The One Where I Whine

Well, my body hates me.

I was really sore from my Firm workout.  It was rediculous.  I almost threw-up during it, but I kept going.  Sad, but true.

So, back to being sore -- I took some ibuprofen.  I thought it was pretty close to dinner, but apparently it wasn't.

Because my stomache hates me now.

And last night it REALLY hated me, after I ate a cup of grapes and cherries.

All those years in nursing school... just to be a small lump of sadness on the couch.

My legs, my stomache, and I just want to shove bread in my mouth.  Because nothing says fix your stomache like chicken.

And fruit's pretty well out....

I hope I feel better tomorrow.  I'm pretty sure I will... right?

Oh, and did I mention I got like 12 mosquito bites from when I turned the compost yesterday?  Turn on the flood gates, my life is hard!

One Potato Two Potato

Hello! Long time no see, eh? This summer has been fast as far as activities go, but slow as far as exercise and diet go. I didn't just fall off the wagon. I jumped off, did a few somersaults, and wound up somewhere in between Kansas and Kentucky.

Now on to the good news! I have been following Hilary's posts on Facebook regarding her carb fast, getting back on track, etc. Well once again she inspired me to re-evaluate my own food and exercise habits and you know what I found? Crap. Lots of crap.

So here I am! I'm back on track following a plan that my trainer wrote for me but this time I'm throwing calorie counting in there as well. Jillian Michaels always says losing weight is simple: it's calories in and calories out. Simple science. I always fought it but now I get it.

I'm on day 4 and I have lost 4.3 pounds. Yeah there's probably water weight in there and my body is just revving up because I went from eating burgers and fries and pizza to lean chicken and broccoli. It's like being on the ranch week one. I'll put up a big number this week and then probably go to more "normal" weight losses each week.

So my food plan includes lots of lean protein, no carbs after 4pm, and a lot of water just to name a few things. My exercise plan is to do 30 minutes per day of focused exercise (dvd's, gym machine, etc.), be as active as possible the rest of the day (play wii with the kids, ride bikes, walk to the park, etc.), and jog 3 times a week to train for a 5k and 10k I have coming up in September.

It's good to be back!

Carb Fast Week #1

People.  I just ate Quinoa, and I was thrilled.
Ok, maybe not thrilled but it was nice to have a new texture.
Here's my week, in bullet points:

• I lost 5 pounds from last Monday to this Monday, yay!
• I ate 1200 plus my calories from exercise, this week I plan to eat 1200 plus 1/2 my calories from exercise, if I feel hungry -- if not I still need to eat the full 1200.
• Constipation is an issue, and it's not really resolving.  It's hard to think that SO many salads aren't fixing that, but they aren't.  Maybe the quinoa and beans that I'm adding this week will help.
• I get headaches if I don't drink enough water (and I do mean a TON of water)
• My first cheat day is Saturday, and currently I don't have a ton of plans of what to do with that day... but, give me time. :)

And that is all.

I have yelled more since this started, but I really need my family to pick up some slack around here.  I'm not amused by the "mom will do everything" motif they have going right now.

Is that the lack of carbs talking?  You be the judge. :)

Carb Fast Day eternity. :)

Sorry for missing so many days.

Day 3 was supposed to be the "worst day" - word on the street from "everyone"... it wasn't all that bad.  I mean, I was ornery just like usual, but nothing -- no dreams of brownies or anything like that.

Day 4 I took El Presidante school shopping and he wanted to go for Italian for dinner.  I talked him into Fuddruckers, where I got the cesar salad.  It came with garlic toast and croutons.  I almost cried pushing all that onto Conner's plate.  I love me some delicious oily home-made croutons. {sigh]

Anyway, I made it through.

I'm staying under my calorie limit (which is 1200 plus whatever I workout, a dietician friend, as well as myfitnesspal both recommended I eat what they tell me to, so I am).  I've lost 4 pounds as of today... so, that's good.

Part of me wonders if I was sticking to the calorie counts, if I would still lose, regardless of my lack of carbs.

Thoughts on that?  Why does a low carb diet increase weight loss?

So far, so good.

Carb Fast Day #2

I forgot to write last night.  I had taken Mr Middle school shopping and I also took him out to eat, which just happened to be the food court at the mall....

pure. torture.

But, I stayed strong, I got a salad at paradise bakery, their cobb chicken with avocado salad.  BUT, I still had like 300 calories to eat once I got home.  I ate some cherries and then some fruit salad and string cheese.  I am missing peanut butter.  I think I'm going to add that next week.  What do you think?  I was going to add legumes and quinoa next week and also a cheat day on Saturday.  I think a cheat day is the only way I'm going to make it on this diet, but that's a WEEK from THIS Saturday.  No cheats this week. :)

I didn't have any video workouts.  But I did do "fitness testing" with my kids, I gardened for about 20 minutes and I did "Just Dance" for 20 minutes.  BTW, Just Dance 1 seems to be a LOT less responsive then the later versions.  Princess P literally sat on the couch and beat Mr Middle who was actually trying... Mr middle wasn't too pleased about that. :)

Eating was alright.  Sometimes I stare in the cupboard for inspiration and I think "I could have some wheat thins." then I hear that giant gameshow-like buzzer saying "ERRRRR"....

I hear day 3 is the worst.  We've got some plans so that should help.  I need to figure out something tasty for dinner.  Maybe steak and mushrooms...

Yummmm....

Food Diary -- keyword: Losing

Carb Fast Day #1

Well, here I am as the day is dying down.  Somehow, through the graces of God -- my kids decided to play outside.  Thank you.  Thank you for the tender mercies.

Because, not only am I starting the carb fast, but it's the first day of marching band season and I took the kids to the library and we have two more weeks of summer.

I'm beat.

And kinda ornery.  Not too bad, except when everyone was talking about what dessert I was going to serve them after family home evening.  That wasn't particularly pretty. :)

Anyway, here's my food diary -- you can get in with the password "Losing" (capital L).

I started the day out with the NYC ballet workout.  Just a half an hour, but man that first half out KILLED my abs.  I need to make time to do the full workout, it's one of my favorites, but today wasn't that day.  I also went out and gardened for a half an hour.  Not my regular walk around and pull a few weeds.  I turned some compost (nothing more tasty then steaming compost when it's like 90 degrees outside -- today was a cool day), ripped out a tomato plant, all sorts of fun.  Anyway, between those two I was close to 400 calories from working out.

Myfitnesspal says that I should be eating 1200 calories PLUS what I burn working out.  We'll see how that works out.

I started out with a hard boiled egg and some avocado.  About 10 o'clock I had some grapes.  I felt kinda sick after the grapes.  I don't think I can do JUST fruit.  It's weird.  Does anyone feel like that?  I have weird blood sugar fluctuations so I'm thinking fruit may be out before lunch.  I just made a bowl of fruit salad and I feel fine now (but I did mix in some Greek yogurt).

I am currently just over 1400 calories eaten, it says I'm supposed to eat 117 more calories.  I'm not really hungry, but I made a lot of fruit salad, so it's an option.  BUT, I am going to try to stop eating 2 hours before bed.  So, that gives me about an hour to feel out my hungry-ness.

Thoughts on my carb fast?  Does it make you want to do one?  It sure doesn't do that to me! :)

Hobbies

I kind of think that hobbies are a good weight loss tool.  I tend to get really caught up in what I am doing, so much that I leave behind other cares.  Like swimming in syrup.

I see so many yummy ideas on pintrist.... I just need to get to the store and buy the stuff to get going on a few.

But then I think of the scrapbook supplies, just sitting there waiting to be transformed into pages.  And then I feel tired.  It would feel good to get some of those pictures done and I do love pretty paper.

Gardening is a great weight loss tactic for me.  I get so enveloped by my beloved drip system and planning it all out, I don't think about food.

So, what distracts you from food?

Working out can be a great tactic, but you can't do that all day.  You might kick your 3 year old with one of your fancy tae bo moves.... :)