9 1/2 Weeks

I meant to blog on my weigh-in day, this past Saturday, but had a very busy few days.  So I will start with the celebrations:  I hit the 20 lbs lost mark on Saturday!  Woo hoo!  I also peeked at the measuring tape and am down some more inches.  I'm fitting into more clothes that I haven't been able to wear and feeling great!  Now for the struggles:  It was my moms birthday and I had her over for dinner on Sunday.  She is Vegan, so I wanted to make a dinner especially for her.  Although it was very healthy, it was not on my plan.  As I was trying to figure out what to make, I looked at Pinterest and opened a huge can of worms.  Everything looked so good, but none of it on my plan.  I made the mistake of making thee Milky Way Cupcakes, sine caramel is my moms favorite.  They weren't vegan or healthy.  Not only that, but after church, I had fish tacos!  Sunday I went totally off program.  Monday I paid for it as I had a stomach ache and felt like poop!  Yesterday I worked out in the morning and was hungry all day.  I went off program again!  So, today is Wednesday.  My weight is up a little.  I am committed to this program and am determined to stay on plan.  I am running low on food, my order is supposed to arrive Friday, but I will stick to the 5 & 1 and not waiver!  My goal for the rest of this week is to not only stay 100% on plan, but to also start reading Habits of Health and doing the workbook.

Month 2 Starts Today

18 lbs down, 12 1/2 inches smaller and BMI is 3.29 lower!  My clothes that were tight fit nicely and some even too loose.  I am down a size from when I first started on July 12th.  I feel great, my energy is good.  I have not had any super strong cravings, just fleeting thoughts of candy, pizza or desserts.  I have to say, I have been hungry here and there.  It usually is because I exercised that day or didn't have enough at my Lean & Green meal.  I have stuggled with measuring.  I know that I need to be more diligent about that and my weight loss will probably speed up.  I also have not been consistent with exercise.  So again, my month 2 goals will be to weigh and measure my lean & green portions and to get my exercise in!  Here is my progress pics:

Week 6 Underway

I have lived for the past 5 weeks without any waine, pasta, beans, rice, bread, creamer, or candy...and I have not only survived, but haven't had any major cravings!  I continue to be amazed that my body and mind are changing so much.  I'm down to 168.5, that's 16lbs of fat gone since starting the 5&1 plan and Take Shape For Life.  My mind is transforming by the fact that I went through some stressful things over the past 5 weeks and didn't turn to food or wine.  It didn't even cross my mind.  I've been to Winco several times and didn't buy candy in the bulk section.  I've been out to resteraunts and did not stray.  I'm so excited and believe that I am truly transforming and will not only reach my weight loss goal, but keep the weight off and reach optimal health.  With all this said......



Yesterday was the first time in 5 weeks that I went off plan.  Not because of temptation, but because of necessesity. I had already had my first two meals of the day and headed out with friends for a bike ride.  Well, it ended being a 2 hour ride, 23 miles and I forgot to bring a meal to eat on the road.  I started getting a little lightheaded so a friend gave me a few sports beans.  We got to our destination, Scott's Seafood and that is when I hit the wall, big time.  I felt like I was going to throw up, sweat started pouring and then I got the chills.  The waitress brought the bread and I was determind to not have any.  Actually, I wasn't even tempted.  I was feeling so dizzy and having an outer body experience.  My friends said I was as white a a ghost and my lips turned blue. I asked th waitress to bring orange slices for some quick sugar and my friend told me I had to eat that bread to get those carbs in.  I was desperate to not cause a seen by passing out, so I had some.  I felt better within a few minutes but just couldn't eat my lean and green.  I had 2 pieces of this wonderful sourdough bread.  I called my health coach and she reassured me that I will not gain a bunch of weight or sabotage my efforts.  Just get right bac on plan, so I am.  I weighed this morning and am down half of a pound,  So al that TSFL says about exercise is right on the money.  When on plan, no more than 45 minutes at a moderate intensity.

5th Week Slump

Well, week 5 went well, but I didn't lose any weight.  I'm a little discouraged, but am not giving up!  I feel really good and am going to trust that this week my weight will drop.  Looking back over this past week, I think I can pinpoint a few reasons the scale may not have moved.
I started running 3 days a week and strength training.  I think that possibly the added exercise burned more calories than I ate and my body could be holding onto the fat.  I thought I was keeping my intensity low enough, but there were a few times that I worked out pretty hard.  The other reason my weight may have plateued a little is that I haven't been weighing and measuring my lean & green meals.  So starting today, I am going to be more diligent with that.
Some changes I've noticed is that my clothes are fitting better and some even are a little loose.  My stomach seems a little flatter too.  My energy is still good and my plantar faciatis is gone.
Today is Monday, so I'm actually halfway through my 6th week.  Thursday is my official weigh in day, so for the next 3 days I am going to be strict with my lean & green meals and condiments.  I also am going to be sure to pay attention to my workout intensity.

Live Your Life and Forget Your Age

A few weeks ago I was at a concert in the park at Seal Beach.  With the ocean in the background, a warm breeze in the air and surrounded by friends listening to a great band, I was in a deep reflective mood.  I am not the greatest dancer in the world and I felt a little self-conscisous about getting up and dancing in front of all those people.  So I sat in my beach chair people watching and using the excuse that my knee hurt is why I couldn't dance. Which was true, I am still recovering from a sprained MCL and torn meniscus!
Seal Beach is a really great small beach community with some very friendly people.  I had never been there before but after my very short visit, I want to retire there!  As I looked around at the crowd, many were seniors with beautiful smiles and happy wrinkles around their eyes.  One couple caught my attention though.  They must have been well into their eighties, both a little hunched over, but slim and healthy looking.  The gentleman led his bride to the dance floor and these two lovebirds stayed out there dancing song after song.  She was beaming and he seemed to just cherish this woman in the way he spun her as they danced.  It brought tears to my eyes to see how much fun this couple was having.  When the music died down and the crowd was dispersing, I saw this wonderful couple again.  He was packing up their chairs and she was just dancing away, shaking her hips, hands in the air and a twinkle in her eyes.
Now, a few weeks after my day at Seal Beach, I realize just how much this couple taught me.  I never spoke with them, but their actions spoke volumes to me.  I love to be active!  I love to run, hike, cycle, swim, take long walks and enjoy the great outdoors.  However, to be able to continue to do all of those things well into my golden years, I need to be sure to take care of myself now.  I'm no spring chicken, but I have many more years to live.  Since I entered into my 40's, my body just isn't the same.  It takes forever to recover from injuries, my joints sometimes ache for no apparent reason, my weight won't seem to budge especially in my belly, it's harder to see and sometimes I walk into a room with a purpose just to stand there trying to remember what I came there for!  The beautiful dancing elderly couple had all the same issues but magnified 10 times I'm certain, yet they lived their life as if they were in their 20's.  There are so many things that I want to do - an olympic distance triathlon, the Tough Mudder, travel, climb Half Dome and much more.  So for me, no more wishing...time to really start living and not use age as an excuse to not try new things.
Some other things I learned from that lovely couple is that I can't worry about what others think.  They got up on that dance floor and danced like rockstars.  They were not professional dancers, they just let go and had a ball!  So, join me in this new life mantra...Live your life and forget your age!

My First Month

It has been one month since starting the 5 & 1 Plan with Take Shape For Life and I couldn't be more pleased with my results!  It works!!!  I lost 14 lbs in 4 weeks, 2 inches in my chest, 3 inches in my waist, 2 inches in my hips and 2 inches in my thighs!  I feel so good!  My energy level is high, my sleep is pretty good and my cravings are gone.  There has been some temptations but I was able to resist.  For the most part I haven't been hungry.  The times that I felt hungry, I just ate my meal at 2 hrs instead of 3 or ate a dill pickle or popsicle (optional snacks).  Drinking the water has really helped as well as Powerade Zero.  I started adding exercise in a little and I continue to lose weight.  I am keeping the intensity level pretty low and my weights not too heavy.  My goal for this month is to be more consistent with exercise and to do some sort of cardio everyday.  I am still struggling with being too sedentary when I'm not at work so I need to get moving more.

Ok Month #2 - lets do this!  I want to lose another 14 lbs in the next 4 weeks!

Week 3 Review

This past week was the first week that I had any real feelings of temptation.  I went to Capitola with my mom and kids and had a great day.  However, there were resteraunts, bakeries and ice cream shops all over the place.  I was tempted to have some ice cream, but didn't.  My husband just got home after he spent a week in Idaho visiting his dad.  While he was away, it was eay to prepare my lean and green and have something different for the kids.  With my husband home, it's a little tougher.  I am also feeling a little more stress.  Stress is my trigger to eat sweets.  I will not turn to food to comfort me, but it crossed my mind a few times last week.



I measured myself this morning as well.  In 3 weeks, I have lost 11 lbs, 1 inch in my chest, 2.5 in my waist, 1 in my hips, 1 in my right thigh and 2 in my left.  Woo hoo!  Week 4 here I come!