So the whole 'No Sugar, No Wheat' thing is getting easier and easier. I don't feel like I am missing anything, I'm way less hungry and the natural sweetness of food really shines through now.
I'm also starting to understand a little more about the way my body works. For example, this week we added a second fruit back into to our diets. I was happy because I missed that fruit so I packed up a banana to go with my homemade yogurt and frozen cherries and headed to work. All other things were normal. I had fewer vegetables to compensate for the extra fruit. WELLL, I was ravenous with the addition of the banana. Maybe the banana plus the cherries plus the carrots was too much for me? All I know is that I probably ate about 500 calories more eating the banana over not eating it. Interesting.
So yesterday instead of a banana, I took strawberries as my second fruit. I had no such effect. Another observation I've made is that I'm no where near as hungry, so I can definitely scale back my portions. First a little then maybe a lot in the future.
I've been taking quinoa tabbouleh with chicken and avocado for lunch. Delicious and filling but I need to shake it up next week so I don't get bored. Snacks have been veg with hummus and yogurt with fruit.
Workouts have been pretty good. I couldn't face the thought of 30 Day Shred coupled with running and a lunchtime walk for May, so 30 Day Shred will get moved to June and I will alternate Yoga Meltdown with a few other workout DVDs. I'm also incorporating a lot more yoga as I need to make sure that I get some good stretching in after all those workouts.
One thing I'm really torn with is Weight Watchers. More and more I feel like my idea of what's healthy diverges with Weight Watchers. I'm still going to the meetings for the accountability and the friends I have there, but 45 bucks a month is a lot to pay for friendship.
So here's where I diverge with Weight Watchers. 1) Weight Watchers seems to be, at its heart, a low carb, low fat diet. I believe that eating MORE heart healthy fats trigger your satiety points and in turn you eat less. 2) Weight Watchers allows unlimited 'free' fruits and vegetables. These foods are not without calories and they should all 'cost' something. 3) (Most importantly to me) Weight Watchers sells a ton of nutritionally void processed crap, both at your local supermarket and in the front of their meeting locations. It's literally not possible for me to disagree with that more. That kind of stuff TRIGGERS more overeating in people like me. I feel like the moment they hitched their wagon to that kind of stuff, they should have re-evaluated if 'healthy' was their prime objective.
I can't tell you how many of the meetings I have attended over the years where I hear someone talk about hacking a recipe, driving down the points value for some junk food by adding fiber one to it. STOP ADDING FIBER TO SHIT AND JUST EAT REAL FOOD. So I'm struggling with that and trying to formulate a plan where I leave Weight Watchers and keep up my health living journey.
I'm not convinced I am strong enough to go it alone yet... But I bet I can sort something out.
I'm going to try to check in more in this space and keep you all informed about what I'm up to. I'm still here, still plugging away.
Be well, everyone.
01 May 2014
28 April 2014
Suuuugar
I've been throwing down the Gauntlet Against Sugar for the past 2 weeks. In that time, my cravings have decreased significantly. I've not eaten anything with added sugar at all in that time WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SOMETHING SNEAKY. I'm looking at you Costco's Rotisserie Chicken. WHY does that have sugar in it? Stupid and frustrating.
I've made a lot of really positive changes in my life in the past couple of years. I'm fitter/stronger/heathier.
I'm still overweight and still overweight by about the same amount I was before but that's OK. I'm smaller than I was, changing my relationship with food and making permanent changes.
I've been running with Conner most days, gearing up for Mile A Day May. The dog loves it and I love it. I've also got a May challenge coming up to eat clean and to workout as much as possible. I think I will hit up the 30 Day Shred and also some Yoga. This plus the addition of a Fitbit I've got coming and I should be on track to be the healthiest 40 year old possible in June.
I've got this.
I've made a lot of really positive changes in my life in the past couple of years. I'm fitter/stronger/heathier.
I'm still overweight and still overweight by about the same amount I was before but that's OK. I'm smaller than I was, changing my relationship with food and making permanent changes.
I've been running with Conner most days, gearing up for Mile A Day May. The dog loves it and I love it. I've also got a May challenge coming up to eat clean and to workout as much as possible. I think I will hit up the 30 Day Shred and also some Yoga. This plus the addition of a Fitbit I've got coming and I should be on track to be the healthiest 40 year old possible in June.
I've got this.
20 April 2014
It's always a struggle
As long as I live, I will never not be struggling against sugar addiction. I crave it hardcore.
I'm trying to go 30 days without any sugar or sweetener added to my food. I'm really only at about day 3, and it's tough. I've cut waaaaay back otherwise and the only added sugar I had last week was from sneaky sources.
Which brings me to a point... WHY is there sugar in chicken sausage and in rotisserie chicken? MEAT DOESN'T NEED SUGAR.
*grumble*
My weight is still up and down. I'm fine with this because as I fight sugar cravings, I'm eating more of other things like nuts, nut butter which is not calorie free or low in points.
My trainer challenged us to really turn up the fight on sugar this week. We are also avoiding things like
*all refined flours (already doing this)
*carrots
*potatoes
and limiting
*fruit to one piece per day
*cheese to an amount the size of your thumb
*milk to one serving per day
PLUS sweets. She totally ratcheted things up by issuing that challenge on Easter week. I'm a little shocked at how much sugar is in my son's Easter Basket. It's quite a lot. In general, I want to remove most of my family's dependence on sugar. It causes so many more problems than just weight. *Sigh*
I really hope I can avoid passing my food issues along to my son.
I'm trying to go 30 days without any sugar or sweetener added to my food. I'm really only at about day 3, and it's tough. I've cut waaaaay back otherwise and the only added sugar I had last week was from sneaky sources.
Which brings me to a point... WHY is there sugar in chicken sausage and in rotisserie chicken? MEAT DOESN'T NEED SUGAR.
*grumble*
My weight is still up and down. I'm fine with this because as I fight sugar cravings, I'm eating more of other things like nuts, nut butter which is not calorie free or low in points.
My trainer challenged us to really turn up the fight on sugar this week. We are also avoiding things like
*all refined flours (already doing this)
*carrots
*potatoes
and limiting
*fruit to one piece per day
*cheese to an amount the size of your thumb
*milk to one serving per day
PLUS sweets. She totally ratcheted things up by issuing that challenge on Easter week. I'm a little shocked at how much sugar is in my son's Easter Basket. It's quite a lot. In general, I want to remove most of my family's dependence on sugar. It causes so many more problems than just weight. *Sigh*
I really hope I can avoid passing my food issues along to my son.
13 April 2014
Sugar
I have a sugar problem. It's severe. If I avoid sugar, I look around for it everywhere. I eat a lot trying to fill that triggered craving.
It's time to stop that.
That's why it was so perfect when Threw Down The Gauntlet and challenged me to give up sugar for 30 days. I'm taking wheat with it, because I find wheat to be triggering, too.
I'm going to try some of their recipes during the next 30 days (which start tomorrow.)
I'm going to try to blog more about how this feels, too. Generally, I'm guessing that I will feel crappy at first but then feel preeeetty darn good.
Here are some of the things I will be trying...
I'm going to try to blog about this more in this space.
I also want to be blunt. I'm expecting a big gain at Weight Watchers today. I'm not excited about it, but it's not undeserved. I've allowed myself to be triggered into binge eating and over eating for days and days.
So, my plan for today to get ready for this challenge
1) Make my homemade yogurt this morning
2) get my carrots and celery peeled and washed and ready to snack on
3) clear out triggering items today.
I'll get this sorted out.
It's time to stop that.
That's why it was so perfect when Threw Down The Gauntlet and challenged me to give up sugar for 30 days. I'm taking wheat with it, because I find wheat to be triggering, too.
I'm going to try some of their recipes during the next 30 days (which start tomorrow.)
I'm going to try to blog more about how this feels, too. Generally, I'm guessing that I will feel crappy at first but then feel preeeetty darn good.
Here are some of the things I will be trying...
- eat more healthy fat- including a minimum of 2 tablespoons per day
- eat full fat dairy
- limit my fruit to 3 servings per day
- eat more vegetables
- try to include a healthy fat with each meal or snack
I'm going to try to blog about this more in this space.
I also want to be blunt. I'm expecting a big gain at Weight Watchers today. I'm not excited about it, but it's not undeserved. I've allowed myself to be triggered into binge eating and over eating for days and days.
So, my plan for today to get ready for this challenge
1) Make my homemade yogurt this morning
2) get my carrots and celery peeled and washed and ready to snack on
3) clear out triggering items today.
I'll get this sorted out.
08 April 2014
Countdown to 40
So, anyway, my laptop died, which is lame. This doesn't mean anything other than I don't have my very own computer that I can use to make infrequent posts. I use my husbands and it's very frequently occupied.
All ridiculous excuses aside. It's been going well and it's been going tough, this counting down to 40.
So, where am I with this?
1) Do a better job keeping my whole house clean. My kid is 6. He can start to pitch in with his own mess. I can sit on my ass less. I can be proud of my home. I don't need to knit for 3 hours per day.
Welllllllllllll, not much to see here, move along. All jokes aside, some things are improving. We all have work to do here. But there's plans to create a playroom and remove the LIVING ROOM mess, which is the mess that makes me craziest.
2) Strength training. I've got to do it. Period. I'm going to do strength on Tuesdays, Thursdays and on Saturday when my trainer hands my ass to me for 90 minutes.
This will never not be a struggle for me. I try, but I am not motivated to do it. I have to get motivated.
3) Cardio. I'm going to start running again as soon as the sidewalks clear. I'll be taking the dog for daily walks until then.
Blah, Stupid foot. I have an injury. It's been 3 weeks, it's not getting better. So, I said 'Eff It" and ran with the dog. It went ok and hurt no more than walking on it.
4) Stretching. Yoga and I are going to rekindle our relationship. This will help with the pain that comes from numbers 2 and 3.
This could be better. I'm doing a sun salutations challenge right now. That totally counts, right?
5) Food. I've been doing well on that regard, but it can always be better. I'm going to continue to watch what I put in my mouth and remove my reliance on man-made food. I'll eat what I have and then make a positive change for my health and for the health of my family.
Awful, devastating, terrible. Sugar addiction is kicking my ass lately. I'm working on it and taking things day by day. Counting points even when it sucks to do it. That's all I've got.
6) Push Ups. SOME WAY, SOME HOW I am going to do 40 push ups on my toes.
This? I've got this in the win column. I did 40 push ups on my toes last night. It was 2 sets of 10 and 4 sets of 5 but I did it. I just need to work on doing first all 40 in sets of 10, then 45 in sets of 15, then 40 in sets of 20, then 50 in sets of 25 and THEN JUST DO THEM ALL, OK?
Thanks for reading, touching base with me and reminding me I have a blog. I need ALLL of these things. I'm here, I'm clipping along and I'm still trying too hard to figure it all out.
All ridiculous excuses aside. It's been going well and it's been going tough, this counting down to 40.
So, where am I with this?
1) Do a better job keeping my whole house clean. My kid is 6. He can start to pitch in with his own mess. I can sit on my ass less. I can be proud of my home. I don't need to knit for 3 hours per day.
Welllllllllllll, not much to see here, move along. All jokes aside, some things are improving. We all have work to do here. But there's plans to create a playroom and remove the LIVING ROOM mess, which is the mess that makes me craziest.
2) Strength training. I've got to do it. Period. I'm going to do strength on Tuesdays, Thursdays and on Saturday when my trainer hands my ass to me for 90 minutes.
This will never not be a struggle for me. I try, but I am not motivated to do it. I have to get motivated.
3) Cardio. I'm going to start running again as soon as the sidewalks clear. I'll be taking the dog for daily walks until then.
Blah, Stupid foot. I have an injury. It's been 3 weeks, it's not getting better. So, I said 'Eff It" and ran with the dog. It went ok and hurt no more than walking on it.
4) Stretching. Yoga and I are going to rekindle our relationship. This will help with the pain that comes from numbers 2 and 3.
This could be better. I'm doing a sun salutations challenge right now. That totally counts, right?
5) Food. I've been doing well on that regard, but it can always be better. I'm going to continue to watch what I put in my mouth and remove my reliance on man-made food. I'll eat what I have and then make a positive change for my health and for the health of my family.
Awful, devastating, terrible. Sugar addiction is kicking my ass lately. I'm working on it and taking things day by day. Counting points even when it sucks to do it. That's all I've got.
6) Push Ups. SOME WAY, SOME HOW I am going to do 40 push ups on my toes.
This? I've got this in the win column. I did 40 push ups on my toes last night. It was 2 sets of 10 and 4 sets of 5 but I did it. I just need to work on doing first all 40 in sets of 10, then 45 in sets of 15, then 40 in sets of 20, then 50 in sets of 25 and THEN JUST DO THEM ALL, OK?
Thanks for reading, touching base with me and reminding me I have a blog. I need ALLL of these things. I'm here, I'm clipping along and I'm still trying too hard to figure it all out.
07 March 2014
Countdown to 40
90 Days. I've got 90 days before I turn 40. I'm not sure how it happened, but here it is.
90 days before I'm an age I never thought I'd be. 90 days to make some really positive changes in my life.
I don't want to whimper into 40. I want to go into the next decade of my life with purpose, as fit as I can be. I want to go in feeling accomplished.
So I've got a goal.
To be the fittest me I can by 40, I want to:
1) Do a better job keeping my whole house clean. My kid is 6. He can start to pitch in with his own mess. I can sit on my ass less. I can be proud of my home. I don't need to knit for 3 hours per day.
2) Strength training. I've got to do it. Period. I'm going to do strength on Tuesdays, Thursdays and on Saturday when my trainer hands my ass to me for 90 minutes.
3) Cardio. I'm going to start running again as soon as the sidewalks clear. I'll be taking the dog for daily walks until then.
4) Stretching. Yoga and I are going to rekindle our relationship. This will help with the pain that comes from numbers 2 and 3.
5) Food. I've been doing well on that regard, but it can always be better. I'm going to continue to watch what I put in my mouth and remove my reliance on man-made food. I'll eat what I have and then make a positive change for my health and for the health of my family.
6) Push Ups. SOME WAY, SOME HOW I am going to do 40 push ups on my toes.
Forty is going to be freaking FABULOUS. I've got this.
90 days before I'm an age I never thought I'd be. 90 days to make some really positive changes in my life.
I don't want to whimper into 40. I want to go into the next decade of my life with purpose, as fit as I can be. I want to go in feeling accomplished.
So I've got a goal.
To be the fittest me I can by 40, I want to:
1) Do a better job keeping my whole house clean. My kid is 6. He can start to pitch in with his own mess. I can sit on my ass less. I can be proud of my home. I don't need to knit for 3 hours per day.
2) Strength training. I've got to do it. Period. I'm going to do strength on Tuesdays, Thursdays and on Saturday when my trainer hands my ass to me for 90 minutes.
3) Cardio. I'm going to start running again as soon as the sidewalks clear. I'll be taking the dog for daily walks until then.
4) Stretching. Yoga and I are going to rekindle our relationship. This will help with the pain that comes from numbers 2 and 3.
5) Food. I've been doing well on that regard, but it can always be better. I'm going to continue to watch what I put in my mouth and remove my reliance on man-made food. I'll eat what I have and then make a positive change for my health and for the health of my family.
6) Push Ups. SOME WAY, SOME HOW I am going to do 40 push ups on my toes.
Forty is going to be freaking FABULOUS. I've got this.
19 January 2014
Time to break the cycle
I've been on holiday mode for weeks. In my world, holiday mode is eat a lot of crap, gain weight, get my groove back, lose the gain, rinse and repeat.
I restarted my activity challenge on my active link and I am going to change my focus away from sugar. I've been eating A TON of sugar. It's ridiculous, really.
I was thinking about doing Weight Watchers' Simple Start, so I think I will start that on Monday. Not today, because today we are having a birthday party to celebrate my son turning six! I want to relax and enjoy his party. His birthday marks the end of the holiday season for me, so I am hopeful I can get my groove back.
I'm down right at 20 lbs from last year. I need to get the scale back into a losing trend and myself back into the right mindset.
Simple goals for this week. Track all my food, have at least 3 days without added sugar and end the week without dipping into my activity points. Meet my Active Link challenge activity level every day.
I've been struggling with resentment. WHY do I have such food issues, I resent having them. I just want to be able to take or leave certain foods and that's just not me. I don't do that. EVER. That's why I am gearing up to do Simple Start. It focuses mainly on real food, with small indulgences every day. I do take some exception to what qualifies as an indulgence, but what are you going to do?
I need to start training for Fight For Air. If you feel so inclined, please feel free to support my climb. It's the toughest event I do, and it's for an important cause. Any help you can give on my fundraising efforts would be greatly appreciated.
Starting today, I will begin doing the stairs in my house 30 times per day. I'll add more next week and the week after. I suspect this will go a long way towards hitting my activity goal.
So, in summary, I am not on track right now, but am going to get back on track RIGHT NOW. Just by putting one foot in front of the other.
I restarted my activity challenge on my active link and I am going to change my focus away from sugar. I've been eating A TON of sugar. It's ridiculous, really.
I was thinking about doing Weight Watchers' Simple Start, so I think I will start that on Monday. Not today, because today we are having a birthday party to celebrate my son turning six! I want to relax and enjoy his party. His birthday marks the end of the holiday season for me, so I am hopeful I can get my groove back.
I'm down right at 20 lbs from last year. I need to get the scale back into a losing trend and myself back into the right mindset.
Simple goals for this week. Track all my food, have at least 3 days without added sugar and end the week without dipping into my activity points. Meet my Active Link challenge activity level every day.
I've been struggling with resentment. WHY do I have such food issues, I resent having them. I just want to be able to take or leave certain foods and that's just not me. I don't do that. EVER. That's why I am gearing up to do Simple Start. It focuses mainly on real food, with small indulgences every day. I do take some exception to what qualifies as an indulgence, but what are you going to do?
I need to start training for Fight For Air. If you feel so inclined, please feel free to support my climb. It's the toughest event I do, and it's for an important cause. Any help you can give on my fundraising efforts would be greatly appreciated.
Starting today, I will begin doing the stairs in my house 30 times per day. I'll add more next week and the week after. I suspect this will go a long way towards hitting my activity goal.
So, in summary, I am not on track right now, but am going to get back on track RIGHT NOW. Just by putting one foot in front of the other.
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