Well, I won't be weighing in for two Saturdays as the clinic is closed through next weekend. It seems strange to be missing out on this. I usually look forward to going and seeing the readout from the scale.
These past 2 weeks have been crazy in terms of the scale NOT budging. Yes, there's been a little bit here and there but overall I have hovered between the 159-160 range for days. It was incredibly frustrating but on Christmas morning I finally broke free and landed at 158 point something. Christmas Day I chose to only 'cheat' in terms of eating the ham. There's a glaze on it made with sugar of course. I said the heck with it. I avoided the mac & cheese and cheesy potatoes made by others (and boy did it look good!). I made the veggies for dinner (green bean casserole) as well as the dessert (creme brulee in individual servings so that I would not be tempted by a large cake or pie) so I also brought plain beans as the kids don't tend to love all those fancy sauces, especially ones with onion and bacon in them. I managed my 2 cups of clean veggies that way and had a pile (about 6 oz) of ham. I was sure I would knock myself out of ketosis but the next morning I was down to 157 point something! Yesterday, I managed to come down a few tenths and then this morning I was down .8 so I was just shy of a pound down and came in at 156.5!!!
The best part of yesterday was I went shopping at Macy's and got into a form fitting size 8 dress (NO back fat or lumps even without my Spanx!) and then even better I got into a pair of size 6 pants for the first time in my life. Yes, I wore size 7 my freshman year of high school but that's the closest I've ever been to a size 6! I also got into a petite medium shirt as the regular medium was too big! What a great accomplishment in 5 months! I have to aim for another 11 lbs minimum and honestly would like to lose 13 so I can weigh in at 145 (clothes add 2 lbs). IF my body resists I may choose to stop at 148-149 which is only 7.5 lbs away. I think going to my weigh in on January 11th will help me to decide what to do.
All in all, a really good week that didn't start out so grand. You never know what your body is going to do!!!!
Saturday, December 28, 2013
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Week 20 begins
A day late.... typical of me, right?
IT's the holiday season....that's partly why! I have too much on my plate.
I am trying to get all these old clothes out of here. My closet is going to be cut in half or more after this purge. Luckily, some are going to friends who are on IP or other diet plans so I don't feel like they're going to waste. Some things (new with tags) are going on eBay and the rest to St. Vinnie's since that's a great way to share the wealth.
It's strange.... my appetite is doing okay and I'm not too hungry. I am getting tired of eating a packet with veggies for lunch although I'm not tired of the actual food itself. I actually enjoy making the same things over and over so it's not burn out from the program. I think I just want to be able to eat whatever I want (although my intent is NOT to eat lots of carbs). I want to have bacon, peanut butter, cheese and other fats again.
Other than that, the plan is still going great. I feel that my taste buds and appetite have completely switched out into a healthy program. I have already made cookies and desserts and the sweet smells actually bug me. I don't think sugar/sweets/desserts will ever be my problem again. Thank goodness for that!
I don't miss potatoes, rice or pasta at all. I do miss bread though. I want the spaghetti sauce, meatballs with parm, a little bit of pizza, flour tortillas with some refried beans.... but I'm still okay. I just really want tastes of them. I know I have the control part down now. Oh well...until my body fat comes down another 13 lbs....I'm still battling away!
I started this week at 159-ish.... I'm up and down right now and I am not sure why. I'm also having lower intestinal issues so I think my water and fiber are way off. My weight isn't going to be normal until this settles back down so I can't beat myself up until my system is normal. I'm reading 158.6 now so it's down but I really want to see my weight down to 155 or 156 by Saturday. Prefer that to be sans clothing since my breakfast, water, coffee and clothes add 2 lbs!
IT's the holiday season....that's partly why! I have too much on my plate.
I am trying to get all these old clothes out of here. My closet is going to be cut in half or more after this purge. Luckily, some are going to friends who are on IP or other diet plans so I don't feel like they're going to waste. Some things (new with tags) are going on eBay and the rest to St. Vinnie's since that's a great way to share the wealth.
It's strange.... my appetite is doing okay and I'm not too hungry. I am getting tired of eating a packet with veggies for lunch although I'm not tired of the actual food itself. I actually enjoy making the same things over and over so it's not burn out from the program. I think I just want to be able to eat whatever I want (although my intent is NOT to eat lots of carbs). I want to have bacon, peanut butter, cheese and other fats again.
Other than that, the plan is still going great. I feel that my taste buds and appetite have completely switched out into a healthy program. I have already made cookies and desserts and the sweet smells actually bug me. I don't think sugar/sweets/desserts will ever be my problem again. Thank goodness for that!
I don't miss potatoes, rice or pasta at all. I do miss bread though. I want the spaghetti sauce, meatballs with parm, a little bit of pizza, flour tortillas with some refried beans.... but I'm still okay. I just really want tastes of them. I know I have the control part down now. Oh well...until my body fat comes down another 13 lbs....I'm still battling away!
I started this week at 159-ish.... I'm up and down right now and I am not sure why. I'm also having lower intestinal issues so I think my water and fiber are way off. My weight isn't going to be normal until this settles back down so I can't beat myself up until my system is normal. I'm reading 158.6 now so it's down but I really want to see my weight down to 155 or 156 by Saturday. Prefer that to be sans clothing since my breakfast, water, coffee and clothes add 2 lbs!
Saturday, December 14, 2013
Weigh In #19
Amazing.... almost 5 months in. My 19th weigh in and I was really concerned. I was having the most up and down week in terms of weight and I really wasn't eating & drinking as well as I could have been. I'll admit that I even ate a second protein bar yesterday because I was so damn hungry. I just came off a 3 week period so my 'normal' is so abnormal I don't quite know what the hormones are doing.
Anyway, I figured my weight would be up and it was. BUT.... thanks to the fact that our hormones do make us ladies retain water sometimes it turns out that's all it is....water. I was up .4 from my last weigh in but I lost 3 lbs of FAT! And my measurements this week.... hurray! I lost 1/4" from the chest, 1/4" from the waist (where most jeans waistbands are) and 1" from my hips! A whole inch! That means the fat around my belly is burning off baby! Woo-hoo!
My cool Fitbit scale isn't communicating with my computer these days for some stupid reason and it's been reading my body fat as super high so I couldn't even tell you what it was all week. Well, that was the even better news when I weighed on the fancy clinic scale! I am down to 31.9% which means I'm smack in the middle for acceptable BF for women in my age bracket! Yay, me! I'm still gunning for 25% but I will take 26-27% if that's where I land by the end of January. I have 13-14 lbs left according to my readout to get to 25%. Wherever I land, I am done in 7 weeks. I will not go past January on Phase 1. IF I lose a minimum of 3 lbs a week I will be done within 5 weeks with Phase 1. Hallelujah!
So.... I read at 157.7 this morning at home and 160.8 at the clinic. Since I lost 3 lbs of fat and my previous week I read 160.4 that means I should actually be at 157.4 lbs without the excess water. I just weighed myself again (I know I shouldn't, LOL) and I'm already down to 158 again. The water is almost gone! Woo-hoo!
Gunning for a 3-5 lb week!
Anyway, I figured my weight would be up and it was. BUT.... thanks to the fact that our hormones do make us ladies retain water sometimes it turns out that's all it is....water. I was up .4 from my last weigh in but I lost 3 lbs of FAT! And my measurements this week.... hurray! I lost 1/4" from the chest, 1/4" from the waist (where most jeans waistbands are) and 1" from my hips! A whole inch! That means the fat around my belly is burning off baby! Woo-hoo!
My cool Fitbit scale isn't communicating with my computer these days for some stupid reason and it's been reading my body fat as super high so I couldn't even tell you what it was all week. Well, that was the even better news when I weighed on the fancy clinic scale! I am down to 31.9% which means I'm smack in the middle for acceptable BF for women in my age bracket! Yay, me! I'm still gunning for 25% but I will take 26-27% if that's where I land by the end of January. I have 13-14 lbs left according to my readout to get to 25%. Wherever I land, I am done in 7 weeks. I will not go past January on Phase 1. IF I lose a minimum of 3 lbs a week I will be done within 5 weeks with Phase 1. Hallelujah!
So.... I read at 157.7 this morning at home and 160.8 at the clinic. Since I lost 3 lbs of fat and my previous week I read 160.4 that means I should actually be at 157.4 lbs without the excess water. I just weighed myself again (I know I shouldn't, LOL) and I'm already down to 158 again. The water is almost gone! Woo-hoo!
Gunning for a 3-5 lb week!
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Is this hard work?
Just a quick entry today....
I went to Ross for the first time since starting IP and I was really shopping for Xmas gifts but had a verklempt moment because my mom (the queen of all discount shoppers) always found me the cutest clothes there. Even at my heavier weight, she managed to find me great things. It made me really miss her all over again and I almost walked out. But.... I had a mission and I decided to look at the clearance racks just in case.
Do you know how hard it is for me to walk to the smaller sized clothing racks? I haven't been smaller than a 10 in more than 15 years. And really, I'm saying that's the smallest I have been for ALL my adult life. I had to tell myself to go to the size 8's not believing they would fit. Of course, when you are looking at coats that rule goes out the window (I still need larges more often than not) but skirts and pants - I'm an 8! A freaking size 8!
I found a cute black skirt in clearance for $8.99. I didn't try it on, I just bought it hoping it would work. I tried it on last night and it fits! It's not too tight either. IT FITS!
I still have 10-15 lbs to go...and that's fat. Nothing but fat that I'm trying to lose! That means I may be a size 6 by the end of this.... I'm still in shock.
PS - I just got 2 dresses that I ordered.... size 8. THEY FIT! I could barely fit into their size 16 back in July! OMG!
I went to Ross for the first time since starting IP and I was really shopping for Xmas gifts but had a verklempt moment because my mom (the queen of all discount shoppers) always found me the cutest clothes there. Even at my heavier weight, she managed to find me great things. It made me really miss her all over again and I almost walked out. But.... I had a mission and I decided to look at the clearance racks just in case.
Do you know how hard it is for me to walk to the smaller sized clothing racks? I haven't been smaller than a 10 in more than 15 years. And really, I'm saying that's the smallest I have been for ALL my adult life. I had to tell myself to go to the size 8's not believing they would fit. Of course, when you are looking at coats that rule goes out the window (I still need larges more often than not) but skirts and pants - I'm an 8! A freaking size 8!
I found a cute black skirt in clearance for $8.99. I didn't try it on, I just bought it hoping it would work. I tried it on last night and it fits! It's not too tight either. IT FITS!
I still have 10-15 lbs to go...and that's fat. Nothing but fat that I'm trying to lose! That means I may be a size 6 by the end of this.... I'm still in shock.
PS - I just got 2 dresses that I ordered.... size 8. THEY FIT! I could barely fit into their size 16 back in July! OMG!
Saturday, December 7, 2013
Week 18 Weigh in
A ha! I actually remembered to post my weigh in ON the day!
Week 18 is almost done.... I weighed in this morning at the clinic at 160.4 and 33.7 BF%. At home I always weigh less because of clothing AND I haven't eaten breakfast yet. I weighed 159.5 at home so I'll take that as my current weight.
I also lost the following:
1/4" arm
1 1/4" underarm
1/2" thorax
1/4" waist (lower)
1/4" thigh
Chest and hips stayed the same.
According to the clinic I've lost 42.7 and 35+ inches (not accounting for the other arm or thigh).
I'm getting ready to phase off people! I still need to lose a minimum of 10-12 lbs but once I hit size 6 I am outta phase one!!! I'm hoping my body fat comes down... it's really fighting me with my stupid hormones. I still have my period to contend with (day 17....enough is enough!) so it's messing up my body fat readings. The good thing though, this means I'm burning body fat because that's where are the hormones are stored and that's why my cycle is messed up. Once it's burned up and the hormones are released into the blood stream, they have to work their way back out of the body. It takes time obviously. Too much time....
Oh well, at least they're leaving with that stubborn body fat! I can't get over the fact that I'm losing the fat around my belly, butt and thighs! This is all worth it in the long run. And this is such a short time span to lose 40+ lbs, right? Right.
Week 18 is almost done.... I weighed in this morning at the clinic at 160.4 and 33.7 BF%. At home I always weigh less because of clothing AND I haven't eaten breakfast yet. I weighed 159.5 at home so I'll take that as my current weight.
I also lost the following:
1/4" arm
1 1/4" underarm
1/2" thorax
1/4" waist (lower)
1/4" thigh
Chest and hips stayed the same.
According to the clinic I've lost 42.7 and 35+ inches (not accounting for the other arm or thigh).
I'm getting ready to phase off people! I still need to lose a minimum of 10-12 lbs but once I hit size 6 I am outta phase one!!! I'm hoping my body fat comes down... it's really fighting me with my stupid hormones. I still have my period to contend with (day 17....enough is enough!) so it's messing up my body fat readings. The good thing though, this means I'm burning body fat because that's where are the hormones are stored and that's why my cycle is messed up. Once it's burned up and the hormones are released into the blood stream, they have to work their way back out of the body. It takes time obviously. Too much time....
Oh well, at least they're leaving with that stubborn body fat! I can't get over the fact that I'm losing the fat around my belly, butt and thighs! This is all worth it in the long run. And this is such a short time span to lose 40+ lbs, right? Right.
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Week 18 is going and going.....
Ups and downs but now we're back down and I'm making may way to my goal....
Monday I was up to 159.7 but I know I had eaten a lot of beef the night before and I usually hold weight for about 24 hours or so with it. The body takes its time digesting beef (no complaints - I love beef!) so I knew there might be a gain.
Tuesday I ended up back at 159.5 and then today I'm at 158.9! Woo-hoo! A whole half a pound! I am about 15 lbs away from my goal....of course, I have to consider that clothing adds 1-3 lbs of clothes so I may have to go for 17-18 lb goal. I'm okay with it....just want to see 3-5 lb losses like I had in the beginning!
I'm battling my first cold of the winter...and I can't take anything with sugar/alcohol in it so I'm trying to beat this naturally with EO's. So far, I think I'm doing okay. Yes, my nose gets stuffy and I'm coughing and have some body aches but I am doing far better than I expected. I'm really watching how this 'flu & cold buster' EO recipe is working.... I'll write more about that once I'm past this thing.
Okay...back to work....
Monday I was up to 159.7 but I know I had eaten a lot of beef the night before and I usually hold weight for about 24 hours or so with it. The body takes its time digesting beef (no complaints - I love beef!) so I knew there might be a gain.
Tuesday I ended up back at 159.5 and then today I'm at 158.9! Woo-hoo! A whole half a pound! I am about 15 lbs away from my goal....of course, I have to consider that clothing adds 1-3 lbs of clothes so I may have to go for 17-18 lb goal. I'm okay with it....just want to see 3-5 lb losses like I had in the beginning!
I'm battling my first cold of the winter...and I can't take anything with sugar/alcohol in it so I'm trying to beat this naturally with EO's. So far, I think I'm doing okay. Yes, my nose gets stuffy and I'm coughing and have some body aches but I am doing far better than I expected. I'm really watching how this 'flu & cold buster' EO recipe is working.... I'll write more about that once I'm past this thing.
Okay...back to work....
Sunday, December 1, 2013
Week 17 Weigh in/Week 18 begins
Sunday.... last day of Week 17. It's been 4 months and 1 week and I'm down 42.8 lbs. This week's weigh in was 1.8 lost (1.6 was fat) and 3/4" off my chest and 1/4 off my thorax. Go figure..... always the chest! I just bought 2 new bras. Makes me wonder if my losses were actually me wearing a bra that fits, LOL!
Feeling really good except for the fact that I'm so tired! I've been up early everyday this week. Had auditions for my next show so I've been on the go all weekend. Even from weigh in to auditions was literally minutes apart.
As far as the scale at home goes this morning was at 159.3 and then 159.5 so I'm taking the 159.3! I finally broke the 160 barrier so that feels great. I'm hoping I'll have lost a little bit more today but I didn't probably eat as much as I should have so I might retain.
Oh and as for Thanksgiving: my only cheat was the littlest drizzle of gravy on my turkey and about 2 tablespoons of stuffing! Otherwise, I had turkey (white meat) and green beans. I'm sure there was butter on the beans but I just didn't care. I was the only one out of 18 on a restricted diet so I didn't want to cause a fuss. I'm hoping that Christmas will be less worrisome but if I am only losing 1-2 lbs per week (I know, that's still a lot) I'll be on Phase one twice as long as I wanted to be. I need to step it up and get to 3-5 lb per week as I've got 19 lbs of fat left to burn off of me. The one thing I can say that's good is that all my losses are almost 100% fat. That's pretty darn good, especially at my age!
I'll probably post my Week 18 start weight with my next post. Too tired to write much else for now~
Feeling really good except for the fact that I'm so tired! I've been up early everyday this week. Had auditions for my next show so I've been on the go all weekend. Even from weigh in to auditions was literally minutes apart.
As far as the scale at home goes this morning was at 159.3 and then 159.5 so I'm taking the 159.3! I finally broke the 160 barrier so that feels great. I'm hoping I'll have lost a little bit more today but I didn't probably eat as much as I should have so I might retain.
Oh and as for Thanksgiving: my only cheat was the littlest drizzle of gravy on my turkey and about 2 tablespoons of stuffing! Otherwise, I had turkey (white meat) and green beans. I'm sure there was butter on the beans but I just didn't care. I was the only one out of 18 on a restricted diet so I didn't want to cause a fuss. I'm hoping that Christmas will be less worrisome but if I am only losing 1-2 lbs per week (I know, that's still a lot) I'll be on Phase one twice as long as I wanted to be. I need to step it up and get to 3-5 lb per week as I've got 19 lbs of fat left to burn off of me. The one thing I can say that's good is that all my losses are almost 100% fat. That's pretty darn good, especially at my age!
I'll probably post my Week 18 start weight with my next post. Too tired to write much else for now~
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Week 17 underway...
I meant to write this on Monday but I just didn't have a whole lot of energy or much exciting news to give....
I am still shocked that 4 months later I am still at this, doing pretty darn good considering I hate dieting! This really feels like a lifestyle now, even though I'm still attached to 'packets' 3x a day. I am definitely feeling better about going into the next phases and using less IP product but hate the idea of counting carbs. Oh well, the payoff is that I've lost a lot of weight so I think it's worth it!
I am definitely sure I'm going Wheat Belly when all is said and done. I will use all the tools that IP has and will continue to teach me and I'm grateful that I have no sugar or general carb cravings anymore. It's so strange to smell a deep fried 'anything' and to think for a second that this food item might taste good but then I immediately think 'But my stomach will hate me later so I'd better eat clean.' That's a huge difference in my outlook. Food was meant to be instant gratification before. Now I know how connected I am to the food and how it affects me. I don't want stomach aches or any of the other nasty lower GI issues I used to get. I am so done with that.
It's TOM still and I've had so little energy. A couple of nights ago, I just wanted to crawl into bed (around 8:30pm) and just go to sleep. NOT typical of me....I'm more of a night owl but getting up at 5:30am has made me want to sleep around 10pm-ish or so. Not complaining, it's just a different feeling to doze off before 11pm. ;-) I've been downing a lot more coffee which isn't necessarily good but at least I'm drinking plenty of water to make up for it.
So, I started Monday off a little higher because of TOM so I wasn't really counting it but I guess I still have to since that's 'what I weighed' on that day. I was at 163.0 on Monday which was about 2 lbs of water weight but it still read lower than my weigh in numbers on Saturday so I guess I was doing okay. My body fat numbers finally started creeping back down again but I'm still high. I'm around 33.6% which is better than I was two weeks ago so I'm not complaining. The biggest issue is that I want to be at 23-25% so I still have 19 lbs of fat to lose. That's a lot of fat.... but at least I can say I've already lost about 22-25 lbs of fat already!
Today I'm finally seeing some changes in me. I started the morning at 161.2 which I haven't seen since the late 1990's. I'm wearing size 8 jeans from Old Navy and my belt is down another notch! I also put on a size small (4/6) camisole from Costco and it fits perfectly. I'm waiting for an order of bras to come from Macy's so hopefully that will also help me feel a little better since my current bras are NOT holding me up well anymore. Crazy to think these 2 bras are only 6 weeks old and they are too big for me! I measured myself yesterday (I try to only do this once a month - otherwise I obsess too much!) and I finally lost in my waist after nothing for weeks! I'm reading 30.5 in my natural waist and my hips are reading 39.5. My waist needs some exercising to whittle it down to where I want (27-28) so hopefully I'll be able to do that soon.
I've been incorporating a little non-IP product into my life. I know that's not kosher and I don't talk about it in my IP groups because I don't want to be accused of trying to lead people away because IP really does work. I just am trying to ease the financial burden that this places on us so I don't feel bad about it. For example, I just bought Quest bars (high protein snacks) and while most people on IP say to use them as a restricted I've managed to use them with a regular IP restricted snack and still be okay. I'm burning fat - I'm losing weight and I feel pretty darn good so I'm obviously meant to have an increase in my fat intake. I also use an occasional bulletproof coffee (which has butter and coconut oil) and it has made my hunger go away and I still lose. Some hardcore IP-ers will tell me that I'd be losing more if I didn't put these extras into my diet. Well, I tried it without and I didn't lose as much so there ya go..... I am really listening to my body and finding what works. My coach is really happy with my results so I'm sticking with my current plan.
So that's where things are at after 4 months. I will probably be in phase 1 for at least 7 more weeks. I I'm totally okay with that too. I'm used to eating this way and I really don't want to eat junk or have to think about carbs right now anyway. I'm going to be baking and cooking lots of non-IP treats today for Thanksgiving (and eventually Christmas) but I really don't want to eat any of it. I have enough chocolate treats (my IP strawberry wafer bar is the bomb!) from IP so my sweet tooth is well managed. Also, those Quest bars are great meal replacements as are those Costco Premier Protein drinks. And thank goodness for salad, pickles and eggs (IP staples) and hot tea for hunger pangs!
IF I manage a 3-4 lb a week loss I'll be done by the end of December. We'll see...I've been averaging 2-3 lately so who knows! Also, depending on how I'm feeling I may choose to phase off sooner. I have that 23-25% body fat goal but if I feel great at 27% I'll start phasing off. I'm an overachiever though - LOL! I hate being on the high end of weight or body fat scales. I want to be on the low end all the time so I have wiggle room plus I want my clothes to NEVER feel tight again. So, it'll probably be 23% that I am going for! I am such an Asian..... gotta go for the gold! ;-)
I am still shocked that 4 months later I am still at this, doing pretty darn good considering I hate dieting! This really feels like a lifestyle now, even though I'm still attached to 'packets' 3x a day. I am definitely feeling better about going into the next phases and using less IP product but hate the idea of counting carbs. Oh well, the payoff is that I've lost a lot of weight so I think it's worth it!
I am definitely sure I'm going Wheat Belly when all is said and done. I will use all the tools that IP has and will continue to teach me and I'm grateful that I have no sugar or general carb cravings anymore. It's so strange to smell a deep fried 'anything' and to think for a second that this food item might taste good but then I immediately think 'But my stomach will hate me later so I'd better eat clean.' That's a huge difference in my outlook. Food was meant to be instant gratification before. Now I know how connected I am to the food and how it affects me. I don't want stomach aches or any of the other nasty lower GI issues I used to get. I am so done with that.
It's TOM still and I've had so little energy. A couple of nights ago, I just wanted to crawl into bed (around 8:30pm) and just go to sleep. NOT typical of me....I'm more of a night owl but getting up at 5:30am has made me want to sleep around 10pm-ish or so. Not complaining, it's just a different feeling to doze off before 11pm. ;-) I've been downing a lot more coffee which isn't necessarily good but at least I'm drinking plenty of water to make up for it.
So, I started Monday off a little higher because of TOM so I wasn't really counting it but I guess I still have to since that's 'what I weighed' on that day. I was at 163.0 on Monday which was about 2 lbs of water weight but it still read lower than my weigh in numbers on Saturday so I guess I was doing okay. My body fat numbers finally started creeping back down again but I'm still high. I'm around 33.6% which is better than I was two weeks ago so I'm not complaining. The biggest issue is that I want to be at 23-25% so I still have 19 lbs of fat to lose. That's a lot of fat.... but at least I can say I've already lost about 22-25 lbs of fat already!
Today I'm finally seeing some changes in me. I started the morning at 161.2 which I haven't seen since the late 1990's. I'm wearing size 8 jeans from Old Navy and my belt is down another notch! I also put on a size small (4/6) camisole from Costco and it fits perfectly. I'm waiting for an order of bras to come from Macy's so hopefully that will also help me feel a little better since my current bras are NOT holding me up well anymore. Crazy to think these 2 bras are only 6 weeks old and they are too big for me! I measured myself yesterday (I try to only do this once a month - otherwise I obsess too much!) and I finally lost in my waist after nothing for weeks! I'm reading 30.5 in my natural waist and my hips are reading 39.5. My waist needs some exercising to whittle it down to where I want (27-28) so hopefully I'll be able to do that soon.
I've been incorporating a little non-IP product into my life. I know that's not kosher and I don't talk about it in my IP groups because I don't want to be accused of trying to lead people away because IP really does work. I just am trying to ease the financial burden that this places on us so I don't feel bad about it. For example, I just bought Quest bars (high protein snacks) and while most people on IP say to use them as a restricted I've managed to use them with a regular IP restricted snack and still be okay. I'm burning fat - I'm losing weight and I feel pretty darn good so I'm obviously meant to have an increase in my fat intake. I also use an occasional bulletproof coffee (which has butter and coconut oil) and it has made my hunger go away and I still lose. Some hardcore IP-ers will tell me that I'd be losing more if I didn't put these extras into my diet. Well, I tried it without and I didn't lose as much so there ya go..... I am really listening to my body and finding what works. My coach is really happy with my results so I'm sticking with my current plan.
So that's where things are at after 4 months. I will probably be in phase 1 for at least 7 more weeks. I I'm totally okay with that too. I'm used to eating this way and I really don't want to eat junk or have to think about carbs right now anyway. I'm going to be baking and cooking lots of non-IP treats today for Thanksgiving (and eventually Christmas) but I really don't want to eat any of it. I have enough chocolate treats (my IP strawberry wafer bar is the bomb!) from IP so my sweet tooth is well managed. Also, those Quest bars are great meal replacements as are those Costco Premier Protein drinks. And thank goodness for salad, pickles and eggs (IP staples) and hot tea for hunger pangs!
IF I manage a 3-4 lb a week loss I'll be done by the end of December. We'll see...I've been averaging 2-3 lately so who knows! Also, depending on how I'm feeling I may choose to phase off sooner. I have that 23-25% body fat goal but if I feel great at 27% I'll start phasing off. I'm an overachiever though - LOL! I hate being on the high end of weight or body fat scales. I want to be on the low end all the time so I have wiggle room plus I want my clothes to NEVER feel tight again. So, it'll probably be 23% that I am going for! I am such an Asian..... gotta go for the gold! ;-)
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Week 16: Weigh in
Well, well.... 4 months is done as of tonight. I can't believe I'm at this point.
I have to say that IP is definitely the right plan for me. Of course now that I'm in the thick of it, I find all kinds of 'alternative' programs that are low carb, ketogenic, etc., etc. I probably could have done any of them and had success but I'm glad I had the supervision and the packets (the foods we love and curse at the same time!). My coach is awesome and I really appreciate her history with the program. She's even back on phase 1 again after being in maintenance for most of this year. She said she's got a stubborn 20 lbs to get off and really wants to say she's lost 100 lbs so I say more power to her!
I'm at the 41 lb mark myself. I'm pretty damn proud of that. I do eat more fats than I probably should so technically I am a cheater. But honestly, I don't consume that much in calories to begin with and my body responds well to the fats I do take so as far as I can tell, I'm still a model IP student losing what I should be. I'm sure someone would tell me I'd lose more if I didn't use my coconut creamer in my coffee or to stop eating my restricted strawberry wafer and replace it with an unrestricted packet but I want to enjoy my life while going through this. I fully intend to continue using my coconut creamer in my coffee once I'm in maintenance and as well as enjoy a piece of bacon here and there. I don't intend to eat lots of bread, potatoes or rice though (they will be treats) so I think I'm doing okay.
My weigh in was a mixed bag of info. My TOM hit again (I swear, I have a period every 2-3 weeks and then they last 1-2 weeks so it's never ending) so my body fat cannot be read on the fancy scale at the clinic. It pisses me off so much that something so technologically advanced cannot read through hormonal changes in the body. So.... body fat readings don't count this week. I lost 1.2 lbs according to the scale but the stupid thing is that I weighed 3 lbs less at home (prior to breakfast, drinking water and putting on clothes). It's amazing how much clothes and water weigh. So while my official weight was 164.2 (38.9 total) , I read 161.0 (41.1 total) at home. Again, it's water retention so I'm not worried. This should mean that my next weigh in should be pretty phenomenal!
I did manage to lose some inches too! I lost 1/4" under arm, 1/4" chest, 1/4" thorax, 1/2" waist (lower). The lower waist reading is especially awesome because that's right at the belly button where ALL my fat seems to sit. I've had that pooch since I was 12 and so for me to have lost 8" around the belly button just blows my mind. My natural waist is still being stubborn and the back fat there is still holding on but I know once I get to exercise I'll lose a lot of it. So I'm not in any rush....I'm actually pretty patient about this weight loss plan!
I also ended up ordering 3 new bras because well... if I lose anywhere it's my chest. That's the joke that God plays on us gals. Where's the one place we don't want to lose? Well, that's where we lose the most and the easiest!!! I want to whittle my natural waist, belly, thighs and hips down but they're the slowest and most stubborn! That's how it always works! So from what I can tell I was probably a 40C at my heaviest and as of right now I'm reading 36B. It's entirely possible that I'll go down to a 34 - actually more than likely at some point and I'm okay with that.
I am almost sure I'm gunning for another 19 lbs before I finish. The hard part is that this is all fat I'm trying to lose. I can't let my muscle be affected so I have to be really careful to stay on track diet wise. This means I'll be in Phase 1 through the holidays. I've have some good 3-4 lb weeks and if I stay consistently high then I will be in phase 2 by early January. If I'm slow (like this week) then it'll be February. What's a few weeks difference, eh? I am just grateful that this plan works!
I have to say that IP is definitely the right plan for me. Of course now that I'm in the thick of it, I find all kinds of 'alternative' programs that are low carb, ketogenic, etc., etc. I probably could have done any of them and had success but I'm glad I had the supervision and the packets (the foods we love and curse at the same time!). My coach is awesome and I really appreciate her history with the program. She's even back on phase 1 again after being in maintenance for most of this year. She said she's got a stubborn 20 lbs to get off and really wants to say she's lost 100 lbs so I say more power to her!
I'm at the 41 lb mark myself. I'm pretty damn proud of that. I do eat more fats than I probably should so technically I am a cheater. But honestly, I don't consume that much in calories to begin with and my body responds well to the fats I do take so as far as I can tell, I'm still a model IP student losing what I should be. I'm sure someone would tell me I'd lose more if I didn't use my coconut creamer in my coffee or to stop eating my restricted strawberry wafer and replace it with an unrestricted packet but I want to enjoy my life while going through this. I fully intend to continue using my coconut creamer in my coffee once I'm in maintenance and as well as enjoy a piece of bacon here and there. I don't intend to eat lots of bread, potatoes or rice though (they will be treats) so I think I'm doing okay.
My weigh in was a mixed bag of info. My TOM hit again (I swear, I have a period every 2-3 weeks and then they last 1-2 weeks so it's never ending) so my body fat cannot be read on the fancy scale at the clinic. It pisses me off so much that something so technologically advanced cannot read through hormonal changes in the body. So.... body fat readings don't count this week. I lost 1.2 lbs according to the scale but the stupid thing is that I weighed 3 lbs less at home (prior to breakfast, drinking water and putting on clothes). It's amazing how much clothes and water weigh. So while my official weight was 164.2 (38.9 total) , I read 161.0 (41.1 total) at home. Again, it's water retention so I'm not worried. This should mean that my next weigh in should be pretty phenomenal!
I did manage to lose some inches too! I lost 1/4" under arm, 1/4" chest, 1/4" thorax, 1/2" waist (lower). The lower waist reading is especially awesome because that's right at the belly button where ALL my fat seems to sit. I've had that pooch since I was 12 and so for me to have lost 8" around the belly button just blows my mind. My natural waist is still being stubborn and the back fat there is still holding on but I know once I get to exercise I'll lose a lot of it. So I'm not in any rush....I'm actually pretty patient about this weight loss plan!
I also ended up ordering 3 new bras because well... if I lose anywhere it's my chest. That's the joke that God plays on us gals. Where's the one place we don't want to lose? Well, that's where we lose the most and the easiest!!! I want to whittle my natural waist, belly, thighs and hips down but they're the slowest and most stubborn! That's how it always works! So from what I can tell I was probably a 40C at my heaviest and as of right now I'm reading 36B. It's entirely possible that I'll go down to a 34 - actually more than likely at some point and I'm okay with that.
I am almost sure I'm gunning for another 19 lbs before I finish. The hard part is that this is all fat I'm trying to lose. I can't let my muscle be affected so I have to be really careful to stay on track diet wise. This means I'll be in Phase 1 through the holidays. I've have some good 3-4 lb weeks and if I stay consistently high then I will be in phase 2 by early January. If I'm slow (like this week) then it'll be February. What's a few weeks difference, eh? I am just grateful that this plan works!
Monday, November 18, 2013
Week #15 weigh in and Week #16 begins
Still obsessing on the colon so if talk of this kind of stuff bugs you you may want to skip the first paragraph!
It's been a weird week.... of course, the colonoscopy totally ruled my last weekend and I wasn't sure if I would get great losses or not. So, I really didn't..... I lost about 2 lbs. after the initial 'cleansing'. Then the rest of the week I spent not really going to the bathroom but I wasn't truly constipated, just clean! It takes 2-3 days for your body to build up waste.... really! When I made it to Saturday the shocking results weren't that I lost a lot.... in fact I lost about 2 lbs total. The weird thing was that I lost 2.8 lbs of fat! Pure fat here..... and no inches whatsoever. I wasn't upset at all, just surprised. Sunday I happened to drop a half a pound but guess what? I gained .4 of it back as of this morning. I ate way too much yesterday.... nothing illegal but I just ate too much veggies and protein, salt and healthy fats. I also think I had too much caffeine (a diuretic) and not enough water to compensate. So I'm still in ketosis, that I know. I also didn't remember to take my dinner time and late night supplements so I probably messed up my potassium and magnesium levels. The other odd thing was that I had a lot of bloating and gas and a little bit of the runs! Gross, I know.... but it was different feeling this way when I've been feeling so good over the past 3 months. I think the colonoscopy really did affect the way my body felt and I do feel that I'm still trying to get my supplement levels back to normal. Hopefully, things will be in balance after today!
I've been craving more food since this required cleansing so I did expect a gain. I managed to hold it off until this morning thank goodness. I do think the gassy/bloaty feeling is part of my weight gain though. Oh, and the fact that I probably wasn't hydrated enough from my food/drink choices. I expect tomorrow to be a better day.
So as of this morning I weighed 163.2 lbs. (Yesterday was 162.5) The great news is that my body fat is under 34%! Now that I am at 33.9% or maybe even a little lower that means I am in acceptable range for probably the first time since I was in my late 20's/early 30's! I never really had a true BF test done (other than the caliper test) and I was always over 30% but never knew the exact numbers. I am not really worried about today's reading. I know there's gas and bloat weighing in plus I had a lot of water to drink already. It'll all balance out.
So this begins the final week of month 4 for me. I never thought I'd be able to stick to a diet/lifestyle change for so long. I truly don't crave the bad stuff anymore. I do want sweet foods now and then or something crunchy (yeah, protein drinks get BORING after awhile). But I'm not saying I want a candy bar. It's really cool to look at foods and think "that will taste great but then I'll feel awful so I won't have that." I still plan to enjoy my breads and sweets and other carb-ish foods when I'm in phase 4 (maintenance) but I know I won't be able to eat that much of it without getting sick. The 'wheat belly' lifestyle is where we'll be once I'm done with the Ideal Protein phases and I'm really excited about it. I do intend to eat bread and sugar again though, really! Life will happen. I like to cook and bake so I will be tasting the foods I make. I just know my body will be a well oiled machine when that time comes and I'll only be able to handle smaller portions and only take bites of things that used to make me sick and heavy.
I had a good chat with my coach about goals. I told her I really want to aim for 25% body fat (the lowest reading before going into fitness level). Now, that might not be as realistic since I'm not allowed to work out yet. If I get stuck around 27-28% I may choose to phase off and then start working out to get to my ultimate goal of 23%. We'll see how it goes. I need to lose around 19 lbs of fat to get to 25%. IF I can stay clean I might be able to get to that goal within 5-7 weeks. I seem to be burning more fat these days so it seems doable. I'm not intimidated by the numbers as I know this is within reach. To be less than 20 lbs away from my ultimate weight is so exciting. I haven't felt this confident about my body in years!
I have been thinking about what my first off protocol meal will be when I can be in Phase 4 and enjoy the freedom of anything (within reason). I can't figure out if it'll be sushi at Hakata's, Mexican food (at one of several favorite restaurants) or a pancake breakfast at Big Bear Diner or Saimin or Loco Moco at Aloha Kitchen. There's plenty of other ideas but those 4 meals keep coming back to me like recurring dreams. Whatever the case, I am sure I'll be able to control myself. I was a binge eater before. I had really bad habits and could not control my portions. My relationship with food was technically abusive! Abusive towards myself too..... so interesting to think about all the ramifications of that. I am finally feeling like food is meant to be nourishing (yet tasty and comforting) but it's not 'all that'. Life requires food but it also requires exercise and other things. Balance is the key!
Okay, I'm planning to kick this week off correctly and attempt to avoid all the excessive fats I've been craving/eating! I think it'll be okay.... again, I feel like balance is coming back after my week of cleansing and my appetite should be settling back down!
It's been a weird week.... of course, the colonoscopy totally ruled my last weekend and I wasn't sure if I would get great losses or not. So, I really didn't..... I lost about 2 lbs. after the initial 'cleansing'. Then the rest of the week I spent not really going to the bathroom but I wasn't truly constipated, just clean! It takes 2-3 days for your body to build up waste.... really! When I made it to Saturday the shocking results weren't that I lost a lot.... in fact I lost about 2 lbs total. The weird thing was that I lost 2.8 lbs of fat! Pure fat here..... and no inches whatsoever. I wasn't upset at all, just surprised. Sunday I happened to drop a half a pound but guess what? I gained .4 of it back as of this morning. I ate way too much yesterday.... nothing illegal but I just ate too much veggies and protein, salt and healthy fats. I also think I had too much caffeine (a diuretic) and not enough water to compensate. So I'm still in ketosis, that I know. I also didn't remember to take my dinner time and late night supplements so I probably messed up my potassium and magnesium levels. The other odd thing was that I had a lot of bloating and gas and a little bit of the runs! Gross, I know.... but it was different feeling this way when I've been feeling so good over the past 3 months. I think the colonoscopy really did affect the way my body felt and I do feel that I'm still trying to get my supplement levels back to normal. Hopefully, things will be in balance after today!
I've been craving more food since this required cleansing so I did expect a gain. I managed to hold it off until this morning thank goodness. I do think the gassy/bloaty feeling is part of my weight gain though. Oh, and the fact that I probably wasn't hydrated enough from my food/drink choices. I expect tomorrow to be a better day.
So as of this morning I weighed 163.2 lbs. (Yesterday was 162.5) The great news is that my body fat is under 34%! Now that I am at 33.9% or maybe even a little lower that means I am in acceptable range for probably the first time since I was in my late 20's/early 30's! I never really had a true BF test done (other than the caliper test) and I was always over 30% but never knew the exact numbers. I am not really worried about today's reading. I know there's gas and bloat weighing in plus I had a lot of water to drink already. It'll all balance out.
So this begins the final week of month 4 for me. I never thought I'd be able to stick to a diet/lifestyle change for so long. I truly don't crave the bad stuff anymore. I do want sweet foods now and then or something crunchy (yeah, protein drinks get BORING after awhile). But I'm not saying I want a candy bar. It's really cool to look at foods and think "that will taste great but then I'll feel awful so I won't have that." I still plan to enjoy my breads and sweets and other carb-ish foods when I'm in phase 4 (maintenance) but I know I won't be able to eat that much of it without getting sick. The 'wheat belly' lifestyle is where we'll be once I'm done with the Ideal Protein phases and I'm really excited about it. I do intend to eat bread and sugar again though, really! Life will happen. I like to cook and bake so I will be tasting the foods I make. I just know my body will be a well oiled machine when that time comes and I'll only be able to handle smaller portions and only take bites of things that used to make me sick and heavy.
I had a good chat with my coach about goals. I told her I really want to aim for 25% body fat (the lowest reading before going into fitness level). Now, that might not be as realistic since I'm not allowed to work out yet. If I get stuck around 27-28% I may choose to phase off and then start working out to get to my ultimate goal of 23%. We'll see how it goes. I need to lose around 19 lbs of fat to get to 25%. IF I can stay clean I might be able to get to that goal within 5-7 weeks. I seem to be burning more fat these days so it seems doable. I'm not intimidated by the numbers as I know this is within reach. To be less than 20 lbs away from my ultimate weight is so exciting. I haven't felt this confident about my body in years!
I have been thinking about what my first off protocol meal will be when I can be in Phase 4 and enjoy the freedom of anything (within reason). I can't figure out if it'll be sushi at Hakata's, Mexican food (at one of several favorite restaurants) or a pancake breakfast at Big Bear Diner or Saimin or Loco Moco at Aloha Kitchen. There's plenty of other ideas but those 4 meals keep coming back to me like recurring dreams. Whatever the case, I am sure I'll be able to control myself. I was a binge eater before. I had really bad habits and could not control my portions. My relationship with food was technically abusive! Abusive towards myself too..... so interesting to think about all the ramifications of that. I am finally feeling like food is meant to be nourishing (yet tasty and comforting) but it's not 'all that'. Life requires food but it also requires exercise and other things. Balance is the key!
Okay, I'm planning to kick this week off correctly and attempt to avoid all the excessive fats I've been craving/eating! I think it'll be okay.... again, I feel like balance is coming back after my week of cleansing and my appetite should be settling back down!
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Week 15 now playing....
Didn't get a chance to write yesterday since it was Colonoscopy day! Woo-hoo....
It really wasn't bad at all. I was really worried leading up to it and the whole procedure was so damn easy because I slept through it! Ha-ha.... the worst part was doing all the laxative stuff the day before and morning of as everyone told me. So... if anyone is reading this, know that the colonoscopy part is a snap because you won't even remember it!
So I had a weird day of eating and drinking since I had to fast from 2pm Sunday (liquids allowed) until 8 am Monday. Then no food or drink until after the procedure. We were out of there after 12noon so I got to eat a yummy piece of salmon and a salad and boy did it taste good! I wasn't as hungry as I expected since I had a lot of air in my body from the procedure. Being gassy meant I wasn't sure if I had to go or not so it was a little scary being out in public but I managed okay!
I ended up shorting myself of liquids yesterday a little but I still managed to lose a little weight. Of course, because my colon was cleaned out and I got rid of the excess air that was put in there I knew I would weigh even less today.
So yesterday morning I was at 163.9 and unfortunately my body fat reading is all over the place on my scale so I'm not quite sure where I'm at. I think I'm hovering around 35% which is still too high but I'm working on it.
Today I have managed another .5 lb down so I'm .3 away from 40 lbs!!!! So dang excited to be that close to this goal. I still have another 20-22 lbs of fat to get rid of (and that's the fancy Tanita scale talking, not me) but I'm going to make it happen. I'm very determined!
It really wasn't bad at all. I was really worried leading up to it and the whole procedure was so damn easy because I slept through it! Ha-ha.... the worst part was doing all the laxative stuff the day before and morning of as everyone told me. So... if anyone is reading this, know that the colonoscopy part is a snap because you won't even remember it!
So I had a weird day of eating and drinking since I had to fast from 2pm Sunday (liquids allowed) until 8 am Monday. Then no food or drink until after the procedure. We were out of there after 12noon so I got to eat a yummy piece of salmon and a salad and boy did it taste good! I wasn't as hungry as I expected since I had a lot of air in my body from the procedure. Being gassy meant I wasn't sure if I had to go or not so it was a little scary being out in public but I managed okay!
I ended up shorting myself of liquids yesterday a little but I still managed to lose a little weight. Of course, because my colon was cleaned out and I got rid of the excess air that was put in there I knew I would weigh even less today.
So yesterday morning I was at 163.9 and unfortunately my body fat reading is all over the place on my scale so I'm not quite sure where I'm at. I think I'm hovering around 35% which is still too high but I'm working on it.
Today I have managed another .5 lb down so I'm .3 away from 40 lbs!!!! So dang excited to be that close to this goal. I still have another 20-22 lbs of fat to get rid of (and that's the fancy Tanita scale talking, not me) but I'm going to make it happen. I'm very determined!
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Week #14 weigh in
Not too much to report.... I lost a little (thank goodness) but i expected to be a little slow because of my previous week's bigger drop.
I guess I know myself better than I thought! I lost 1.5 lbs and .2 of it was fat. My coach wasn't too concerned as she said it was just old cells, garbage, etc. and it wasn't any muscle so I was good. I lost 3/4" in my hips, believe it or not!
I always weigh a little more at my weigh in's thanks to breakfast and clothing so I know I wasn't too impressed with the numbers. I weighed 165.5 at home and 167.1 and my body fat was up about .4%. Again, I can't get too concerned with the BF number because my freaking hormones seem to really affect me, much more than I ever thought. That's okay though.... I know I'll settle down eventually.
Today I weighed in at 165.2 so it's a little down. I did enjoy some fat yesterday in my bulletproof coffee so that could be part of it. I really love that stuff.... I look forward to that being totally okay everyday when I'm on maintenance! LOL. No, I'll just enjoy one every few days or so, I promise.
I start my colonoscopy prep in about an hour. This will be an interesting day spent being close to the bathroom! Lovely..... the one benefit of all these laxatives I'm taking today is that my coach said I'll have a huge weight loss since I'm cleaning out my colon and drinking lots of fluids! Woo-hoo, there is a silver lining in that rain cloud after all! ;-)
Okay....that's enough of that gross topic. I did get to try on some size 8 jeans this week and believe it or not, I could zip them up! I am still not 100% comfortable in them just yet (I see muffin tops) but I'm within a week or two of it fitting, I think! Pretty psyched about that - I just purchased some cute sweaters from a boutique online (it's way over in Richmond, VA) and I couldn't believe I bought size 6-8 and they all fit! I even bought a Small/Medium cardigan and it fit too! What the what???? Me? A possible small? Since when?
I still have at least 5-10% of body fat left to lose which equates to about 10-22 lbs. I am going to be a size 6 or 8 at the biggest and possibly a 4 at the smallest....can you believe that??? I'm flabbergasted!
Okay....that's all for now. Off to enjoy more coffee on this Sunday morning!
I guess I know myself better than I thought! I lost 1.5 lbs and .2 of it was fat. My coach wasn't too concerned as she said it was just old cells, garbage, etc. and it wasn't any muscle so I was good. I lost 3/4" in my hips, believe it or not!
I always weigh a little more at my weigh in's thanks to breakfast and clothing so I know I wasn't too impressed with the numbers. I weighed 165.5 at home and 167.1 and my body fat was up about .4%. Again, I can't get too concerned with the BF number because my freaking hormones seem to really affect me, much more than I ever thought. That's okay though.... I know I'll settle down eventually.
Today I weighed in at 165.2 so it's a little down. I did enjoy some fat yesterday in my bulletproof coffee so that could be part of it. I really love that stuff.... I look forward to that being totally okay everyday when I'm on maintenance! LOL. No, I'll just enjoy one every few days or so, I promise.
I start my colonoscopy prep in about an hour. This will be an interesting day spent being close to the bathroom! Lovely..... the one benefit of all these laxatives I'm taking today is that my coach said I'll have a huge weight loss since I'm cleaning out my colon and drinking lots of fluids! Woo-hoo, there is a silver lining in that rain cloud after all! ;-)
Okay....that's enough of that gross topic. I did get to try on some size 8 jeans this week and believe it or not, I could zip them up! I am still not 100% comfortable in them just yet (I see muffin tops) but I'm within a week or two of it fitting, I think! Pretty psyched about that - I just purchased some cute sweaters from a boutique online (it's way over in Richmond, VA) and I couldn't believe I bought size 6-8 and they all fit! I even bought a Small/Medium cardigan and it fit too! What the what???? Me? A possible small? Since when?
I still have at least 5-10% of body fat left to lose which equates to about 10-22 lbs. I am going to be a size 6 or 8 at the biggest and possibly a 4 at the smallest....can you believe that??? I'm flabbergasted!
Okay....that's all for now. Off to enjoy more coffee on this Sunday morning!
Monday, November 4, 2013
Week 14 begins
Starting the week at 164.4 lbs and 34.9% BF and 28.2 BMI.
After such a great weigh in, the rest of the weekend was just so much more relaxed for me. Mark and I went out to dinner with our best friends at an authentic Tuscan (Italian) restaurant and while I couldn't eat lots of things (like their yummy bread, the balsamic vinegar reductions, cheese, pasta, etc.) I still managed to eat some meats off the antipasto plate (prociutto=yum) and my dinner was a great stuffed pork loin with olives and a pomodoro sauce and steamed broccolini. There may have been a scant amount of sugar in the sauce but it didn't affect me since I weighed myself the next morning and had lost another 1/2 a lb.
Yesterday being the 'fall back' into standard time, I always feel more tired than when we switch to daylight time. Even though the extra hour of sleep was great, I could tell I was an hour behind all day. Poor Mark was exhausted most of the day since he didn't sleep well from the night before (we think it may have been too much coffee). We did our normal Costco run to get my veggies for the week and I got a pair of jeans in a SIZE EIGHT for the next goal and pair of fleece PJ's in a MEDIUM (first time in years since I've worn medium pjs!).
I was pretty excited about the clothes.... the PJ's fit great but of course I'm so used to super baggy pants that I was complaining that the pants were too tight (which they weren't, LOL). I'll get used to them, I'm sure. They're super soft 'sueded' micro-fleece and they felt so comfy, especially in this super chilly fall weather. The jeans are always such a steal at Costco. To spend less than $20 on a pair of jeans is always great and since I'm still losing weight it's stupid for me to even consider anything expensive. I wanted a pair of size 8 jeans for my next goal. That's how I work. I have something that's too small and I try them on weekly to see how I am doing. It's a great way to keep tabs on your losses without having to weigh or measure yourself. I've done that since the beginning when I bought 2 pair of size 12 Old Navy jeans and one pair of 10's for my goal.
I honestly thought size 10 was going to be the pinnacle and that's where I would stop. According to my body fat % I need to keep going. If I want to be 'average' or 'fit' I have a minimum of .9% to go and I would prefer to be in the 'fit' category which means I have another 10% to go. Pounds-wise, that equates to about 18-22 lbs. I won't worry about the exact number.... I'm really going on the percentage and that actually changes with each weigh in.
So here's the crazy thing. I haven't been a size 8 since forever. I had one dress in a size 8 back in 1996 that I loved and looked great on me. Otherwise, I was never smaller than a 10. I was okay with that at the time because I thought my body would never get any smaller. I remember being a size 8 in high school and college but after that it was always a 10. In my typical ritualistic fashion, I made myself try on the size 8 jeans after dinner because that's how you know what's too tight and what fits. I'm tentatively putting the jeans on and it's always a little scary going over the derriere but that worked fine. I knew my waist and belly would be the major issue so I carefully pull up the jeans and try to button them. Well, I can button them.....it's a little tight but I can button them. The zipper doesn't really want to go up though and that's okay. I know my belly is the bane of my weight issues (well, that and my waist, hips and thighs!) so I figured it wouldn't zip up. But.....it wasn't that bad. The weird thing was, the butt and the thigh area fit perfectly! What, what, what? I can wear a size 8 in my thigh/hip area? Huh? I know if I really had wanted to and had I put on a pair of Spanx (which by the way, I need to get a smaller pair!) I probably could have worn them. But I HATE super tight pants. I hate feeling that bound up around the belly, especially if you have to sit down!
So I am actually closer to a size 8 than I thought. And with calculating my future body fat, I'm probably going to hit a size 6 or even a size 4. WHAT THE EFF? This blows my mind. I sincerely can't believe this is my body and that my belly fat is going away for the first time in 30 years. I used to be a gym rat and I worked out religiously. I did more sit ups, crunches, and every imaginable weight machine than you'll ever know. I LOVED it. My calves are still a testament to that training. But I never could get smaller than a size 10 and my belly fat never went away. It really is what you eat that matters more. I thought it was a punishment - you had to eat absolute bland crap in order to get the body you wanted. But that is far from the truth. You can eat what you want but you have to remember to eat as clean as you can 90% of the time. Reward yourself with all the bad foods one day out of the week but eat clean the rest of the time. It's doable....really.
So I am off to start week #14. I can't believe I'm saying that. Yeah, 3 months ago I thought I'd be phasing off now but I wasn't being realistic. I know I've got some holiday challenges ahead but I'm planning accordingly. I will be phasing off by Christmas/New Years, that much I know. As long as I don't stall or do anything stupid (crossing my fingers) I should be down 18-25 lbs by then. I've already cleared with my coach that I'm cheating on both Thanksgiving and Christmas so there may be a delay for a week but so what? I am going to enjoy the holidays plus I'm going to be healthy and the smallest I've ever been in my adulthood!
After such a great weigh in, the rest of the weekend was just so much more relaxed for me. Mark and I went out to dinner with our best friends at an authentic Tuscan (Italian) restaurant and while I couldn't eat lots of things (like their yummy bread, the balsamic vinegar reductions, cheese, pasta, etc.) I still managed to eat some meats off the antipasto plate (prociutto=yum) and my dinner was a great stuffed pork loin with olives and a pomodoro sauce and steamed broccolini. There may have been a scant amount of sugar in the sauce but it didn't affect me since I weighed myself the next morning and had lost another 1/2 a lb.
Yesterday being the 'fall back' into standard time, I always feel more tired than when we switch to daylight time. Even though the extra hour of sleep was great, I could tell I was an hour behind all day. Poor Mark was exhausted most of the day since he didn't sleep well from the night before (we think it may have been too much coffee). We did our normal Costco run to get my veggies for the week and I got a pair of jeans in a SIZE EIGHT for the next goal and pair of fleece PJ's in a MEDIUM (first time in years since I've worn medium pjs!).
I was pretty excited about the clothes.... the PJ's fit great but of course I'm so used to super baggy pants that I was complaining that the pants were too tight (which they weren't, LOL). I'll get used to them, I'm sure. They're super soft 'sueded' micro-fleece and they felt so comfy, especially in this super chilly fall weather. The jeans are always such a steal at Costco. To spend less than $20 on a pair of jeans is always great and since I'm still losing weight it's stupid for me to even consider anything expensive. I wanted a pair of size 8 jeans for my next goal. That's how I work. I have something that's too small and I try them on weekly to see how I am doing. It's a great way to keep tabs on your losses without having to weigh or measure yourself. I've done that since the beginning when I bought 2 pair of size 12 Old Navy jeans and one pair of 10's for my goal.
I honestly thought size 10 was going to be the pinnacle and that's where I would stop. According to my body fat % I need to keep going. If I want to be 'average' or 'fit' I have a minimum of .9% to go and I would prefer to be in the 'fit' category which means I have another 10% to go. Pounds-wise, that equates to about 18-22 lbs. I won't worry about the exact number.... I'm really going on the percentage and that actually changes with each weigh in.
So here's the crazy thing. I haven't been a size 8 since forever. I had one dress in a size 8 back in 1996 that I loved and looked great on me. Otherwise, I was never smaller than a 10. I was okay with that at the time because I thought my body would never get any smaller. I remember being a size 8 in high school and college but after that it was always a 10. In my typical ritualistic fashion, I made myself try on the size 8 jeans after dinner because that's how you know what's too tight and what fits. I'm tentatively putting the jeans on and it's always a little scary going over the derriere but that worked fine. I knew my waist and belly would be the major issue so I carefully pull up the jeans and try to button them. Well, I can button them.....it's a little tight but I can button them. The zipper doesn't really want to go up though and that's okay. I know my belly is the bane of my weight issues (well, that and my waist, hips and thighs!) so I figured it wouldn't zip up. But.....it wasn't that bad. The weird thing was, the butt and the thigh area fit perfectly! What, what, what? I can wear a size 8 in my thigh/hip area? Huh? I know if I really had wanted to and had I put on a pair of Spanx (which by the way, I need to get a smaller pair!) I probably could have worn them. But I HATE super tight pants. I hate feeling that bound up around the belly, especially if you have to sit down!
So I am actually closer to a size 8 than I thought. And with calculating my future body fat, I'm probably going to hit a size 6 or even a size 4. WHAT THE EFF? This blows my mind. I sincerely can't believe this is my body and that my belly fat is going away for the first time in 30 years. I used to be a gym rat and I worked out religiously. I did more sit ups, crunches, and every imaginable weight machine than you'll ever know. I LOVED it. My calves are still a testament to that training. But I never could get smaller than a size 10 and my belly fat never went away. It really is what you eat that matters more. I thought it was a punishment - you had to eat absolute bland crap in order to get the body you wanted. But that is far from the truth. You can eat what you want but you have to remember to eat as clean as you can 90% of the time. Reward yourself with all the bad foods one day out of the week but eat clean the rest of the time. It's doable....really.
So I am off to start week #14. I can't believe I'm saying that. Yeah, 3 months ago I thought I'd be phasing off now but I wasn't being realistic. I know I've got some holiday challenges ahead but I'm planning accordingly. I will be phasing off by Christmas/New Years, that much I know. As long as I don't stall or do anything stupid (crossing my fingers) I should be down 18-25 lbs by then. I've already cleared with my coach that I'm cheating on both Thanksgiving and Christmas so there may be a delay for a week but so what? I am going to enjoy the holidays plus I'm going to be healthy and the smallest I've ever been in my adulthood!
Saturday, November 2, 2013
Week 13 Weigh in
Well.....
It's been a struggle these past couple of weeks because of hormones (as I've droned on and on about in the previous couple of postings) but I finally came out of the cave and my body fat took a dive in a big way! Woo-hoo....this has been a long time coming!
So it's interesting when your body registers a weight loss of 2 lbs but you actually lost 4.2 lbs of fat, right? Of course, the reasoning behind this is pretty simple but it made me realize I drink a lot of water first thing in the morning and my body weight reflects that until it flushes out a few hours later!
It's cool to know I finally lost 4.2 lbs in one week. I've been lucky to have many 3 lb weeks but lately it's been 1-2 lbs and being the competitive person that I am (even against myself) I want to be achieving the huge losses I see from others on the groups I follow online. I need to remind myself constantly that this isn't a speedy race but a slow one. It didn't take me months to put on this weight but years. I'm lucky that there is a way to lose it fast. The trick is not to gain it back!
I'm pretty happy today because of the huge drop...the 'whoosh' as many IP-ers call it. You know it, but you don't know it. I should have realized something was coming when I was able to go into Macy's and try on skinny pants and leggings in sizes 8 and 10 and have them fit! I decided to spend my Halloween afternoon there to avoid the candy trap - and it was a nice way to stay distracted from all the sweets I'd have to be smelling. I tried on INC (a brand I love but I couldn't wear any of their pants because I was too big) super skinny pants in size 10's and they were fitting beautifully but a little loose in the waist! I went to my trusty Alfani brand and was able to wear sizes 8 and small in many things! Wow! There are so many differences from brand to brand though so I know I HAVE to try clothing on and I have to use a tailor to fix things once I'm at my goal weight so things look just right.
It was a great start to a fabulous weekend, including my Week 13 weigh in. My numbers were:
4.2 lb of fat (2 lbs down showing because of water)
34.9% body fat
3.75 inches (not including my waistline) total
1/2" arms
1/4" underarms
1/4" chest
1/4" thorax
1 1/2" low waist
1/4" hips
thighs stayed the same
Tonight we are going out to an authentic Tuscan restaurant with our best friends so I'm hoping to be able to deal with my choices without being too difficult with the chef! I hate being high maintenance but I'm within 15-22 lbs of my goal so I really want to stay on track!!!
It's been a struggle these past couple of weeks because of hormones (as I've droned on and on about in the previous couple of postings) but I finally came out of the cave and my body fat took a dive in a big way! Woo-hoo....this has been a long time coming!
So it's interesting when your body registers a weight loss of 2 lbs but you actually lost 4.2 lbs of fat, right? Of course, the reasoning behind this is pretty simple but it made me realize I drink a lot of water first thing in the morning and my body weight reflects that until it flushes out a few hours later!
It's cool to know I finally lost 4.2 lbs in one week. I've been lucky to have many 3 lb weeks but lately it's been 1-2 lbs and being the competitive person that I am (even against myself) I want to be achieving the huge losses I see from others on the groups I follow online. I need to remind myself constantly that this isn't a speedy race but a slow one. It didn't take me months to put on this weight but years. I'm lucky that there is a way to lose it fast. The trick is not to gain it back!
I'm pretty happy today because of the huge drop...the 'whoosh' as many IP-ers call it. You know it, but you don't know it. I should have realized something was coming when I was able to go into Macy's and try on skinny pants and leggings in sizes 8 and 10 and have them fit! I decided to spend my Halloween afternoon there to avoid the candy trap - and it was a nice way to stay distracted from all the sweets I'd have to be smelling. I tried on INC (a brand I love but I couldn't wear any of their pants because I was too big) super skinny pants in size 10's and they were fitting beautifully but a little loose in the waist! I went to my trusty Alfani brand and was able to wear sizes 8 and small in many things! Wow! There are so many differences from brand to brand though so I know I HAVE to try clothing on and I have to use a tailor to fix things once I'm at my goal weight so things look just right.
It was a great start to a fabulous weekend, including my Week 13 weigh in. My numbers were:
4.2 lb of fat (2 lbs down showing because of water)
34.9% body fat
3.75 inches (not including my waistline) total
1/2" arms
1/4" underarms
1/4" chest
1/4" thorax
1 1/2" low waist
1/4" hips
thighs stayed the same
Tonight we are going out to an authentic Tuscan restaurant with our best friends so I'm hoping to be able to deal with my choices without being too difficult with the chef! I hate being high maintenance but I'm within 15-22 lbs of my goal so I really want to stay on track!!!
Monday, October 28, 2013
Week #12 weigh in & Week 13 begins
I am flabbergasted at how quickly the time on IP is flying by. I was so overwhelmed when I started this program. I would read on several forums and FB support pages and check out all the seasoned veterans who'd been at it for more than 8 weeks and wonder if I could even get that far.
Well, here I am.... starting my 13th week on IP and it seems to be fairly easy to do now. Yes, I struggle with wants and wish I could eat whatever I wanted. Technically, I can.... but I choose to stay as close to protocol as I can. I am okay with it too and that's the surprise. I never thought I could have such control over my eating habits but it's really pretty easy now that I don't crave sugar or other carbs. I do have some fears about being on maintenance and craving them since carbs are reintroduced in phase 3 but I think I'll be able to manage it once I am 'in it'. Right now, it's kind of a scary 'out there' sort of unknown. For me, the unknown is always the scary part. I like to be in control so this is just another one of those life lessons that I will learn.
Anyway, this past week was a bit uneventful in terms of loss. My hormones continue to cause false readings on my body fat which is incredibly frustrating since the fancy scale can weigh me correctly and actually read the amount of BF in my body BUT it's obviously not correct since my coach cannot correctly gauge it during my cycles. I had a 2 week respite between periods and this particular early bird lasted almost 2 weeks. I pray that I get at least 4 weeks now of normalcy. We'll see......
My loss was 1 lb down officially and 1/4" off my arms = 1/2" total. I have had a 'gain' week before so 1 lb down is still a good thing. According to the scale, the 1 lb was .8 of pure fat so that's a GREAT thing. I can really see the fat on my stomach going away. That makes all this worthwhile since I've struggled to lose this part of my fat since my early teens. I can't get over the fact that when I put jeans on, I don't see much tummy sticking out so my profile looks even thinner than it actually is.
I'm fluctuating between size 10 and size 12 as my waist seems to be fighting to stay at a 12 while the rest of me wants to be a 10! I know it's just a matter of time and that waistline will shrink again. When the body goes through this 'stall' (technically, I'm not stalled but I haven't seen a huge loss in inches lately) it typically means it's prepping to lose quite a bit over a short time. I pray that I'll have one of those huge moments soon.
I realized that a size 8 or even a size 6 may actually be attainable since I'm losing so much body fat on this program. I'm actually shocked at the idea of being so small. Mark keeps looking at me in shock sometimes because he can't believe how quickly I've shrunk. I don't see the huge difference of course, but I can feel how much better things fit and how light on my feet I feel. I started wearing medium shirts a week ago and it's shocking. My upper torso has lost the most in terms of inches and I have almost outgrown (meaning gotten too small) for my fancy bras that I bought 2 months ago. I am trying to hold on as long as possible before buying more. Support is really, really important but the expense is insane. I always buy sales but I hate bargain hunting for bras because I really need quality support. I may have to bite the bullet and buy 1 bra for the duration.
Mark worries that I might obsess and want to be 'too' small. I don't even know what that means, LOL. I get that he doesn't want me to be bony or gaunt. No way.... this chica likes to have some meat on her bones. I'm also big boned so I would look anorexic before the fine boned gals. I think if I can truly hit a 25% BF that would be magnificent. I don't know how I'm going to feel once I hit 30% and 27% BF so I'm going to gauge this on how I'm feeling physically. I really thought I would say "I want to weight X lbs" but that's not really important. I need to be able to maintain whatever weight I land at so I have to be realistic. I have to be able to eat right, exercise the right amount and be able to indulge and maintain the weight. If I go too low, then that won't be possible. Ultimately, I need to get to that magic spot and know it. I think as long as I have a healthy attitude towards food and exercise, that will be maintainable.
So.... at the clinic I weighed in at 170.6 (with clothing) but at home today (sans clothing) I weighed in at 167.5. My body fat is still going all over the place so I really can't say much about it yet. Hopefully, I'll see a steady reading during this week and at my week 13 weigh in this Saturday so I can actually say what I am in terms of BF percentage!
Well, here I am.... starting my 13th week on IP and it seems to be fairly easy to do now. Yes, I struggle with wants and wish I could eat whatever I wanted. Technically, I can.... but I choose to stay as close to protocol as I can. I am okay with it too and that's the surprise. I never thought I could have such control over my eating habits but it's really pretty easy now that I don't crave sugar or other carbs. I do have some fears about being on maintenance and craving them since carbs are reintroduced in phase 3 but I think I'll be able to manage it once I am 'in it'. Right now, it's kind of a scary 'out there' sort of unknown. For me, the unknown is always the scary part. I like to be in control so this is just another one of those life lessons that I will learn.
Anyway, this past week was a bit uneventful in terms of loss. My hormones continue to cause false readings on my body fat which is incredibly frustrating since the fancy scale can weigh me correctly and actually read the amount of BF in my body BUT it's obviously not correct since my coach cannot correctly gauge it during my cycles. I had a 2 week respite between periods and this particular early bird lasted almost 2 weeks. I pray that I get at least 4 weeks now of normalcy. We'll see......
My loss was 1 lb down officially and 1/4" off my arms = 1/2" total. I have had a 'gain' week before so 1 lb down is still a good thing. According to the scale, the 1 lb was .8 of pure fat so that's a GREAT thing. I can really see the fat on my stomach going away. That makes all this worthwhile since I've struggled to lose this part of my fat since my early teens. I can't get over the fact that when I put jeans on, I don't see much tummy sticking out so my profile looks even thinner than it actually is.
I'm fluctuating between size 10 and size 12 as my waist seems to be fighting to stay at a 12 while the rest of me wants to be a 10! I know it's just a matter of time and that waistline will shrink again. When the body goes through this 'stall' (technically, I'm not stalled but I haven't seen a huge loss in inches lately) it typically means it's prepping to lose quite a bit over a short time. I pray that I'll have one of those huge moments soon.
I realized that a size 8 or even a size 6 may actually be attainable since I'm losing so much body fat on this program. I'm actually shocked at the idea of being so small. Mark keeps looking at me in shock sometimes because he can't believe how quickly I've shrunk. I don't see the huge difference of course, but I can feel how much better things fit and how light on my feet I feel. I started wearing medium shirts a week ago and it's shocking. My upper torso has lost the most in terms of inches and I have almost outgrown (meaning gotten too small) for my fancy bras that I bought 2 months ago. I am trying to hold on as long as possible before buying more. Support is really, really important but the expense is insane. I always buy sales but I hate bargain hunting for bras because I really need quality support. I may have to bite the bullet and buy 1 bra for the duration.
Mark worries that I might obsess and want to be 'too' small. I don't even know what that means, LOL. I get that he doesn't want me to be bony or gaunt. No way.... this chica likes to have some meat on her bones. I'm also big boned so I would look anorexic before the fine boned gals. I think if I can truly hit a 25% BF that would be magnificent. I don't know how I'm going to feel once I hit 30% and 27% BF so I'm going to gauge this on how I'm feeling physically. I really thought I would say "I want to weight X lbs" but that's not really important. I need to be able to maintain whatever weight I land at so I have to be realistic. I have to be able to eat right, exercise the right amount and be able to indulge and maintain the weight. If I go too low, then that won't be possible. Ultimately, I need to get to that magic spot and know it. I think as long as I have a healthy attitude towards food and exercise, that will be maintainable.
So.... at the clinic I weighed in at 170.6 (with clothing) but at home today (sans clothing) I weighed in at 167.5. My body fat is still going all over the place so I really can't say much about it yet. Hopefully, I'll see a steady reading during this week and at my week 13 weigh in this Saturday so I can actually say what I am in terms of BF percentage!
Monday, October 21, 2013
Week 12 begins
Holy cow..... I have been in this program for nearly 3 months and the time has just flown by!
As of today I'm down 34 lbs and while I don't have specific inches for my overall loss I believe it's around 45 inches total. Not too shabby! My body fat is not really readable today because my hormones are again running amok. That is frustrating but I do know I have to be within 1% or so of normal! As I've already said before, the hormones are trapped in our fat (especially around our bellies) so as IP forces us into ketosis all those fat cells are releasing whatever they've got stored in there (including toxins, hormones, etc.) and it's very obvious I have a lot of them because I only had a 2 week break between cycles! I'm not feeling great (intestinal stuff) but I'm battling through this particular cycle. Hopefully, it'll be done in a day or so!
I never knew a program could change my life the way IP has. I'm losing weight at a steady pace which I've never been able to do before. That is what keeps (I think) most of us IP-ers motivated. What is harder to see because you're not inside our heads is that for the most part, we manage to eat very clean day-to-day without any real issues with carbs and other no-no's that are on this program. The cravings stop. They really do. Yes, there's issues during our 'times of the month' (or TOM as I like to call it) and I feel like I'm starving and want to pretty eat anything I can get my hands on. The good thing is that I'm not craving a pizza or hamburger like I used to. I really want to eat food. It's not the chocolate bar that's sitting in the freezer for Mark. Yes, occasionally I want cheese, a piece of toast or something breaded and fried but it's not dire and I can usually make do with something that is approved for the program.
At this point it becomes more about seasoning (especially salt for me) and texture. Crunchy is good. Other than that, I'm usually okay. Most of the IP products I buy are sweet, sweet/crunchy or crunchy/spicy. I like the chocolate and fruit flavored items. I love my strawberry wafer, which I eat for breakfast every morning with my coffee. I've discovered that the soups are kind of dull but I can enjoy the chicken noodle soup now and then. I'm really looking forward to the day I switch to Phase 2 when I get rid of the lunch packet and eat real protein again. I want to eat more real food soon. I think the time will come...hopefully within 6 to 8 weeks.
That's a trippy thing to say. Honestly, I have been on this program longer than I really wanted to be but I also know I was much heavier than I thought (I have avoided scales for many years) and my body fat and BMI were a lot higher so it's a temporary thing for me to eat this clean before moving into a permanent lifestyle change. I intend for us to be mostly gluten free and definitely sugar free (with exception to natural sugars in fruits and veggies) so neither of us have to deal with diabetes. Mark and I have both read pre-diabetic in our last physicals and I just don't want us going into full-blown diabetes. Luckily, we can reverse this trend with a dietary lifestyle change so that's what I'm doing as a foodie and home chef.
Phase 1 is a bit of a grind now because you can't have anything you want. You have to think and if you go out you have to be prepared to special order everything so you don't screw up your ketosis. I'm not saying that I don't appreciate this because I really do. The way I feel internally is absolutely amazing. I love what this program has done for me physically and emotionally. I feel healthy for the first time in years. I'm not even done with the fat loss portion yet! But I will be really happy to get to the first goal (90% of the weight loss goal) and switch to Phase 2 and 3.
I will definitely have to revisit Phase 1 every time I have a cheat day (IP encourages those so we can enjoy life!) but at least it will be once a week. I do want to enjoy a slice of pizza now and then and a really good dessert that is loaded with sugar. I just know it won't be a daily thing and I'm okay with that.
So what is my overall goal? I keep saying it's body fat percentage rather than poundage. I have a large frame plus am muscular by nature so I will always be heavier than most women. Luckily, that usually means I will also weigh 10-15 lbs more than those smaller framed gals at my height but it won't look that way. I still think I have a chance of making into a size 6 but I know for sure I'm going for the size 8. Wherever that lands me weight wise I think is where I'll stop if my body fat lands in the 25-27% range. I really don't want to be any higher than that body fat wise even though 34% is considered okay for my age group. I hate being on the high end of normal though because you're that much closer to being overweight or obese. So hopefully once my TOM finishes my BF percentage will stabilize again and I can see what it really is!
As of today I'm down 34 lbs and while I don't have specific inches for my overall loss I believe it's around 45 inches total. Not too shabby! My body fat is not really readable today because my hormones are again running amok. That is frustrating but I do know I have to be within 1% or so of normal! As I've already said before, the hormones are trapped in our fat (especially around our bellies) so as IP forces us into ketosis all those fat cells are releasing whatever they've got stored in there (including toxins, hormones, etc.) and it's very obvious I have a lot of them because I only had a 2 week break between cycles! I'm not feeling great (intestinal stuff) but I'm battling through this particular cycle. Hopefully, it'll be done in a day or so!
I never knew a program could change my life the way IP has. I'm losing weight at a steady pace which I've never been able to do before. That is what keeps (I think) most of us IP-ers motivated. What is harder to see because you're not inside our heads is that for the most part, we manage to eat very clean day-to-day without any real issues with carbs and other no-no's that are on this program. The cravings stop. They really do. Yes, there's issues during our 'times of the month' (or TOM as I like to call it) and I feel like I'm starving and want to pretty eat anything I can get my hands on. The good thing is that I'm not craving a pizza or hamburger like I used to. I really want to eat food. It's not the chocolate bar that's sitting in the freezer for Mark. Yes, occasionally I want cheese, a piece of toast or something breaded and fried but it's not dire and I can usually make do with something that is approved for the program.
At this point it becomes more about seasoning (especially salt for me) and texture. Crunchy is good. Other than that, I'm usually okay. Most of the IP products I buy are sweet, sweet/crunchy or crunchy/spicy. I like the chocolate and fruit flavored items. I love my strawberry wafer, which I eat for breakfast every morning with my coffee. I've discovered that the soups are kind of dull but I can enjoy the chicken noodle soup now and then. I'm really looking forward to the day I switch to Phase 2 when I get rid of the lunch packet and eat real protein again. I want to eat more real food soon. I think the time will come...hopefully within 6 to 8 weeks.
That's a trippy thing to say. Honestly, I have been on this program longer than I really wanted to be but I also know I was much heavier than I thought (I have avoided scales for many years) and my body fat and BMI were a lot higher so it's a temporary thing for me to eat this clean before moving into a permanent lifestyle change. I intend for us to be mostly gluten free and definitely sugar free (with exception to natural sugars in fruits and veggies) so neither of us have to deal with diabetes. Mark and I have both read pre-diabetic in our last physicals and I just don't want us going into full-blown diabetes. Luckily, we can reverse this trend with a dietary lifestyle change so that's what I'm doing as a foodie and home chef.
Phase 1 is a bit of a grind now because you can't have anything you want. You have to think and if you go out you have to be prepared to special order everything so you don't screw up your ketosis. I'm not saying that I don't appreciate this because I really do. The way I feel internally is absolutely amazing. I love what this program has done for me physically and emotionally. I feel healthy for the first time in years. I'm not even done with the fat loss portion yet! But I will be really happy to get to the first goal (90% of the weight loss goal) and switch to Phase 2 and 3.
I will definitely have to revisit Phase 1 every time I have a cheat day (IP encourages those so we can enjoy life!) but at least it will be once a week. I do want to enjoy a slice of pizza now and then and a really good dessert that is loaded with sugar. I just know it won't be a daily thing and I'm okay with that.
So what is my overall goal? I keep saying it's body fat percentage rather than poundage. I have a large frame plus am muscular by nature so I will always be heavier than most women. Luckily, that usually means I will also weigh 10-15 lbs more than those smaller framed gals at my height but it won't look that way. I still think I have a chance of making into a size 6 but I know for sure I'm going for the size 8. Wherever that lands me weight wise I think is where I'll stop if my body fat lands in the 25-27% range. I really don't want to be any higher than that body fat wise even though 34% is considered okay for my age group. I hate being on the high end of normal though because you're that much closer to being overweight or obese. So hopefully once my TOM finishes my BF percentage will stabilize again and I can see what it really is!
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Weigh in: Week 11
At least it was a week with a loss!
Officially lost another 3 lbs and 1.5 inches...actually, 1.75 if I count both thighs!
I lost 3/4" off my thorax
1/2" off my hips
1/4" off each of my thighs
Officially it showed me at 171.6 but I started out my day at 169.0 which is what I really count since I am on the scale first thing without any food or drink.
I had a wacky Saturday since I ended up meeting with a girlfriend and hanging out at a coffee shop for hours which meant I drank way too much coffee and ended up with too much caffeine in my system. I compensated with LOTS of water though and I think I did okay. Mark and I went to Aloha Kitchen last night for our IP dinner (he always takes me here once a week so I don't have to cook and they serve IP friendly meals!) and I had at least 2 cups of green tea (more caffeine) so I don't know if I managed to flush all of the caffeine out or not. I have a hunch I'm still trying to get rid of it today....
My TOM decided to come back after 2 weeks. It's so frustrating because my hormones go so out of whack and my body fat reads incorrectly. It's really high AGAIN (which is what happens during my TOM) so my coach can't truly see what my actually body fat is. Weird thing is that I lost 1 lb of fat this week so I should be reading about 1% down but no.....my hormones are raging yet again.
I have to look at it positively though. I need to remember that for every bit of fat my body chooses to use, it's releasing whatever toxins, hormones and anything else that's stored in that fat cell. It's crazy to think that our fat cells store lots of stuff (besides fat). So any toxins you are exposed to tend to go into your fat cells.... so if you break out, feel funky, get your TOM, etc., it's something that was released by that fat cell. Crazy..... at least I know I'm burning fat this way, right?
For the first time my coach asked me where I would like to land in terms of weight. I realized that I'm more than half way to my supposed goal because of it. We need to figure out when to phase me off and the rule of thumb is that you lose 90% of the weight (whatever you decide that is) and then you start phase 2 for two weeks, then move to phase 3 for two weeks, then to maintenance.
I had this 'idea' that I wanted a body fat percentage and a dream size in terms of clothing. Granted, sizes have changed over the past 20 years but I really wanted to go to a place I've never been just to prove that I can. I think it's a healthy goal....I just don't know if it's truly achievable or not. If I look at the reading from the fancy clinic scale (which I was told is wrong since my hormones are messing with the BF reading) I still have 28 lbs of fat left to lose. That seems ridiculous to me. That would mean I would weigh 138 or so which I think for my large and muscular frame is too low. I was thinking 148-152 might be right....my dream size is a 6 although if I make it to an 8 I would consider that a HUGE success. I'm almost a 10 now and if I still have 15-24 lbs to lose I might make it to that size 6 after all.
It is a dream I have..... and I think it's achievable. One more day in week 11 to see what I can accomplish.....I'm going to attempt to be in phase 4 within 8 weeks time! Wish me luck!
Officially lost another 3 lbs and 1.5 inches...actually, 1.75 if I count both thighs!
I lost 3/4" off my thorax
1/2" off my hips
1/4" off each of my thighs
Officially it showed me at 171.6 but I started out my day at 169.0 which is what I really count since I am on the scale first thing without any food or drink.
I had a wacky Saturday since I ended up meeting with a girlfriend and hanging out at a coffee shop for hours which meant I drank way too much coffee and ended up with too much caffeine in my system. I compensated with LOTS of water though and I think I did okay. Mark and I went to Aloha Kitchen last night for our IP dinner (he always takes me here once a week so I don't have to cook and they serve IP friendly meals!) and I had at least 2 cups of green tea (more caffeine) so I don't know if I managed to flush all of the caffeine out or not. I have a hunch I'm still trying to get rid of it today....
My TOM decided to come back after 2 weeks. It's so frustrating because my hormones go so out of whack and my body fat reads incorrectly. It's really high AGAIN (which is what happens during my TOM) so my coach can't truly see what my actually body fat is. Weird thing is that I lost 1 lb of fat this week so I should be reading about 1% down but no.....my hormones are raging yet again.
I have to look at it positively though. I need to remember that for every bit of fat my body chooses to use, it's releasing whatever toxins, hormones and anything else that's stored in that fat cell. It's crazy to think that our fat cells store lots of stuff (besides fat). So any toxins you are exposed to tend to go into your fat cells.... so if you break out, feel funky, get your TOM, etc., it's something that was released by that fat cell. Crazy..... at least I know I'm burning fat this way, right?
For the first time my coach asked me where I would like to land in terms of weight. I realized that I'm more than half way to my supposed goal because of it. We need to figure out when to phase me off and the rule of thumb is that you lose 90% of the weight (whatever you decide that is) and then you start phase 2 for two weeks, then move to phase 3 for two weeks, then to maintenance.
I had this 'idea' that I wanted a body fat percentage and a dream size in terms of clothing. Granted, sizes have changed over the past 20 years but I really wanted to go to a place I've never been just to prove that I can. I think it's a healthy goal....I just don't know if it's truly achievable or not. If I look at the reading from the fancy clinic scale (which I was told is wrong since my hormones are messing with the BF reading) I still have 28 lbs of fat left to lose. That seems ridiculous to me. That would mean I would weigh 138 or so which I think for my large and muscular frame is too low. I was thinking 148-152 might be right....my dream size is a 6 although if I make it to an 8 I would consider that a HUGE success. I'm almost a 10 now and if I still have 15-24 lbs to lose I might make it to that size 6 after all.
It is a dream I have..... and I think it's achievable. One more day in week 11 to see what I can accomplish.....I'm going to attempt to be in phase 4 within 8 weeks time! Wish me luck!
Monday, October 14, 2013
Weigh in: week 10 and week 11 begins
What an insanely crazy weekend!
I didn't even think once about writing because of it. SO not like me! My weigh in was Saturday morning as usual and doing IP is all about the journey, that's for sure! I had a loss of 2 lbs and 1.5 inches but no body fat loss (actually, it showed a gain which means my water was low and it affected the reading). That damned scale is so sophisticated yet if I eat wrong or don't drink enough my BF percentage will read wrong!
My coach is so damn smart though. She was reading my food journal (and I can't believe I actually write everything I eat and drink down...this is SO not like me!) and noticed I had LOTS more caffeine than usual and did not compensate my water intake for it. I also shorted myself on veggies that day...again so not like me! It completely compromised my loss so I've learned a valuable lesson. I will not short my water intake no matter how busy my day is and I will remember to drink an exact replacement of water for every cup of caffeinated drinks I have!
So she said for all the caffeine probably still racing through my system, trying to find its way out I did okay! I am not going to forget my water though.... I really do notice when I short myself and yesterday I started out that way and boy was my throat parched! I made up for it by last night and I feel so much better this morning. It really makes a difference in how your internal organs feel.
So this crazy weekend included a wedding, a big reception and then taking my MIL to the airport and then cooking up a storm for what my friends and I call Scotchtoberfest/Scottish Prom. I can't believe I managed to cook up so many bad foods (bad for me right now) in less than 3 hours! I did a good job not tasting or testing out the foods since I couldn't eat any of it! I'll certainly remember to make these things again when I can eat them though!
Just a quick note about my losses. I've been showing 2 to 3 lbs of loss per week as of late which is considered average for women. I was holding on a lot more this week (in part due to my lack of water and/or veggies) but then I had a huge meal of steak and veggies and I do a 1.3 lb drop in a day! I keep reading that shocking the system with a heavier, fattier meal (not crazy fatty but just heavier than usual) every once in a while helps one to lose weight. Well, I sure did it this weekend!
So weighing myself this morning on the scale I weighed 170.3 and showed a BF of 36.6% My BMI (which I really hold no stock in for my actual goals) is finally not in an obese but a 'high' normal range! My BF is just a 1.6% away from normal! I can't believe I'm that close to normal!
I didn't even think once about writing because of it. SO not like me! My weigh in was Saturday morning as usual and doing IP is all about the journey, that's for sure! I had a loss of 2 lbs and 1.5 inches but no body fat loss (actually, it showed a gain which means my water was low and it affected the reading). That damned scale is so sophisticated yet if I eat wrong or don't drink enough my BF percentage will read wrong!
My coach is so damn smart though. She was reading my food journal (and I can't believe I actually write everything I eat and drink down...this is SO not like me!) and noticed I had LOTS more caffeine than usual and did not compensate my water intake for it. I also shorted myself on veggies that day...again so not like me! It completely compromised my loss so I've learned a valuable lesson. I will not short my water intake no matter how busy my day is and I will remember to drink an exact replacement of water for every cup of caffeinated drinks I have!
So she said for all the caffeine probably still racing through my system, trying to find its way out I did okay! I am not going to forget my water though.... I really do notice when I short myself and yesterday I started out that way and boy was my throat parched! I made up for it by last night and I feel so much better this morning. It really makes a difference in how your internal organs feel.
So this crazy weekend included a wedding, a big reception and then taking my MIL to the airport and then cooking up a storm for what my friends and I call Scotchtoberfest/Scottish Prom. I can't believe I managed to cook up so many bad foods (bad for me right now) in less than 3 hours! I did a good job not tasting or testing out the foods since I couldn't eat any of it! I'll certainly remember to make these things again when I can eat them though!
Just a quick note about my losses. I've been showing 2 to 3 lbs of loss per week as of late which is considered average for women. I was holding on a lot more this week (in part due to my lack of water and/or veggies) but then I had a huge meal of steak and veggies and I do a 1.3 lb drop in a day! I keep reading that shocking the system with a heavier, fattier meal (not crazy fatty but just heavier than usual) every once in a while helps one to lose weight. Well, I sure did it this weekend!
So weighing myself this morning on the scale I weighed 170.3 and showed a BF of 36.6% My BMI (which I really hold no stock in for my actual goals) is finally not in an obese but a 'high' normal range! My BF is just a 1.6% away from normal! I can't believe I'm that close to normal!
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Week 10 has started....
It seems so strange to think it's only been a little over 2 months since I started doing IP but when I think week #10 it seems even longer. I've been kind of lax on my low fat part of the diet (more red meat and coconut milk and oil) but it hasn't stopped my loss, thank goodness. I have been really, really good though about carbs. I don't crave it...that's the cool thing. If I get to have my strawberry wafer, it's all good! :-)
I am happy to say that today I achieved one of my mini goals. I always look at each 10 lbs as a mini goal so to be able to look back on these past weeks and see that I've actually been doing okay is a great thing. I was being so hard on myself about 3 weeks ago. I just couldn't get over not losing anything (although I did lose inches and actual fat) because of the stress I was under. It's funny how water weight really does affect the numbers.
So anyway, I hopped on the scale as I always do first thing in the morning and I finally went past the 30 lb mark! Now, if I want to be a little fussy and say "But wait Trina, you weigh yourself sans clothing now and you didn't before." I suppose I could say the 30 lb. claim might be faulty. But you know what? I know I weighed even more than 203 at one point. I just happened to be that when I hopped on the scale that day at the clinic. So, I'm going to give myself this achievement and not get down on myself today. :-) Now, because it was first thing in the a.m., I know that I won't see that number for the rest of the day, LOL. Eating and drinking send the numbers up as much as 2 to 3 lbs during the day. I'm just glad I actually saw it for the first time.
This is a huge achievement for me. To think I weighed that much more 2 months ago just slays me. I was so miserable physically and mentally. I was so damned uncomfortable. I just didn't know how badly. Now, I really know because I'm able to do so much more now than I could before. My knees (except for the little tear that is there) feel great. My back does not hurt anymore. My circulation feels awesome!
I spent part of my morning trying to remember what I may have weighed during the last decade. Since I avoided the scale as much as possible, I really don't know when I weighed this. I do 'think' that I was around this weight around 2004. I need to keep going back through pics and find me in specific clothing (IF I still have it) and see how it fit then vs. now I suppose.
So that's what's going on today! I am hoping I can continue with this loss through the week. I know how my body seems to work now. I need to continue losing around .5 a day in order for this to show on the clinic scale this Saturday. I have 4.5 days to see if I can keep up this pace. It's a little tough though, because I'm trying (operative word) to catch a cold or something and I'm doing all I can with essential oils and other natural products to keep me from succumbing. If I do get worse, it could wreak havoc on me because I'd have to go on meds. I'm going to rest and try to avoid anything stressful and drink LOTS of fluids. I'm allowing myself more coffee today (yes, with my non-dairy coconut creamer) so there's a bit more fat going into my system. That will probably keeping from losing much today but I would rather give myself a natural fat and avoid medicine which will possibly knock me out of ketosis.
I am happy to say that today I achieved one of my mini goals. I always look at each 10 lbs as a mini goal so to be able to look back on these past weeks and see that I've actually been doing okay is a great thing. I was being so hard on myself about 3 weeks ago. I just couldn't get over not losing anything (although I did lose inches and actual fat) because of the stress I was under. It's funny how water weight really does affect the numbers.
So anyway, I hopped on the scale as I always do first thing in the morning and I finally went past the 30 lb mark! Now, if I want to be a little fussy and say "But wait Trina, you weigh yourself sans clothing now and you didn't before." I suppose I could say the 30 lb. claim might be faulty. But you know what? I know I weighed even more than 203 at one point. I just happened to be that when I hopped on the scale that day at the clinic. So, I'm going to give myself this achievement and not get down on myself today. :-) Now, because it was first thing in the a.m., I know that I won't see that number for the rest of the day, LOL. Eating and drinking send the numbers up as much as 2 to 3 lbs during the day. I'm just glad I actually saw it for the first time.
This is a huge achievement for me. To think I weighed that much more 2 months ago just slays me. I was so miserable physically and mentally. I was so damned uncomfortable. I just didn't know how badly. Now, I really know because I'm able to do so much more now than I could before. My knees (except for the little tear that is there) feel great. My back does not hurt anymore. My circulation feels awesome!
I spent part of my morning trying to remember what I may have weighed during the last decade. Since I avoided the scale as much as possible, I really don't know when I weighed this. I do 'think' that I was around this weight around 2004. I need to keep going back through pics and find me in specific clothing (IF I still have it) and see how it fit then vs. now I suppose.
So that's what's going on today! I am hoping I can continue with this loss through the week. I know how my body seems to work now. I need to continue losing around .5 a day in order for this to show on the clinic scale this Saturday. I have 4.5 days to see if I can keep up this pace. It's a little tough though, because I'm trying (operative word) to catch a cold or something and I'm doing all I can with essential oils and other natural products to keep me from succumbing. If I do get worse, it could wreak havoc on me because I'd have to go on meds. I'm going to rest and try to avoid anything stressful and drink LOTS of fluids. I'm allowing myself more coffee today (yes, with my non-dairy coconut creamer) so there's a bit more fat going into my system. That will probably keeping from losing much today but I would rather give myself a natural fat and avoid medicine which will possibly knock me out of ketosis.
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Week 9 weigh in
It was a good week overall and it's nice that I weigh in early because IF I am disappointed in my Saturday results I still have Sunday to try to crank out a little more weight loss by eating super clean and trying not to stress out since that just creates a roadblock to loss.
According to the official scale I lost another 3.4 lbs and 2 more inches! Again, since I haven't kept religious measurements I don't have my left thigh or arm or true waist to add into the mix but I can guesstimate rather than the 23.5 inches it's more like 30+ because I am officially wearing size 12! Yay!
I weighed myself as soon as I got home from Silverdale (not immediately after weigh in but I had been shopping at the mall and drinking my water so I'm sure I was about the same) and it was a .10 lower than the clinic scale. Now I could have lost a .10 of a lb. but either way it was so close I truly can trust this scale of ours and that's a relief since it cost a lot of money!
I know I mentioned this before but my clothes (and especially jeans) can add up to 3 lbs. so it was a shock to see the difference when I weigh first thing in the morning sans clothing.
The clinic says I now weigh 176.6 and that's good! I weighed at 173.9 yesterday morning (of course, before all my water, coffee and breakfast) and I couldn't believe it! I am THAT close to 30 lbs. So close I can almost taste it..... and it's going to be so amazing when I get past that elusive 170 and into the 160's because it's been so long since I have been at this weight! I am so much more comfortable than I used to be and I wouldn't have been able to put this into words before. Yes, I still have some aches and pains and issues that come with being 50 but I haven't been this light in at least 6 years so this is amazing. I try to compare myself to shows I was either directing or was in and 6 years ago Mark and I were just getting ready to open in "My Way - a Tribute to Frank Sinatra" at BCT. I know I was a size 12 (at least in my very fancy ballgown and an 18 in the bridesmaid-y gown which always run super small) and we were in the midst of doing the Atkins diet. I think I lost about 7-10 lbs but I remember feeling heavy and bloated from too much fatty stuff. I totally got tired of bacon (can you believe it? Me? Tired of bacon?) and we chose to quit after about 4 weeks. I had to of started a slow gain after that although I know I was still bordering on a 12/14 in the summer of 2008. By that fall, I know I was a 14 though. My dresses in my closet proved that.
So this isn't uncharted territory as at my smallest (around 1994-2000) I was typically a size 10 and approximately 155-160 lbs. I may have been a little lighter but I don't remember getting back into the 140 range since I was in my 20's. I know when I got married (the first time) in 1989 I weighed 141 and thought I was FAT. God in heaven, why did I have such a twisted sense of self? Oh yeah, I also wore a size 10 most of the time back then and because I wasn't a single digit size I was kicking myself constantly for being FAT. Oh, here's another funny statistic: when I bought my wedding dress (and those dresses were always cut very small so you have to order at least 2 to 4 sizes bigger than your actual size) I had to order a size 12. GOD HELP ME. And they had to take it in..... I thought I was so huge because of my size 12. I was working in the industry back then and I knew that those dresses were cut differently and yet I still turned into a nutcase over that '12'.
Now I'm just so thrilled to be a '12' again I will never look at this size in such a way again! Granted, I don't intend to be at this weight any longer than necessary so I am looking at it as a stepping stone. It's not evil, it's just a number and a journey mile marker on my way to a very healthy weight. According to the Tanita scale it says I have another 27 lbs of excess fat to lose (to get to 25%) so if that holds any truth (I know it's not 100% since our hormones do affect the results) I do have at least 20 lbs to go. My goal right now is to get to 21-23% body fat and I don't know if that's realistic or not at this point. It really depends on my bone structure and how I'm feeling at each milepost. According to the matrix at the clinic acceptable normal range of body fat is 23-34% for the average woman of my age. Now that's a huge difference in terms of percentage numbers. I know that I have a large bone structure and a lot of muscle mass as I weigh 110 lbs with just bones, muscle and organs. I am supposed to have at least 33 lbs of fat for 23% so that means 143 lbs is about that. That is about 30 lbs from today. I don't know if I have a true 30 lbs to give.... and that's okay. If it works out that 20 lbs is right and I am a size that I like and I look fit and healthy then I'll stop there. If I need that additional 10, well.... I may do it. I know we all gain weight once we start in maintenance because we have to add real carbs back into our diet (dairy, grains, and a few other assorted healthy things) so I want to be sure I'm truly comfortable.
So I really don't know where I want to land in terms of size and weight. I do want to see if I can look good and be a size 6/8 since I've truly never been that. I've worn lots of size smalls back in high school and I wore size 7/8 back then (and thought I was FAT - argh!) but from college onward I was that curvy, muscular size 9/10. I know sizes have changed in 30 years but I still want to know if I can attain that true size small without looking anorexic.
I have been toying with the idea of starting to run (again) and if I do run, then my body fat would have to stay in the low range (18-21 %) so that my knees like me. I also plan to start doing martial arts, yoga and dance again so I know the weight will stay off. I'm pretty excited about this..... I know that I can maintain now. Even though I want to eat all these yummy desserts I've pinned on my Pinterest page, I know I have to control it and save those treats for special occasions.
Yeah....so there's lots to think about but there's lots to be thankful for as well. I still am in shock that it's been almost 9 weeks and I have yet to let a carb/sugar enter my body other than the IP foods. I have not touched a potato, noodle or piece of rice other than to serve it to Mark and his mom for dinner. I've only eaten meats and veggies and my only vice has been an occasional piece of bacon or licking the peanut butter off the spoon. I don't miss potatoes on my plate. I actually accept that lovely plate of veggies, meat and a side salad. I love my hard boiled eggs or pickles for snacks. Who the hell am I??????? :-)
According to the official scale I lost another 3.4 lbs and 2 more inches! Again, since I haven't kept religious measurements I don't have my left thigh or arm or true waist to add into the mix but I can guesstimate rather than the 23.5 inches it's more like 30+ because I am officially wearing size 12! Yay!
I weighed myself as soon as I got home from Silverdale (not immediately after weigh in but I had been shopping at the mall and drinking my water so I'm sure I was about the same) and it was a .10 lower than the clinic scale. Now I could have lost a .10 of a lb. but either way it was so close I truly can trust this scale of ours and that's a relief since it cost a lot of money!
I know I mentioned this before but my clothes (and especially jeans) can add up to 3 lbs. so it was a shock to see the difference when I weigh first thing in the morning sans clothing.
The clinic says I now weigh 176.6 and that's good! I weighed at 173.9 yesterday morning (of course, before all my water, coffee and breakfast) and I couldn't believe it! I am THAT close to 30 lbs. So close I can almost taste it..... and it's going to be so amazing when I get past that elusive 170 and into the 160's because it's been so long since I have been at this weight! I am so much more comfortable than I used to be and I wouldn't have been able to put this into words before. Yes, I still have some aches and pains and issues that come with being 50 but I haven't been this light in at least 6 years so this is amazing. I try to compare myself to shows I was either directing or was in and 6 years ago Mark and I were just getting ready to open in "My Way - a Tribute to Frank Sinatra" at BCT. I know I was a size 12 (at least in my very fancy ballgown and an 18 in the bridesmaid-y gown which always run super small) and we were in the midst of doing the Atkins diet. I think I lost about 7-10 lbs but I remember feeling heavy and bloated from too much fatty stuff. I totally got tired of bacon (can you believe it? Me? Tired of bacon?) and we chose to quit after about 4 weeks. I had to of started a slow gain after that although I know I was still bordering on a 12/14 in the summer of 2008. By that fall, I know I was a 14 though. My dresses in my closet proved that.
So this isn't uncharted territory as at my smallest (around 1994-2000) I was typically a size 10 and approximately 155-160 lbs. I may have been a little lighter but I don't remember getting back into the 140 range since I was in my 20's. I know when I got married (the first time) in 1989 I weighed 141 and thought I was FAT. God in heaven, why did I have such a twisted sense of self? Oh yeah, I also wore a size 10 most of the time back then and because I wasn't a single digit size I was kicking myself constantly for being FAT. Oh, here's another funny statistic: when I bought my wedding dress (and those dresses were always cut very small so you have to order at least 2 to 4 sizes bigger than your actual size) I had to order a size 12. GOD HELP ME. And they had to take it in..... I thought I was so huge because of my size 12. I was working in the industry back then and I knew that those dresses were cut differently and yet I still turned into a nutcase over that '12'.
Now I'm just so thrilled to be a '12' again I will never look at this size in such a way again! Granted, I don't intend to be at this weight any longer than necessary so I am looking at it as a stepping stone. It's not evil, it's just a number and a journey mile marker on my way to a very healthy weight. According to the Tanita scale it says I have another 27 lbs of excess fat to lose (to get to 25%) so if that holds any truth (I know it's not 100% since our hormones do affect the results) I do have at least 20 lbs to go. My goal right now is to get to 21-23% body fat and I don't know if that's realistic or not at this point. It really depends on my bone structure and how I'm feeling at each milepost. According to the matrix at the clinic acceptable normal range of body fat is 23-34% for the average woman of my age. Now that's a huge difference in terms of percentage numbers. I know that I have a large bone structure and a lot of muscle mass as I weigh 110 lbs with just bones, muscle and organs. I am supposed to have at least 33 lbs of fat for 23% so that means 143 lbs is about that. That is about 30 lbs from today. I don't know if I have a true 30 lbs to give.... and that's okay. If it works out that 20 lbs is right and I am a size that I like and I look fit and healthy then I'll stop there. If I need that additional 10, well.... I may do it. I know we all gain weight once we start in maintenance because we have to add real carbs back into our diet (dairy, grains, and a few other assorted healthy things) so I want to be sure I'm truly comfortable.
So I really don't know where I want to land in terms of size and weight. I do want to see if I can look good and be a size 6/8 since I've truly never been that. I've worn lots of size smalls back in high school and I wore size 7/8 back then (and thought I was FAT - argh!) but from college onward I was that curvy, muscular size 9/10. I know sizes have changed in 30 years but I still want to know if I can attain that true size small without looking anorexic.
I have been toying with the idea of starting to run (again) and if I do run, then my body fat would have to stay in the low range (18-21 %) so that my knees like me. I also plan to start doing martial arts, yoga and dance again so I know the weight will stay off. I'm pretty excited about this..... I know that I can maintain now. Even though I want to eat all these yummy desserts I've pinned on my Pinterest page, I know I have to control it and save those treats for special occasions.
Yeah....so there's lots to think about but there's lots to be thankful for as well. I still am in shock that it's been almost 9 weeks and I have yet to let a carb/sugar enter my body other than the IP foods. I have not touched a potato, noodle or piece of rice other than to serve it to Mark and his mom for dinner. I've only eaten meats and veggies and my only vice has been an occasional piece of bacon or licking the peanut butter off the spoon. I don't miss potatoes on my plate. I actually accept that lovely plate of veggies, meat and a side salad. I love my hard boiled eggs or pickles for snacks. Who the hell am I??????? :-)
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Week 9 began
Wow.... I'm usually better about posting at the beginning of the week! I didn't even think about it since I posted my official WI results from last week.
As I said before, it was a crazy week or so. I didn't lose like I thought but my strange aversion to lettuce really cost me some loss and I have learned a valuable lesson. I know that I really need the fiber that salads/veggies provide and the benefits are actual weight loss. You'd think lettuce/greens would be a 'zero' but only Iceberg lettuce counts as an actual freebie in IP menus. All other lettuces have more calories and fiber and far less water content so they really help the body move the excess fat we eat out of our intestines and colon. That means less gain and more loss in the long run if we are eating correctly.
Well, my TOM finally decided to show up! It's about 2 weeks late but I have to take into consideration that I had the longest period of my life the last time (almost 3 weeks). Because IP attacks our fat storage for fuel it causes all the hormones that are stored in those fat cells to release into our blood stream and it wreaks all kinds of havoc on us. I'm not saying it's painful or anything but women tend to either have irregular cycles, get pregnant easily, go into menopause sooner depending on your age and your history. Go figure..... it's just part of the deal though and I'm willing to put up with it since I am having huge success with this program. I was berating myself this past week because of my slow loss and my major ups/downs in weight and I had forgotten that I've lost over 25 lbs in less than 2 months! Who does that on any regular diet? NO ONE. Yeah.... I'm happy again. I think I'm doing a great job.
I will openly admit I allow more fats in my diet than I probably should. I don't consider myself a real cheater since I do watch what I eat so much. I have a coconut creamer (It is coconut milk, 1 egg, 1 tblsp of vanilla, 1-2 tblsp of coconut oil blended together. Makes a week's worth) that I use in my coffee that is very high in fat but I only allow myself 2 tablespoons of it. It does not seem to affect my losses at all. I eat an occasional piece of bacon or 2 at a meal, maybe once a week. I eat hamburger once a week. Higher in fat, yes.... but I eat chicken and fish more often than not. I allow myself a teaspoon of peanut butter once a week.
The great thing is, I don't cheat with sugar, bread, potatoes, rice, pasta, flour or the other things I always craved so much. Mark and I stopped at Wendy's one night after our show to get dinner for his mom. There were French fries in that bag (one of my BIG weaknesses) and I was wondering how I would handle the smell in the car ride home. Well, I stuck my head in the bag and took a huge whiff just to test myself and I honestly thought I would get sick from the greasy oil smell. YES, I ACTUALLY THOUGHT FRENCH FRIES WERE GROSS for the first time in my life and I wasn't even sick!
That was a huge revelation for me. I realized that I really don't like French fries. Now, if I go on a cheating bender after I go into maintenance I bet I'd like them again until I get a really horrible stomach ache but I finally could smell the grossness that is oily, fried foods. I need to try to remember that moment every time I get tempted.
Because this is such a game changing moment in my life I am really making efforts to study up on Paleo, gluten free, no sugar, and low carb cooking so I can really be prepped for the lifestyle change once I achieve my weight loss goals. Because Mark is not on IP (I wish we could afford to both be!) I am going to do my best to get him on it via real foods I make for him. He's pretty psyched about the gluten free/no sugar dessert cookbook I got because he will benefit most from that!
So week 9 begins with me 27 lbs down (and that's even with some water weight from TOM) so that's pretty darn good! I know I'll fluctuate so I'll try not to weight myself too much this week if I can help it. I'm sure I'll be going up and down 3 lbs and I need to remember that is NORMAL. ;-)
As I said before, it was a crazy week or so. I didn't lose like I thought but my strange aversion to lettuce really cost me some loss and I have learned a valuable lesson. I know that I really need the fiber that salads/veggies provide and the benefits are actual weight loss. You'd think lettuce/greens would be a 'zero' but only Iceberg lettuce counts as an actual freebie in IP menus. All other lettuces have more calories and fiber and far less water content so they really help the body move the excess fat we eat out of our intestines and colon. That means less gain and more loss in the long run if we are eating correctly.
Well, my TOM finally decided to show up! It's about 2 weeks late but I have to take into consideration that I had the longest period of my life the last time (almost 3 weeks). Because IP attacks our fat storage for fuel it causes all the hormones that are stored in those fat cells to release into our blood stream and it wreaks all kinds of havoc on us. I'm not saying it's painful or anything but women tend to either have irregular cycles, get pregnant easily, go into menopause sooner depending on your age and your history. Go figure..... it's just part of the deal though and I'm willing to put up with it since I am having huge success with this program. I was berating myself this past week because of my slow loss and my major ups/downs in weight and I had forgotten that I've lost over 25 lbs in less than 2 months! Who does that on any regular diet? NO ONE. Yeah.... I'm happy again. I think I'm doing a great job.
I will openly admit I allow more fats in my diet than I probably should. I don't consider myself a real cheater since I do watch what I eat so much. I have a coconut creamer (It is coconut milk, 1 egg, 1 tblsp of vanilla, 1-2 tblsp of coconut oil blended together. Makes a week's worth) that I use in my coffee that is very high in fat but I only allow myself 2 tablespoons of it. It does not seem to affect my losses at all. I eat an occasional piece of bacon or 2 at a meal, maybe once a week. I eat hamburger once a week. Higher in fat, yes.... but I eat chicken and fish more often than not. I allow myself a teaspoon of peanut butter once a week.
The great thing is, I don't cheat with sugar, bread, potatoes, rice, pasta, flour or the other things I always craved so much. Mark and I stopped at Wendy's one night after our show to get dinner for his mom. There were French fries in that bag (one of my BIG weaknesses) and I was wondering how I would handle the smell in the car ride home. Well, I stuck my head in the bag and took a huge whiff just to test myself and I honestly thought I would get sick from the greasy oil smell. YES, I ACTUALLY THOUGHT FRENCH FRIES WERE GROSS for the first time in my life and I wasn't even sick!
That was a huge revelation for me. I realized that I really don't like French fries. Now, if I go on a cheating bender after I go into maintenance I bet I'd like them again until I get a really horrible stomach ache but I finally could smell the grossness that is oily, fried foods. I need to try to remember that moment every time I get tempted.
Because this is such a game changing moment in my life I am really making efforts to study up on Paleo, gluten free, no sugar, and low carb cooking so I can really be prepped for the lifestyle change once I achieve my weight loss goals. Because Mark is not on IP (I wish we could afford to both be!) I am going to do my best to get him on it via real foods I make for him. He's pretty psyched about the gluten free/no sugar dessert cookbook I got because he will benefit most from that!
So week 9 begins with me 27 lbs down (and that's even with some water weight from TOM) so that's pretty darn good! I know I'll fluctuate so I'll try not to weight myself too much this week if I can help it. I'm sure I'll be going up and down 3 lbs and I need to remember that is NORMAL. ;-)
Saturday, September 28, 2013
Week 8: weigh in
Well, I have lost another 1.8 lbs officially and another 2.5 inches!
I also did a really quick drive home so I could see how off my scale at home was immediately after my weigh in to see why I'm seeing such fluctuations (besides the normal up and downs we do throughout a day of eating and drinking).
Well, both scales are highly sensitive to the clothes and any super heavy jewelry I wear! I was shocked to see that my scale is within .2 of the fancy scale at the clinic. I also did a weigh in without my clothes just to see the difference and I found out my clothes added 1.7 lbs! That just made my day.... so I actually weigh less than that damn scale at the clinic! I am lighter than I thought!
So officially it's 24.7 lbs but at home it's 26. 4 and I like that! It's still close enough but I'm taking the higher number when people ask!
Official measurements, however I do stick with since I didn't start our religiously keeping track. Bearing in mind that they're only checking one leg and one arm and not the true waist I have actually lost more inches but that's okay. I know I've lost there and I can tell by the clothes!
I had a rough week with eating lettuce and getting enough fiber but I've gotten on top of it again. I had a lovely salad with my soup today and I feel SO MUCH BETTER. I also still feel full enough to not want to snack and that's a great feeling. I will have to grab dinner soon though..... and luckily my hubby is taking me to get Hawaiian food which is IP friendly so I don't have to think! I just get to eat really good food! Yeah!
I also did a really quick drive home so I could see how off my scale at home was immediately after my weigh in to see why I'm seeing such fluctuations (besides the normal up and downs we do throughout a day of eating and drinking).
Well, both scales are highly sensitive to the clothes and any super heavy jewelry I wear! I was shocked to see that my scale is within .2 of the fancy scale at the clinic. I also did a weigh in without my clothes just to see the difference and I found out my clothes added 1.7 lbs! That just made my day.... so I actually weigh less than that damn scale at the clinic! I am lighter than I thought!
So officially it's 24.7 lbs but at home it's 26. 4 and I like that! It's still close enough but I'm taking the higher number when people ask!
Official measurements, however I do stick with since I didn't start our religiously keeping track. Bearing in mind that they're only checking one leg and one arm and not the true waist I have actually lost more inches but that's okay. I know I've lost there and I can tell by the clothes!
I had a rough week with eating lettuce and getting enough fiber but I've gotten on top of it again. I had a lovely salad with my soup today and I feel SO MUCH BETTER. I also still feel full enough to not want to snack and that's a great feeling. I will have to grab dinner soon though..... and luckily my hubby is taking me to get Hawaiian food which is IP friendly so I don't have to think! I just get to eat really good food! Yeah!
Friday, September 27, 2013
Week 8: up and down
I'm not exactly sure what's going on with my weight these past couple of days. I ended up eating a lot of salt a few days ago and I definitely started retaining water. Had my normal issues with my bowels (sorry....salt doesn't like me) and then I lost all the excess. Well, today I wake up and it's all back again and then some.
First off, I did eat late last night. That's probably part of it. And I believe I did short myself on about 16 ounces of water. Granted, I typically drink at least 100oz of water a day which should make up for any issues but it was the first day in a while where I hit about 80. So maybe that's part of it too.... I have been having that icky bloated feeling all day plus I even had to take Immodium, God help me.
So, I'm doing my best to eat as cleanly as possible. I did get really bored with the salad thing finally and just couldn't bear the idea of more lettuce which could be another reason why my weight is off. My fiber intake has probably been lower since I cut back on salad this week. I guess taking that break wasn't such a hot idea? I'll get back on the salad train if I can get rid of this awful bloat.
I did take a step in a different direction today and finally decided to try baking with my IP packets plus take riced cauliflower into a dessert direction. I'm happy to report that both were a huge success and I had a terrific 'sweet lunch' for a change. I made muffins with a packet of crispy cereal & wild berry yogurt (plus egg whites, baking soda, oil and water). They have a weird solid spongy consistency but that's partly from all the protein in the mixes. It tasted great though, the berry and yogurt flavors came out very well. I had half the batch since technically it's two packets. I'll probably snack on the other 2 muffins before dinner.
I also made what's called cauliflower 'rice' pudding. It was pretty dang good if I do say so. You rice or shread cauliflower and put it in the microwave to cook (about 3 minutes). After it's done, you put it into some cheesecloth and squeeze the heck out of all the water in the veggies. There's actually quite a bit and you're left with this mush that doesn't really look like cauliflower. You add vanilla, cinnamon, some vanilla protein drink and if you have it, some SF maple syrup. I didn't have that so I just added some stevia and more cinnamon to it. I was so shocked at how good it tasted! I honestly couldn't taste the cauliflower taste at all! I think 'rice' pudding is a little misleading. It was more of a rice cereal or cream of wheat kind of thing but it sure tasted great! I think I've found my new thing.... and I get my veggies in without guilt!
So, that's all from the Western front for now.... I am hoping to lose this excess water. I'm practically back where I was on Saturday which means I could have another NON loss week. I was doing so well.... down almost 4 lbs yesterday and now it's all back and then some. If it's hormones, well I'm sunk. There is nothing I can do about that.... oy veh!
First off, I did eat late last night. That's probably part of it. And I believe I did short myself on about 16 ounces of water. Granted, I typically drink at least 100oz of water a day which should make up for any issues but it was the first day in a while where I hit about 80. So maybe that's part of it too.... I have been having that icky bloated feeling all day plus I even had to take Immodium, God help me.
So, I'm doing my best to eat as cleanly as possible. I did get really bored with the salad thing finally and just couldn't bear the idea of more lettuce which could be another reason why my weight is off. My fiber intake has probably been lower since I cut back on salad this week. I guess taking that break wasn't such a hot idea? I'll get back on the salad train if I can get rid of this awful bloat.
I did take a step in a different direction today and finally decided to try baking with my IP packets plus take riced cauliflower into a dessert direction. I'm happy to report that both were a huge success and I had a terrific 'sweet lunch' for a change. I made muffins with a packet of crispy cereal & wild berry yogurt (plus egg whites, baking soda, oil and water). They have a weird solid spongy consistency but that's partly from all the protein in the mixes. It tasted great though, the berry and yogurt flavors came out very well. I had half the batch since technically it's two packets. I'll probably snack on the other 2 muffins before dinner.
I also made what's called cauliflower 'rice' pudding. It was pretty dang good if I do say so. You rice or shread cauliflower and put it in the microwave to cook (about 3 minutes). After it's done, you put it into some cheesecloth and squeeze the heck out of all the water in the veggies. There's actually quite a bit and you're left with this mush that doesn't really look like cauliflower. You add vanilla, cinnamon, some vanilla protein drink and if you have it, some SF maple syrup. I didn't have that so I just added some stevia and more cinnamon to it. I was so shocked at how good it tasted! I honestly couldn't taste the cauliflower taste at all! I think 'rice' pudding is a little misleading. It was more of a rice cereal or cream of wheat kind of thing but it sure tasted great! I think I've found my new thing.... and I get my veggies in without guilt!
So, that's all from the Western front for now.... I am hoping to lose this excess water. I'm practically back where I was on Saturday which means I could have another NON loss week. I was doing so well.... down almost 4 lbs yesterday and now it's all back and then some. If it's hormones, well I'm sunk. There is nothing I can do about that.... oy veh!
Monday, September 23, 2013
IP: Week 8 begins!
I can't believe in one week's time I'll have been doing this for 2 months. It actually feels like I've been doing this forever in a way. I guess that's good because I know that the low carb lifestyle is going to be a permanent thing for me.
As always, I wake up at least 2 times a night to use the bathroom (not old age, this is the 120-140 oz of water I drink in a day!) and typically once I wake up for the morning I go again and then weigh myself for the official weight of the day. I figure, all the excess water is gone or used up by my organs for whatever it needs and I'll be my lightest of the day! Hey, it works for me!
So officially I now weight 177.6 which means I've lost 25.5 lbs. I need to do an official measurement of everything but honestly, I know I'm smaller since I'm starting to drift more and more into size 10's & 12's again! Still, my hips and mostly my waist are holding out on me so I'm really in between sizes. In a looser cut dress I'm a 10 or 12 and the fitted ones I'm a 12. Pants and tighter fitted shirts are still a gamble and need to be tried on but I'm not complaining! I am getting farther and farther away from that dreaded size 16 that I was for over a year.
I am finally in a place where I realize this success is not elusive but won with determination and will power. I had a really awful weekend (last week) with that fight I got into with my MIL which affected my eating and my loss. Everything I lost weight-wise went out the window and I retained and gained. Isn't that awful? Our bodies feel the stress (think about what a stressful society we live in - people are moving so quickly and constantly worrying about things) and it does the very thing we don't want it to! When you think back to primitive man, they would stress over being prey, going hungry, being prey, going hungry, winter/cold, where to get water, etc., and their bodies would try to hold on to every pound it had so he could survive! That's what happened to me.... first I realized I shorted myself on food. I ate at weird times, in a rush, didn't eat enough and made my body think 'something's up - gotta store up some fuel since Trina's stressing out over something' and I gained almost half a pound. That's how finely tuned the body is! I did not know this until I put my body into this very careful and clean eating lifestyle.
So I ended up losing all of last week's gain and then some once I decided to not let stress (or my MIL) ruin my efforts. I lost 3 lbs of fat last week, gained .25 in muscle and 1.5" off my hips, thorax and thigh. That's saying something! And because my weigh in is actually earlier than my week finishes I get to count today's personal weigh in so I actually lost even more weight than my coach saw. I tend to lose around a pound 2 days after my weigh in...I don't know how or why other than maybe it's that stupid stress thing? I do relax quite a bit after I leave the office. I am an overachiever and tests and other things we use for accountability are the ultimate competition for me. I want to succeed all the time. Part of my genetics.... silly Asian mentality. ;-)
You know what is super cool about this diet? IF, and I say a huge IF you follow this plan 100% and do not cheat (specifically the carbs, occasional splurges of fat seem to accelerate the loss - I am living proof of that!) you will lose on the average 3-5 lbs a week (women). Men lose up to 7 lbs in a week. So if you're losing 3 lbs a week you are losing almost .5 lbs a day. What is fascinating to me is that I see .5 almost everyday. Sometimes it's not but typically I do see .5 on the scale every morning. That just blows my mind. Some people are a freak of nature and lose more. Those very obese people with 100's to lose will lose 10-15 lbs a week in the beginning and sometimes continue losing 7-10 lbs or 3-15 inches within a week's time. Eventually, the body does adjust and comes down to the normal 3-7 lbs a week but it keeps losing. We do plateau occasionally and then have to mix it up a little (changing our highest carb meal, cutting our extra treat, add a little fat, a little more exercise, etc.) but that's normal. As we get closer to our goals we will slow down and lose a pound or less, maybe just lose inches that week, etc. I do know from reading about other people's journeys even those plateaus seem to induce a huge loss after a little stall. Typically it's 4-7 lbs. It is absolutely crazy how well our bodies respond to this way of eating. So why aren't more people eating low carb?
If you do this without the medical supervision it's obviously cheaper. You do end up eating more carbs but as long as you really plan well, it's doable. I'm glad I don't have to worry about that just yet. I really like having the accountability to myself and my coach, writing in my food journal (who knew I would totally love doing this????) so I can figure out what went wrong or right, and not having to count carbs right now. Eventually, that becomes part of the maintenance and I'll do fine but until I get to my 23% body fat goal (or at least close to it) I will keep on doing this. I have a hunch by the time I get to Thanksgiving weekend I'll be there or really close. I do intend to indulge on that day although it won't be a crazy amount of carbs.... I am really looking forward to things like that turkey, roasted veggies, gravy and cranberry sauce though. See? Even my attitude toward stuffing and potatoes has changed. I will eat a little I am sure of it. But I don't necessarily want a huge pile like I would normally want! The idea of that slice or two of turkey breast covered in gravy and roasted brussel sprouts are what are making my mouth salivate! I will then go through 2-3 days of super clean eating again to get back into ketosis and hopefully be in Phase 2 or 3. I am psyched, because it means by the time we go to San Diego for Christmas I will probably be at the size I was always meant to be. My mom would be so flippin' proud of me if she could see this. I know she'd probably be doing it with me if she could see my glucose numbers (which I'm still waiting for....hurry up GH and get my test results online!) and prove once and for all that diabetes is beatable.
Oh my... did I mention my cholesterol is so much better than last year? I have to put down my numbers from a year ago to today. I'm not perfect yet but I am out of the woods thanks to IP. Okay, here's the list:
2013
Cholesterol 214* (normal is 100-199)
HDL Cholesterol 50 (normal is 40-120)
Chol/HDL Ratio 4.3 (normal is 1.5-5.0)
Triglycerides 180 (normal is 40-249)
LDL Cholsterol 128 (normal is 30-129)
2012
Cholesterol 257*
HDL Cholesterol 35*
Chol/HDL Ratio 7.3*
Triglycerides 428*
LDL Cholesterol 166*
So my cholesterol still needs to come down 15 more points to get into normal range but DAMN I brought it down 43 points! Check out the rest! I am super proud that I brought everything else into normal range! Especially my triglycerides! 428 to 180? DAMN!!!! So losing around 18 lbs at the time of my physical brought about that result. I am totally willing to go back after I phase into maintenance to see my numbers again. Yes, I would be willing to go back for a freaking blood test to prove that I was completely out of the danger zone!
This blog turned into a much longer one than I expected but I guess I had a lot of things to get off my chest. I'm really proud...really happy to see the good things that are coming from this program. If there's anyone out there reading this I hope I have encouraged you to take the first step and go to an information meeting. I still have about 25 lbs to go (depends as it's really my body fat percentage I'm going for) and I'm hoping that 8 weeks will take care of that. Actually, since phase 2 still shows weight loss it might happen a week or so sooner! I'm half way through the initial journey it seems and I couldn't be happier. I look forward to eating ALL real foods again but I'm totally okay with what I'm doing to lose this extra fat on my body. There's the difference - I don't care what I weigh as long as I'm getting rid of the bad fat and getting all my numbers into a normal range. That's really the ultimate goal!
As always, I wake up at least 2 times a night to use the bathroom (not old age, this is the 120-140 oz of water I drink in a day!) and typically once I wake up for the morning I go again and then weigh myself for the official weight of the day. I figure, all the excess water is gone or used up by my organs for whatever it needs and I'll be my lightest of the day! Hey, it works for me!
So officially I now weight 177.6 which means I've lost 25.5 lbs. I need to do an official measurement of everything but honestly, I know I'm smaller since I'm starting to drift more and more into size 10's & 12's again! Still, my hips and mostly my waist are holding out on me so I'm really in between sizes. In a looser cut dress I'm a 10 or 12 and the fitted ones I'm a 12. Pants and tighter fitted shirts are still a gamble and need to be tried on but I'm not complaining! I am getting farther and farther away from that dreaded size 16 that I was for over a year.
I am finally in a place where I realize this success is not elusive but won with determination and will power. I had a really awful weekend (last week) with that fight I got into with my MIL which affected my eating and my loss. Everything I lost weight-wise went out the window and I retained and gained. Isn't that awful? Our bodies feel the stress (think about what a stressful society we live in - people are moving so quickly and constantly worrying about things) and it does the very thing we don't want it to! When you think back to primitive man, they would stress over being prey, going hungry, being prey, going hungry, winter/cold, where to get water, etc., and their bodies would try to hold on to every pound it had so he could survive! That's what happened to me.... first I realized I shorted myself on food. I ate at weird times, in a rush, didn't eat enough and made my body think 'something's up - gotta store up some fuel since Trina's stressing out over something' and I gained almost half a pound. That's how finely tuned the body is! I did not know this until I put my body into this very careful and clean eating lifestyle.
So I ended up losing all of last week's gain and then some once I decided to not let stress (or my MIL) ruin my efforts. I lost 3 lbs of fat last week, gained .25 in muscle and 1.5" off my hips, thorax and thigh. That's saying something! And because my weigh in is actually earlier than my week finishes I get to count today's personal weigh in so I actually lost even more weight than my coach saw. I tend to lose around a pound 2 days after my weigh in...I don't know how or why other than maybe it's that stupid stress thing? I do relax quite a bit after I leave the office. I am an overachiever and tests and other things we use for accountability are the ultimate competition for me. I want to succeed all the time. Part of my genetics.... silly Asian mentality. ;-)
You know what is super cool about this diet? IF, and I say a huge IF you follow this plan 100% and do not cheat (specifically the carbs, occasional splurges of fat seem to accelerate the loss - I am living proof of that!) you will lose on the average 3-5 lbs a week (women). Men lose up to 7 lbs in a week. So if you're losing 3 lbs a week you are losing almost .5 lbs a day. What is fascinating to me is that I see .5 almost everyday. Sometimes it's not but typically I do see .5 on the scale every morning. That just blows my mind. Some people are a freak of nature and lose more. Those very obese people with 100's to lose will lose 10-15 lbs a week in the beginning and sometimes continue losing 7-10 lbs or 3-15 inches within a week's time. Eventually, the body does adjust and comes down to the normal 3-7 lbs a week but it keeps losing. We do plateau occasionally and then have to mix it up a little (changing our highest carb meal, cutting our extra treat, add a little fat, a little more exercise, etc.) but that's normal. As we get closer to our goals we will slow down and lose a pound or less, maybe just lose inches that week, etc. I do know from reading about other people's journeys even those plateaus seem to induce a huge loss after a little stall. Typically it's 4-7 lbs. It is absolutely crazy how well our bodies respond to this way of eating. So why aren't more people eating low carb?
If you do this without the medical supervision it's obviously cheaper. You do end up eating more carbs but as long as you really plan well, it's doable. I'm glad I don't have to worry about that just yet. I really like having the accountability to myself and my coach, writing in my food journal (who knew I would totally love doing this????) so I can figure out what went wrong or right, and not having to count carbs right now. Eventually, that becomes part of the maintenance and I'll do fine but until I get to my 23% body fat goal (or at least close to it) I will keep on doing this. I have a hunch by the time I get to Thanksgiving weekend I'll be there or really close. I do intend to indulge on that day although it won't be a crazy amount of carbs.... I am really looking forward to things like that turkey, roasted veggies, gravy and cranberry sauce though. See? Even my attitude toward stuffing and potatoes has changed. I will eat a little I am sure of it. But I don't necessarily want a huge pile like I would normally want! The idea of that slice or two of turkey breast covered in gravy and roasted brussel sprouts are what are making my mouth salivate! I will then go through 2-3 days of super clean eating again to get back into ketosis and hopefully be in Phase 2 or 3. I am psyched, because it means by the time we go to San Diego for Christmas I will probably be at the size I was always meant to be. My mom would be so flippin' proud of me if she could see this. I know she'd probably be doing it with me if she could see my glucose numbers (which I'm still waiting for....hurry up GH and get my test results online!) and prove once and for all that diabetes is beatable.
Oh my... did I mention my cholesterol is so much better than last year? I have to put down my numbers from a year ago to today. I'm not perfect yet but I am out of the woods thanks to IP. Okay, here's the list:
2013
Cholesterol 214* (normal is 100-199)
HDL Cholesterol 50 (normal is 40-120)
Chol/HDL Ratio 4.3 (normal is 1.5-5.0)
Triglycerides 180 (normal is 40-249)
LDL Cholsterol 128 (normal is 30-129)
2012
Cholesterol 257*
HDL Cholesterol 35*
Chol/HDL Ratio 7.3*
Triglycerides 428*
LDL Cholesterol 166*
So my cholesterol still needs to come down 15 more points to get into normal range but DAMN I brought it down 43 points! Check out the rest! I am super proud that I brought everything else into normal range! Especially my triglycerides! 428 to 180? DAMN!!!! So losing around 18 lbs at the time of my physical brought about that result. I am totally willing to go back after I phase into maintenance to see my numbers again. Yes, I would be willing to go back for a freaking blood test to prove that I was completely out of the danger zone!
This blog turned into a much longer one than I expected but I guess I had a lot of things to get off my chest. I'm really proud...really happy to see the good things that are coming from this program. If there's anyone out there reading this I hope I have encouraged you to take the first step and go to an information meeting. I still have about 25 lbs to go (depends as it's really my body fat percentage I'm going for) and I'm hoping that 8 weeks will take care of that. Actually, since phase 2 still shows weight loss it might happen a week or so sooner! I'm half way through the initial journey it seems and I couldn't be happier. I look forward to eating ALL real foods again but I'm totally okay with what I'm doing to lose this extra fat on my body. There's the difference - I don't care what I weigh as long as I'm getting rid of the bad fat and getting all my numbers into a normal range. That's really the ultimate goal!
Sunday, September 22, 2013
IP: Week 7 Weigh In & some deep thoughts
Officially at the weigh in I lost another 3 lbs and I lost 3 full lbs of fat! Woot! I lost another 1.5 inches and I'm flabbergasted to say that my hip and thigh lost another 1/2 inch respectively? The worst places on my body for losing weight is actually catching up to the upper half little by little.
I continue to lose fat/inches up around my chest, not just the bust but right under the arm pit (the thorax). I am almost rid of that nasty chunk of back fat I've been seeing the last 5 years or so! This is just amazing to me. The belly continues to shrink (and it is...that is one thing I can REALLY see!) obviously, since my hip measurement is decreasing and it's so damned exciting.
Again, I'm not done with my week so I still have time before I count the actual loss but after such a disappointing week (last week), it's nice that the coach saw 23 lbs gone! When I weighed earlier, it was 24 point something which was before all the water, coffee and breakfast so I always weigh more at the office. I've lost 19 inches based on the office's measurement. They check the thorax, chest, bust, waist (at the belly button), hip, thigh (one) and arm (one). So the number is really higher since they don't check both thighs and arms or the 'real' waist. I started measuring the missing areas not too long ago so I'll double check with Rochall at my next weigh in to see where I started so I can really track those inches lost. This is really inspiring me... :-)
We had a long chat about how people react to our weight loss successes. I find that those that are doing the journey with you (not necessarily the same plan but just on a diet, exercise, lifestyle plan, etc., or are generally healthy) are our best cheerleaders. Two of them did the plan before me and understand the success that happens with discipline. One of them is actually shocked that I don't cheat (any overload of carbs can knock me out of ketosis and would take up to 3 days to get back and I can't afford to be on this plan any longer than it would take.). The funny thing is... I do cheat a little. But it's never with carbs! I eat protein/fat. That's actually what I crave! A piece of bacon, a hard boiled or scrambled egg or a little tiny amount of blue cheese dressing with a salad. It has not knocked me out of ketosis! Pretty fabulous, I think!
One of my students has lost almost 30 lbs since this Spring doing Advocare and she looks amazing. She constantly cheers me on and I do the same for her. I'm really proud of her as she's incorporating a lot of exercise (which I have to keep minimal/low for now). I'm looking forward to becoming her workout buddy when I'm onto phase 2 of my program. Another 'cheerleader' is a new theatre friend. She's been doing Atkins since January and has lost about 20 lbs. She compliments me constantly and tells me not just how good I look but how much she admires my tenacity and hard work. She knows that this isn't easy as she's been doing low carb through Atkins so she's walked a mile in my shoes. Another friend is a Vegan and he praises my food choices. He knows that clean eating is truly the way to good health and he's happy to see me getting healthy.
There are many others, of course but they're more on the periphery. The ones that stay silent are the surprise. I do realize that weight issues are very, very touchy for people. I certainly have been hyper sensitive about my weight all of my life thanks to a lot of conditioning as I was growing up. I don't blame anyone, not even my mom who constantly told me how fat I was.... I know she just wanted me to be healthy. We did not have the right tools/information about obesity and weight loss 25 years ago. It's okay.... I realize my body was constantly being set up to fail despite my very disciplined gym program. I used to date a bodybuilder so I knew the right training. I just didn't have the information about food!
The thing is, I never felt threatened or jealous of someone's success in weight loss. Yes, I felt some envy but my overall feeling was joy at their accomplishments. I did want what they wanted though and it was frustrating to not have the energy to work out or to be in pain or to constantly be hungry, etc. I cannot get over the fact that I was failing because our society wants us to. Advertising agencies, pharmaceutical companies, food companies, etc., etc., they all want us to eat their bad food, turn around and need a pill, have to chew that special gum, brush our teeth because of the result of tooth decay from that sugar, etc., etc. The chain of command here is huge and powerful. Look at a day of Superbowl ads on TV. It's either about cars or FOOD. Snack food. Soda. Stuff that is bad for you in large quantities. But they tell you to indulge in your fantasies and eat and drink!
So yeah.... I have been set up to fail all of my life. Until now, that is. I understand why this society, especially youngsters are facing an obesity epidemic. Just because I'm getting older and my metabolism is slowing down doesn't mean I should be obese. But my age gives me a slight excuse for weight gain. How is it that young children everywhere, but in particular our poverty stricken areas are so overweight by the time they're in 5th grade? Carbs, my friend. Carbs..... these poor kids are eating so out of balance because their poor families don't have the money or the knowledge to pick the right foods to serve at home. So serve up that Kraft Mac & Cheese (which I LOVE for better or worse) which is so cheap and can be stretched into other meals. It's cheap! It's fast and easy! I totally see why a parent would serve this up. Grab that frozen pizza box and serve up the kids...it's easy! It's cheap!
We are being set to fail. Right now, it takes so much work to fight through the temptations and avoid the easy stuff. I have to avoid the middle aisles of the grocery store. I seriously start in the produce area and get all the veggies I need (no fruits yet), then to the water aisle to get my electrolyte water, then to meats & seafood, the frozen section for frozen veggies, dairy for eggs and typically the Asian/Mexican aisle to get my non-carb items there (typically soy sauce, coconut milk) and then to the cleaning products, dog food stuff and I'm done. I have to ignore everything else so I will not fail.
How many of our friends/family are in complete denial about their health? Do they realize that a healthy weight is possible? It will take an enormous amount of work but it can be done. I am working really hard at this.... I know that my whole lifestyle has changed and that my carb 'cheats' will be a once a week kind of thing forever. I can't eat wheat products, rice, pasta or potatoes with abandon ever again. And you know what? That is okay with me. I am feeling great and know that I will only feel better as I lose the next 30 lbs. I hope I can help figure out a way to spread the good word. It's an amazing feeling to not be tired and sick and depressed. It all works together.
I continue to lose fat/inches up around my chest, not just the bust but right under the arm pit (the thorax). I am almost rid of that nasty chunk of back fat I've been seeing the last 5 years or so! This is just amazing to me. The belly continues to shrink (and it is...that is one thing I can REALLY see!) obviously, since my hip measurement is decreasing and it's so damned exciting.
Again, I'm not done with my week so I still have time before I count the actual loss but after such a disappointing week (last week), it's nice that the coach saw 23 lbs gone! When I weighed earlier, it was 24 point something which was before all the water, coffee and breakfast so I always weigh more at the office. I've lost 19 inches based on the office's measurement. They check the thorax, chest, bust, waist (at the belly button), hip, thigh (one) and arm (one). So the number is really higher since they don't check both thighs and arms or the 'real' waist. I started measuring the missing areas not too long ago so I'll double check with Rochall at my next weigh in to see where I started so I can really track those inches lost. This is really inspiring me... :-)
We had a long chat about how people react to our weight loss successes. I find that those that are doing the journey with you (not necessarily the same plan but just on a diet, exercise, lifestyle plan, etc., or are generally healthy) are our best cheerleaders. Two of them did the plan before me and understand the success that happens with discipline. One of them is actually shocked that I don't cheat (any overload of carbs can knock me out of ketosis and would take up to 3 days to get back and I can't afford to be on this plan any longer than it would take.). The funny thing is... I do cheat a little. But it's never with carbs! I eat protein/fat. That's actually what I crave! A piece of bacon, a hard boiled or scrambled egg or a little tiny amount of blue cheese dressing with a salad. It has not knocked me out of ketosis! Pretty fabulous, I think!
One of my students has lost almost 30 lbs since this Spring doing Advocare and she looks amazing. She constantly cheers me on and I do the same for her. I'm really proud of her as she's incorporating a lot of exercise (which I have to keep minimal/low for now). I'm looking forward to becoming her workout buddy when I'm onto phase 2 of my program. Another 'cheerleader' is a new theatre friend. She's been doing Atkins since January and has lost about 20 lbs. She compliments me constantly and tells me not just how good I look but how much she admires my tenacity and hard work. She knows that this isn't easy as she's been doing low carb through Atkins so she's walked a mile in my shoes. Another friend is a Vegan and he praises my food choices. He knows that clean eating is truly the way to good health and he's happy to see me getting healthy.
There are many others, of course but they're more on the periphery. The ones that stay silent are the surprise. I do realize that weight issues are very, very touchy for people. I certainly have been hyper sensitive about my weight all of my life thanks to a lot of conditioning as I was growing up. I don't blame anyone, not even my mom who constantly told me how fat I was.... I know she just wanted me to be healthy. We did not have the right tools/information about obesity and weight loss 25 years ago. It's okay.... I realize my body was constantly being set up to fail despite my very disciplined gym program. I used to date a bodybuilder so I knew the right training. I just didn't have the information about food!
The thing is, I never felt threatened or jealous of someone's success in weight loss. Yes, I felt some envy but my overall feeling was joy at their accomplishments. I did want what they wanted though and it was frustrating to not have the energy to work out or to be in pain or to constantly be hungry, etc. I cannot get over the fact that I was failing because our society wants us to. Advertising agencies, pharmaceutical companies, food companies, etc., etc., they all want us to eat their bad food, turn around and need a pill, have to chew that special gum, brush our teeth because of the result of tooth decay from that sugar, etc., etc. The chain of command here is huge and powerful. Look at a day of Superbowl ads on TV. It's either about cars or FOOD. Snack food. Soda. Stuff that is bad for you in large quantities. But they tell you to indulge in your fantasies and eat and drink!
So yeah.... I have been set up to fail all of my life. Until now, that is. I understand why this society, especially youngsters are facing an obesity epidemic. Just because I'm getting older and my metabolism is slowing down doesn't mean I should be obese. But my age gives me a slight excuse for weight gain. How is it that young children everywhere, but in particular our poverty stricken areas are so overweight by the time they're in 5th grade? Carbs, my friend. Carbs..... these poor kids are eating so out of balance because their poor families don't have the money or the knowledge to pick the right foods to serve at home. So serve up that Kraft Mac & Cheese (which I LOVE for better or worse) which is so cheap and can be stretched into other meals. It's cheap! It's fast and easy! I totally see why a parent would serve this up. Grab that frozen pizza box and serve up the kids...it's easy! It's cheap!
We are being set to fail. Right now, it takes so much work to fight through the temptations and avoid the easy stuff. I have to avoid the middle aisles of the grocery store. I seriously start in the produce area and get all the veggies I need (no fruits yet), then to the water aisle to get my electrolyte water, then to meats & seafood, the frozen section for frozen veggies, dairy for eggs and typically the Asian/Mexican aisle to get my non-carb items there (typically soy sauce, coconut milk) and then to the cleaning products, dog food stuff and I'm done. I have to ignore everything else so I will not fail.
How many of our friends/family are in complete denial about their health? Do they realize that a healthy weight is possible? It will take an enormous amount of work but it can be done. I am working really hard at this.... I know that my whole lifestyle has changed and that my carb 'cheats' will be a once a week kind of thing forever. I can't eat wheat products, rice, pasta or potatoes with abandon ever again. And you know what? That is okay with me. I am feeling great and know that I will only feel better as I lose the next 30 lbs. I hope I can help figure out a way to spread the good word. It's an amazing feeling to not be tired and sick and depressed. It all works together.
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Weight loss comparison chart (with objects)
Check this out...... it puts my weight loss into perspective! I've made it to the 3 gallon tub of super premium ice cream as of today!
Pounds lost=object
1 pound = a Guinea Pig
1.5 pounds = a dozen Krispy Kreme glazed donuts
2 pounds = a rack of baby back ribs
3 pounds = an average human brain
4 pounds = an ostrich egg
5 pounds = a Chihuahua
6 pounds = a human's skin
7.5 pounds = an average newborn
8 pounds = a human head
10 pounds= chemical additives an American consumes each year
11 pounds = an average housecat
12 pounds = a Bald Eagle
15 pounds = 10 dozen large eggs
16 pounds = a sperm whale's brain
20 pounds = an automobile tire
23 pounds = amount of pizza an average American eats in a year
24 pounds = a 3-gallon tub of super premium ice cream
25 pounds = an average 2 year old
30 pounds = amount of cheese an average American eats in a year
33 pounds = a cinder block
36 pounds = a mid-size microwave
40 pounds = a 5-gallon bottle of water or an average human leg
44 pounds = an elephant's heart
50 pounds = a small bale of hay
55 pounds = a 5000 BTU air conditioner
60 pounds = an elephant's penis (yep, weights more than his heart!)
66 pounds = fats and oils an average American eats in a year
70 pounds = an Irish Setter
77 pounds = a gold brick
80 pounds = the World's Largest Ball of Tape
90 pounds = a newborn calf
100 pounds = a 2 month old horse
111 pounds = red meat an average American eats in a year
117 pounds = an average fashion model (and she's 5'11")
118 pounds = the complete Encyclopedia Britannica
120 pounds = amount of trash you throw away in a month
130 pounds = a newborn giraffe
138 pounds = potatoes an average American eats in a year
140 pounds = refined sugar an average American eats in a year
144 pounds = an average adult woman (and she's 5'4")
150 pounds = the complete Oxford English Dictionary
187 pounds = an average adult man
200 pounds = 2 Bloodhounds
235 pounds = Arnold Schwarzenegger
300 pounds = an average football lineman
400 pounds = a Welsh pony
Pounds lost=object
1 pound = a Guinea Pig
1.5 pounds = a dozen Krispy Kreme glazed donuts
2 pounds = a rack of baby back ribs
3 pounds = an average human brain
4 pounds = an ostrich egg
5 pounds = a Chihuahua
6 pounds = a human's skin
7.5 pounds = an average newborn
8 pounds = a human head
10 pounds= chemical additives an American consumes each year
11 pounds = an average housecat
12 pounds = a Bald Eagle
15 pounds = 10 dozen large eggs
16 pounds = a sperm whale's brain
20 pounds = an automobile tire
23 pounds = amount of pizza an average American eats in a year
24 pounds = a 3-gallon tub of super premium ice cream
25 pounds = an average 2 year old
30 pounds = amount of cheese an average American eats in a year
33 pounds = a cinder block
36 pounds = a mid-size microwave
40 pounds = a 5-gallon bottle of water or an average human leg
44 pounds = an elephant's heart
50 pounds = a small bale of hay
55 pounds = a 5000 BTU air conditioner
60 pounds = an elephant's penis (yep, weights more than his heart!)
66 pounds = fats and oils an average American eats in a year
70 pounds = an Irish Setter
77 pounds = a gold brick
80 pounds = the World's Largest Ball of Tape
90 pounds = a newborn calf
100 pounds = a 2 month old horse
111 pounds = red meat an average American eats in a year
117 pounds = an average fashion model (and she's 5'11")
118 pounds = the complete Encyclopedia Britannica
120 pounds = amount of trash you throw away in a month
130 pounds = a newborn giraffe
138 pounds = potatoes an average American eats in a year
140 pounds = refined sugar an average American eats in a year
144 pounds = an average adult woman (and she's 5'4")
150 pounds = the complete Oxford English Dictionary
187 pounds = an average adult man
200 pounds = 2 Bloodhounds
235 pounds = Arnold Schwarzenegger
300 pounds = an average football lineman
400 pounds = a Welsh pony
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Sugar Free/Low Fat Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken = YUMMY
I don't normally double up my posts as I keep my recipes on my regular blog but this recipe I adapted and made very IP friendly was the bomb! It was easy and I honestly could not tell I didn't use sugar! Well, I did use Stevia and it doesn't carmelize like real sugar but so what! It tasted great!!!!
Here's the recipe. Seriously. Make it. It's easy. It's the slow cooker. Put it in and leave it and come home to yummy goodness!
http://triwill.blogspot.com/2013/09/food-bites-sugar-free-bbq-slow-cooker.html
Here's the recipe. Seriously. Make it. It's easy. It's the slow cooker. Put it in and leave it and come home to yummy goodness!
http://triwill.blogspot.com/2013/09/food-bites-sugar-free-bbq-slow-cooker.html
Monday, September 16, 2013
IP: Week 7 begins
Wow.... I never imagined I'd be sitting here writing about starting my 7th week on IP. I am one of those gung-ho types that last about a month and then the interest wavers.... exercise usually lasts quite a while as long as I don't get sick and have to lie low.
But, yes....starting the 7th week. Unofficially, I am 22.5 lbs down. Body fat is down too.... looks like another percent! It was a rough weekend and my eating times got really skewed but I managed to bring down Saturday's gain.
I'm grateful that I am not craving specific foods but then I make sure to stay out of the way of sweets and other non protocol treats. While at Costco yesterday, I had to pass donuts, pasta, chicken pot pie and a few other assorted yummies that I would have gobbled in the past. It wasn't that hard, to tell you the truth. And let me tell you, I am grateful that I've got self control for the first time when it comes to food! This is a major miracle that I needed since I tend to obsess on food.
I'm hoping that this week's a better one in terms of true weight loss. I've reached the lowest number on the current decade and I want to get into the next 10 lb range! I truly expected to be there by today and my body just didn't want to go there.....yet. I know I've had the picture perfect IP losses through the first 5 weeks. To lose 4 lbs a week (average) is pretty dang amazing for a woman of my age. Men, those lucky dogs tend to lose 7 lbs a week on average! I hate them. LOL. So it was kind of hard for me to have a slight setback. I guess it was just God's way of reminding me to appreciate the journey and stop obsessing on the negatives. It was a really difficult weekend emotionally so I guess He was just telling me to relax and slow down. Focus on the good, Trina. Good advice, I think.
I'm 3% away from what's considered healthy body fat. And those who know me understand I'm not after an actual weight but a body fat percentage. Even when I get closer, if my body feels right I may stop sooner and phase into the next part of the plan. I'm really playing this by ear and hoping it happens sooner. It would nice on our credit card if I could phase off! But ultimately, this is an investment in my health, my life and Mark says it's worth every penny if I feel as good as I do right now. And seriously, barring the emotional stuff I have been through, I feel great. My knees are SO much happier. My back is stronger, my feet don't hurt and my arm has literally no pain (except from playing piano so much this weekend). So that investment is really worth it in the long run.
If you're reading this and are wondering about this plan, let me tell you that it really works. It's not cheap. It's a bit of a sacrifice initially but once you start shopping for food, you realize you're not spending that much after all. It does balance out.
The losses in my case seem to be literal and figurative. I still have a hard time truly seeing my new body because it's constantly changing and our brains take up to a year to catch up when going through a transformation. I think it takes some people even longer. I'm hoping I'm not one of them! I know I'm smaller. I see the numbers on the scale. I see the size tag on the pants I'm wearing. My shirts are now Mediums and Larges rather than Xtra Large. It's right there. But sometimes, all you see is Debbie Downer in the mirror (and trust me, she was staring back at me for a long time) telling me how fat and ugly and miserable I was. Seriously.
Our fat cells hold on to lots of things while we're in this state of obesity and all the trappings attached to it. We hold hormones, toxins, water, chemicals and I think some emotions as well. I have been kind of a Weepy Wendy today, mourning some losses after making a decision to stop involvement with something dear to my heart. I realized that it's time to let go of the bad. No matter how hard I tried to help, it's not getting received or getting better so I have to take care of me and let it go. I know it's the right decision but boy am I sad. I've been crying some real tears today. Not been feeling real well physically and I'm sure it's all this stuff that's trying to get out of my body.
What a journey it's been thus far. It's far from over, it's just begun. Who knew?
But, yes....starting the 7th week. Unofficially, I am 22.5 lbs down. Body fat is down too.... looks like another percent! It was a rough weekend and my eating times got really skewed but I managed to bring down Saturday's gain.
I'm grateful that I am not craving specific foods but then I make sure to stay out of the way of sweets and other non protocol treats. While at Costco yesterday, I had to pass donuts, pasta, chicken pot pie and a few other assorted yummies that I would have gobbled in the past. It wasn't that hard, to tell you the truth. And let me tell you, I am grateful that I've got self control for the first time when it comes to food! This is a major miracle that I needed since I tend to obsess on food.
I'm hoping that this week's a better one in terms of true weight loss. I've reached the lowest number on the current decade and I want to get into the next 10 lb range! I truly expected to be there by today and my body just didn't want to go there.....yet. I know I've had the picture perfect IP losses through the first 5 weeks. To lose 4 lbs a week (average) is pretty dang amazing for a woman of my age. Men, those lucky dogs tend to lose 7 lbs a week on average! I hate them. LOL. So it was kind of hard for me to have a slight setback. I guess it was just God's way of reminding me to appreciate the journey and stop obsessing on the negatives. It was a really difficult weekend emotionally so I guess He was just telling me to relax and slow down. Focus on the good, Trina. Good advice, I think.
I'm 3% away from what's considered healthy body fat. And those who know me understand I'm not after an actual weight but a body fat percentage. Even when I get closer, if my body feels right I may stop sooner and phase into the next part of the plan. I'm really playing this by ear and hoping it happens sooner. It would nice on our credit card if I could phase off! But ultimately, this is an investment in my health, my life and Mark says it's worth every penny if I feel as good as I do right now. And seriously, barring the emotional stuff I have been through, I feel great. My knees are SO much happier. My back is stronger, my feet don't hurt and my arm has literally no pain (except from playing piano so much this weekend). So that investment is really worth it in the long run.
If you're reading this and are wondering about this plan, let me tell you that it really works. It's not cheap. It's a bit of a sacrifice initially but once you start shopping for food, you realize you're not spending that much after all. It does balance out.
The losses in my case seem to be literal and figurative. I still have a hard time truly seeing my new body because it's constantly changing and our brains take up to a year to catch up when going through a transformation. I think it takes some people even longer. I'm hoping I'm not one of them! I know I'm smaller. I see the numbers on the scale. I see the size tag on the pants I'm wearing. My shirts are now Mediums and Larges rather than Xtra Large. It's right there. But sometimes, all you see is Debbie Downer in the mirror (and trust me, she was staring back at me for a long time) telling me how fat and ugly and miserable I was. Seriously.
Our fat cells hold on to lots of things while we're in this state of obesity and all the trappings attached to it. We hold hormones, toxins, water, chemicals and I think some emotions as well. I have been kind of a Weepy Wendy today, mourning some losses after making a decision to stop involvement with something dear to my heart. I realized that it's time to let go of the bad. No matter how hard I tried to help, it's not getting received or getting better so I have to take care of me and let it go. I know it's the right decision but boy am I sad. I've been crying some real tears today. Not been feeling real well physically and I'm sure it's all this stuff that's trying to get out of my body.
What a journey it's been thus far. It's far from over, it's just begun. Who knew?
Saturday, September 14, 2013
IP: Week 6 weigh in
This blog is a duplicate from my regular blog. The info is all there but I'll add a little more about numbers:
I had a moment today.
Well, I had a huge moment yesterday to begin with. My MIL is staying with us for the summer months and we hadn't had a fight yet. Well...that changed last night. What it was about is unimportant. What it did to me, or should I say what I let it do to me was. I was so angry at her that I told her to stop being rude to me, and that her timing of her behavior sucked. I had an opening night for a show and my mind needed to be in a good place. I also needed to eat my dinner before the show and then bring plenty of water as well as my protein shake to sustain me throughout.
Well....none of the good stuff happened. I brought my salad with me but ended up having 3 or 4 bites. Did I remember the protein shake? Hell no. I was lucky to remember to bring water and to not tell her to fuck off before slamming the front door. Yeah.... not my proudest moment. I slammed my front door in anger. What I really WANTED to do what to actually punch my fist through a wall. I chose not to since I had to play piano for an orchestra that I'm contracted to for the next month.
So my weigh in today was a disaster. I gained. The last couple of nights I ate late. Last night my snack was at midnight. This morning, I had little to no water. My breakfast was 20 minutes before my weigh in. A RECIPE FOR DISASTER in the diet world.
I had a really good talk with my coach though and all will be well. It's a minor setback but she says my body will respond with a bigger loss next week. She also told me I lost another lb of body fat and I lost 1/2 an inch in my thigh and 1/2 inch in my waist! OMG! That was the reward for all the crap I have dealt with! Losses on the two most difficult parts of my body! (Yeah, I have no problems with my chest or hips!)
I went shopping at Macy's as thought I needed a new bra. Turns out, I'm the correct size which means I've been wearing too small of a bra for the last 3 years. Only now am I actually where my bra says. My current bras are shot though so it was time to buy and the best news was that my fitter said I needed less coverage as my chest is smaller. Trust me, this is good news! I hate feeling heavy up top!
So that was great news to counterbalance the bad weight gain news. The other awesome thing was that I tried on a size 12 pair of skinny pants and they FIT! That was the reward I've really been waiting for... I haven't been that small in 12 years! AHHHHHHHHHHHH!
After I found those pants I decided to look around some other departments in case there was a screaming deal. I ended up in the petite department (which I technically am) and saw some things that made me think "that reminds me of that outfit I bought my mom for Xmas." and the tears started to make their way up and out. Those tears really stung because it was a huge stab in my heart - especially after having to deal with my MIL these past few months. I just wanted that one more minute, one more day with my mom again. I had a total 'OUR TOWN' moment and would have done anything for that return to my past. I was able to pull out my acting skills though and walk out of Macy's without embarrassing myself, thank goodness.
So things are better now. I ate my lunch and am enjoying a huge glass of water (always helps). I've had some great conversations with my wonderful husband and his sister to try to figure things out with my MIL. I'm saddened to think she will never change but it's the truth. What can and will change is me. I will not let her manipulate me to that place of anger again. It's not worth it. She cannot be allowed to screw up my weight loss program. That's my job. Be strong. Be brave. Be the best me.
****
Officially I weighed .4 higher this week but I lost a full inch and 1% in body fat. Coming home, I ate lunch like a starving man (which I basically was) and drank a ton of water and felt a huge shift/lightness and I weighed myself again and sure enough, I lost weight. :-) Now, I know this scale is not as perfect as the one at my clinic but I did all the right things and got a little bit of exercise in when I was at the mall. I knew I felt different after I got home and ate. If I use the numbers from my last check I'm down 2 lbs again. I know that this isn't official but I think it's right. I'm going to stay vigilant and try to eat on time and avoid as much stress as I can. I may shift my foods around or add a little more protein and fat into my diet this week. That seems to get people over the hump.
I had a moment today.
Well, I had a huge moment yesterday to begin with. My MIL is staying with us for the summer months and we hadn't had a fight yet. Well...that changed last night. What it was about is unimportant. What it did to me, or should I say what I let it do to me was. I was so angry at her that I told her to stop being rude to me, and that her timing of her behavior sucked. I had an opening night for a show and my mind needed to be in a good place. I also needed to eat my dinner before the show and then bring plenty of water as well as my protein shake to sustain me throughout.
Well....none of the good stuff happened. I brought my salad with me but ended up having 3 or 4 bites. Did I remember the protein shake? Hell no. I was lucky to remember to bring water and to not tell her to fuck off before slamming the front door. Yeah.... not my proudest moment. I slammed my front door in anger. What I really WANTED to do what to actually punch my fist through a wall. I chose not to since I had to play piano for an orchestra that I'm contracted to for the next month.
So my weigh in today was a disaster. I gained. The last couple of nights I ate late. Last night my snack was at midnight. This morning, I had little to no water. My breakfast was 20 minutes before my weigh in. A RECIPE FOR DISASTER in the diet world.
I had a really good talk with my coach though and all will be well. It's a minor setback but she says my body will respond with a bigger loss next week. She also told me I lost another lb of body fat and I lost 1/2 an inch in my thigh and 1/2 inch in my waist! OMG! That was the reward for all the crap I have dealt with! Losses on the two most difficult parts of my body! (Yeah, I have no problems with my chest or hips!)
I went shopping at Macy's as thought I needed a new bra. Turns out, I'm the correct size which means I've been wearing too small of a bra for the last 3 years. Only now am I actually where my bra says. My current bras are shot though so it was time to buy and the best news was that my fitter said I needed less coverage as my chest is smaller. Trust me, this is good news! I hate feeling heavy up top!
So that was great news to counterbalance the bad weight gain news. The other awesome thing was that I tried on a size 12 pair of skinny pants and they FIT! That was the reward I've really been waiting for... I haven't been that small in 12 years! AHHHHHHHHHHHH!
After I found those pants I decided to look around some other departments in case there was a screaming deal. I ended up in the petite department (which I technically am) and saw some things that made me think "that reminds me of that outfit I bought my mom for Xmas." and the tears started to make their way up and out. Those tears really stung because it was a huge stab in my heart - especially after having to deal with my MIL these past few months. I just wanted that one more minute, one more day with my mom again. I had a total 'OUR TOWN' moment and would have done anything for that return to my past. I was able to pull out my acting skills though and walk out of Macy's without embarrassing myself, thank goodness.
So things are better now. I ate my lunch and am enjoying a huge glass of water (always helps). I've had some great conversations with my wonderful husband and his sister to try to figure things out with my MIL. I'm saddened to think she will never change but it's the truth. What can and will change is me. I will not let her manipulate me to that place of anger again. It's not worth it. She cannot be allowed to screw up my weight loss program. That's my job. Be strong. Be brave. Be the best me.
****
Officially I weighed .4 higher this week but I lost a full inch and 1% in body fat. Coming home, I ate lunch like a starving man (which I basically was) and drank a ton of water and felt a huge shift/lightness and I weighed myself again and sure enough, I lost weight. :-) Now, I know this scale is not as perfect as the one at my clinic but I did all the right things and got a little bit of exercise in when I was at the mall. I knew I felt different after I got home and ate. If I use the numbers from my last check I'm down 2 lbs again. I know that this isn't official but I think it's right. I'm going to stay vigilant and try to eat on time and avoid as much stress as I can. I may shift my foods around or add a little more protein and fat into my diet this week. That seems to get people over the hump.
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