a great weekend!!
Today's Menu:
B: sweet potato hash + italian sausage
L: chicken and artichoke soup
D: balsamic steak + zucchini + mushrooms + apple (for dessert)
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