I worked so hard through the holidays to lose weight, and ended up losing 10 pounds. I stepped on the scale this morning, and 7 of those pounds are back. WHAT WHAT?!
I could go into extreme excuse making – I went away, we had a blizzard, then we had another snow storm, blah blah blah…but really, it’s nothing more than excuses.
I know I ate (and drank) way too much both when we were away in Vermont and during the blizzard. We were cooped up in the house for 3 full days during the blizzard and I used it as an excuse to be lazy.
I’m frustrated with myself, which in a way is good, because that is what it takes for me to take action.
Ultimate Goal: 125 pounds. If my scale is accurate, that’s a 13 pound weight loss (say WHAT?!). Obviously then a few tweaks need to be made. As I write this I’ve eaten breakfast, a snack (Chobani), another snack (Kashi Pumpkin Spice Flax granola bars), and lunch. It’s 2:30 in the afternoon, and I’m hungry again. I’m boiling water for some peppermint tea with hopes that quells the hunger, as I’m going to workout in an hour or so. I’ll eat a banana before my workout, but I don’t want to eat another meal right now.
Thoughts on tweaks to make:
1) Reduce alcohol intake. This is a no brainer. I enjoy a couple beers or a glass of wine (or 2) more often than not on weeknights. I’m going to cut that out – empty calories right there! I will allow myself to indulge (just not go overboard) on the weekends.
2) Cardio after weights. I know for a fact that cardio after weights burns fat, yet I never do it. That’s about to change.
3) Cleaner eating. I eat pretty clean to begin with – I don’t eat out often, I don’t eat processed. But now it’s time to clean it up even more. I’m going to the grocery store tonight as a matter of fact – to pick up a bunch of stuff that will be exactly what I need.
4) No carbs after 6 p.m. This isn’t a hard and fast rule, but more of a “most of the time” rule. I’m going to give it a try and see what happens.
I want this more than anything – and I have a bf who is going to help me come up with a serious workout plan, and a roommate who also wants to get in better shape and start eating better. Talk about two excellent accountability partners!
Do you guys have anything to add to my tweaks list? I’d love your input!
Sounds like you have a pretty good thing going. I’ve never known about the weights after cardio thing. Admire you for going carbless after 6pm, I only get home after 6 so that would be a sad dinner for me.
Good luck
, look forward to reading about it!
Samantha….this could not have come at a more perfect time! In addition to my personal training sessions and your fantastic running schedule, my reflection is not changing. WHY?…. because of what I’ve been putting in my mouth. After my training session today, I recruited Eric (bf) to help encourage and remind me of my fitness goals. Since we enjoy eating out and of course having a few….or several…. cocktails, I knew I’d need him to help. He, of course, is all for it and I’m looking forward to finally smiling at the reflection looking back at me. I love my fitness team and honestly don’t think I could have come this far without all of you. : )
Food for thought: Summary of a chapter from “Wheat Belly”
Chapter 4: Hey, Man, Wanna Buy Some Exorphins? The Addictive Properties of Wheat
•While you knowingly consume coffee and alcohol to obtain specific mind effects, wheat is something you consume for “nutrition”, not for a “fix”. But it is easy to underestimate the psychological pull of wheat.
•Wheat can dictate food choice, calorie consumption, timing of meals and snacks, influence mood and behaviors, dominate thoughts.
•When people stop ingesting wheat products, 30% experience something that can only be called withdrawal: fatigue, mental fog, irritability, inability to function at work or school, depression.
•People who haven’t experienced these effects find it hard to believe that something as pedestrian as wheat can affect the central nervous system as much as nicotine or crack cocaine do.
•Dr F. Curtis Dohan observed that the people of New Guinea virtually had no known cases of schizophrenia prior to the introduction of Western influence. Once beer made from barley and corn were introduced, he watched the incidence of schizophrenia skyrocket sixty-five-fold.
•Autism has gone from being rare in the the mid-twentieth century to 1 in 150 children in the twenty-first century.
•Gluten is one of wheat’s main proponents. Gluten is degraded to a mix of polypeptides. Once having gained entry into the brain, wheat polypeptides bind to the brain’s morphine receptor, the very same receptor to which opiate drugs bind.
•Wheat is an appetite stimulant: it makes you want more both wheat containing and non-wheat containing foods.
If you want, I can show you what the 2011 & 2012 World Body Building Federation Bikini Champions did to tweak their diet and exercise routines. I could probably even put you in touch with them if you’d like.
That would be fantastic!
Is eating clean hard? I’ve always wanted to try, but I’ve been afraid that I’d end up spending more money and it would be hard to keep up with it.
It’s not hard at all! And you will spend either the same amount or maybe even less money because you’re not buying processed foods!