Trying Something New

The time between 3:00 and 5:00 in the afternoon is a danger zone for me and my fitness goals. I start each day with the greatest intentions of sticking to my eating plan, and then 3:00 rolls around. My energy crashes, I feel exhausted, and I feel like I NEED to eat.

Even if I try to eat something small and healthy, it seems to trigger an afternoon binge. It's been so discouraging! I've been wondering how to change things to survive that time of day.

Last week, a friend sent an email that had a saying in it that I'd heard before:

You should eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a beggar.

Reading it this time, made me wonder if changing the order of my meals might help me with this afternoon dip. So I'm trying to eat a dinner size meal at lunch, a small afternoon snack that includes a healthy carb (like an apple) and a lean protein (like a hard boiled egg or string cheese) and then when I would have eaten dinner, I'm having a light lunch size meal.

I've got high hopes. I'll let you know if the change does any good for me. I'd love to hear if there are any other tips for increasing energy and curbing appetite for that time of day.

My Plan

I am so excited about all of you who are joining me for this challenge! I can't believe what a difference it has made for me already. Yesterday and today have been tough, but knowing you were all in this with me gave me an accountability factor that kept me on track. I'm not going to weigh in until next Tuesday morning, but I'm hoping I'm already on the way to our goal!

I wanted to get out "on paper," I mean cyberspace, exactly what my plan is for losing this weight. : )

Eating:

In the past, when it was time to lose weight, I would either diet and not have enough energy to exercise, or I'd workout hard and get so hungry, I'd blow my diet. This time I'm realizing that in order to be successful, I have to get that part balanced.

I've found that I lose weight at about 1200 calories. That is really low for a lot of people, but that seems like it is the magic number for me. I found, though, that not all calories are created equal. I have to make every one of those quality calories, or I get grumpy, always feel hungry, crash at about 3 or 4 o'clock, and often end up eating more than I should to make myself feel better.

So these are the rules I'm living by for food:

1. Produce and Protein at EVERY Meal/Snack I shoot for 3 fruits and about 4-5 servings of veggies a day. I add hardboiled eggs a lot or use milk or Whey powder for extra protein to breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack to help me get through my afternoon slump. I really think this is the "secret" to my success so far.

2. Spreading my calories out between 5-6 times a day to keep my blood sugar steady and me feeling satisfied.

3. Correct portions (measuring when I need to) *This is so eye opening for me when I start seeing what portions are supposed to be!

4. Trying to get at least 8 glasses of water in. This is always a tough for me because I'm such a coffee drinker but always makes a big difference in how I do.

5. Adding fiber or protein powder if I need to a meal to keep me satisfied (Generic Benefiber or Whey Powder)

Exercise:

I was doing so great with exercise until I had surgery in May and then hurt my back in August. I'm healed now from both, but need to be careful about my back, so I've got to ease into exercise again. For this week, my plan is to get at least 4-5 days of activity in, even if they are small. For example, Tuesday, I got up before the kids and rode my exercise bike, and then this morning was "Walk to School Day" for my girls, so I walked with them to school. Both weren't very intense, but I want to be careful to build up and not go gung ho like I always do and end up injured or eating too much. I'm looking for ways to play with my kids and to get outside in the Fall weather.

Eventually, I want to start doing the Couch to 5K plan again and work back up to P90X. I recommend the Couch to 5K plan if you are hoping to get into running. It was so great for me last Spring. It started out so easy and then I was completely ready for the race I ran. I can't wait to get that going again.

Inspiration:

I ordered a used copy on Amazon.com of Heather Kopp's book The Dieter's Prayer Book: Spiritual Power and Daily Encouragement. I've never read it, but am looking forward to getting that started, too. Let me know if any of you get it, too.

OK- That's my plan in a nutshell. : )

How have the first few days gone for all of you?
Anyone else want to join us?
Have you thought about what your plan is going to be?

I'm praying for all of us!

The 4 P's That Are Working for Me:

1. Prayer- This journey has been way more about me being spiritually healthy and figuring out what was the underlying causes of my weight issues. God has blessed me so much this time and I'm so grateful. I've asked Him to re-teach me how to eat and think about food and my body, to be the strength and discipline for me that I don't have in myself, and to show me how to do this in a way that would please Him.

2. Produce: I'm eating at least four servings of vegetables: 2 at lunch, 2 at dinner, and 3 fruits a day. The bulk of the veggies really curbs my appetite and the fruit has become a treat.

3. Portions: I think there are two schools of thought when it comes to dieting- eat bigger portions of "light" food or eat small portions of "real" food. I've learned to really enjoy real food, just less of it. I'm re-learning what a bowl of cereal should look like or allowing myself some dessert- just a little. I'm also using light foods, reduced calorie and fat, but I'm sticking to food that tastes good. I don't want to sacrifice taste just so I can have more.

4. Protein: Adding protein to my meals has helped so much with keeping my appetite down and steady. Whey protein is an easy way to add protein to meals.

I'm getting to a point where I'm really enjoying things. Shopping is getting fun again. I just feel good and I'm so grateful.

I weighed in this morning, so here's a progress report:

- 45 pounds since September

Goal: Lose ten more before August 14th and then learn how to maintain the weight loss. That is something I've never learned in the past. I've been a yo-yo dieter and am determined not to be this time.

Forced Rest

The 5K I ran last week was so wonderful. I wrote a devotion about it that you can read here if you are interested. I couldn't have asked for better weather or a greater sense of accomplishment. I felt strong and joyful and loved running through the parks and by the river. I've got the race bug now and can't wait to do another one.

Unfortunately, that's going to be awhile. On Wednesday, I had a minor surgery that I'm recovering from now. It will be 14 days before I can lift anything over 10 pounds and six weeks before I can get back to my exercise routine. I knew this surgery was coming when I started the P90X program, but I decided to start anyway. I plan to restart the program again after 6 weeks, but in the meantime, I'm a partial invalid.

My plan is to really focus on diet over these next 6 weeks. I'd like to try to lose some more fat and walk as much as I'm able. Then when I restart, it will be easier to see my progress.

It's the running that I miss the most. I'm surprised by how much I've grown to love running. It is such a thing of freedom for me. I don't even like to listen to music anymore. It is my escape time to pray and think and be completely alone with no one needing me. I can't wait to get back to it.

My next goal is to lose 20 pounds by August 14th, my baby's first birthday, and to run in a 5 mile race in September. I'm hoping that all the work I've already done will help to speed up recovery during this time of forced rest.

While I'm down, does anyone have prayer requests I can be praying about for you?
Also, I'd like to include some more fitness blogs on my sidebar. Let me know if you are a "fellow climber" and would be willing to share your blog with me.

Have a great weekend!

Last P90X Workout of Week One

I just finished my last workout of the week. Tomorrow is a rest day and then I will have completed my first week of P90X.

I LOVE IT!!! It is fun, tough, and humbling, but I feel great.

I'm still not sure about how I'm doing with my eating. The exercise alone has been a huge time commitment for me, so I haven't had the time to focus on the food yet. I think I'm doing OK though.

I'll weigh in on Wednesday morning and share my progress report then.

If you are considering doing P90X, here are a few observations I've made so far:

-It's not easy. You need to be already working out and have a basic level of fitness before you start. You might want to work up to this instead of starting here, unless you are crazy like me. : )

- Don't rely on the resistance bands. I think it is important to have weights and a pull up bar. I have the Door Gym that I bought locally. It's nice because it is portable and didn't need any hardware or drilling into my door frame.

- Pray first everyday. I have been really focused on P90X this week, and I've felt myself drifting a little spiritually. I love it but don't want it to become an obsession.

I'm so excited for Day 30 so I can compare pictures and measurements.

I'll be back on Wednesday to let you know how I did this week. I feel like I moved to the Biggest Loser ranch. : )

Three Days into P90X

Wow! I'm loving my new P90X program! It is humbling though. It is a really intense workout, but I really like a challenge.

I'm still in the learning curve phase, especially about how I should be eating. I read the nutrition guide that they provided and it confused me. Because it is a more extreme workout, they want you to be eating a lot higher calories than I am comfortable doing.

Since September, I've been eating 1200 - 1500 calories, running, and doing an occasional workout video to lose the weight, but it has been really easy for me to slip into maintenance mode. With this program, it says I should be eating around 1800 -2600 calories. That is a scary thought and just doesn't sound right. When I was watching the Biggest Loser the other night, though, Bob kept harping (get it Bob Harper, ha ha- OK I know I'm a dork) on his players to eat more, not less. I guess I just need to do some more research and experiment a little. All I'm doing right now is asking myself at every meal, "What would be good fuel for my body?" and then eating the right serving size, and not allowing myself to get full. I stop eating 3 hours before bedtime and I'm drinking a lot of water and eating more protein then usual. I've been so focused on all of this working out these past three days, I haven't had a lot of time to count calories. We'll see how it goes.

I have been really happy without how much energy I'm feeling lately. This is new for me! I've always been somewhat of a slug, but I feel really good and I'm excited about the goals I'm working toward.

My before pictures were a little depressing especially since I've worked so hard all ready that these are more like half way pictures, but it was good for me to have a starting point. I'm not quite ready to share any of them yet. Let's wait until I've made some progress then I might be a little more eager to show you the "before" shots. : )

How are you doing? Any prayer requests? Thanks so much to those of you who read this and encourage me. It means so much to me and keeps me motivated! Don't forget to leave comments.....I'm a comment junkie. : )

I'll give you a progress report soon.

Lessons Learned and Something New I'm Trying

You know, I've found it is fun to update this blog when I'm doing really well. As you can see I haven't updated in awhile, so you can probably guess how I've been doing with weight loss goals lately. Ha Ha. : )

It hasn't been stellar. BUT it has been good for me.

From the beginning of this journey, my biggest goal has been to make lasting change. I've learned a lot about myself over the past few weeks that I think were "Ah Ha" moments that will help me a lot over the long term.

First of all, I learned that success can be dangerous for me. I was so excited to lose that first 31 pounds and to be able to mark off my first goal, but then I got lazy. It wasn't on purpose, but the month of April has been a maintenance month instead of a losing month. As I continue to succeed and to reach goals, I need to be on guard for this tendency.

The other thing I've discovered is the food issue is way harder for me than making myself exercise. The more I'm getting into shape, the easier it is to push myself to workout. I really want to do it now. Not always, but in general I'm excited to get out for my runs. But limiting my eating is much harder. I was talking to my mom about it and she said, "Yeah, it is so much easier to make myself do something (exercise) than it is to keep myself from doing something (overeating)."

Self-discipline just isn't easy and denying appetite is really hard. Eating right is the key to my success here, though. The exercise is going great right now, but I still haven't lost any weight. Exercise alone just isn't enough.

OK, third thing I've figured out. Weight loss is not permanent. In the past, I always thought if I could just get to my goal everything will be wonderful, and I will be skinny for the rest of my life. The problem is it is so easy to regain the weight. I don't want to be fearful of this- that will just lead to gaining it faster, but I do want to be prepared to live a maintenance lifestyle.

Over Easter, I noticed I was gaining weight back. This scared me, so I re-focused and lost the weight I gained over again. When I do reach my ultimate goal and am ready for maintenance, I'm going to keep going like I'm going, with treats occasionally, enjoying life, but I have to be watchful (not obsessive) and say I will never gain back more than 3 pounds before I work to take it off again. Three pounds will be easier to take off and less discouraging than being surprised when I'm all of a sudden 20 pounds heavier again.

So, I haven't lost any weight in April yet. I haven't gained any either. I have gained some valuable insight so that is a good thing. And I think the rest has been good for me, too.

Also, I HAVE A CONFESSION TO MAKE! After a year of wanting to do it, I finally gave into the infomercial and ordered the P90X program from beachbody.com

I am so impatient for it to get here. It promises to get me "ripped in 90 days." We'll see!

My First Goal Accomplished

I weighed in this morning and was so happy to see I lost 1.9 pounds. Using a scale that is so precise works to my benefit on those weeks when I can celebrate a point something loss, but this time I would have liked to be able to say I lost 2 pounds, but I couldn't get that .1 to budge for me. Ha Ha.

This loss was significant because it meant I reached two goals! My first goal was to lose 31 lbs. by March 31st. I'm a few days late, but I've officially lost 31.3 lbs. The reason I wanted to lose 31 lbs. was because it meant I had broken into a new "decade" on the scale. Sorry, but I'm not willing to be so transparent that I tell you the actual number on the scale, but I now weigh ##8.7

I'm feeling so thankful! I was starting to slip with my eating. It was easy to grab a little handful of this or nibble on that and pretend like it doesn't count. I had to regroup this weekend and recommit. It paid off! : )

The beautiful spring weather we are having is really helping in the motivation department!

One goal down, four more to go!!!

Goals:
Run 5K race on May 16th
Run 5 mile race in September
Lose 50 pounds by August 14th
Lose 60 pounds by Christmas and then I celebrate!!!

Here's my current stats:
Pounds lost this week: - 1.9 lbs.
Total Pounds so far: - 31.3 lbs.Yippee!

Thanks for all of the encouragement! If you are writing a fitness blog of your own, let me know so I can add you to my "Fellow Climbers" section on the sidebar.

How Far Did I Go?

I lost one pound this week. Well, actually .8, but I'm rounding up. I stepped on the scale three times trying to get it to give me the .2 to make a full pound, but the scale wasn't cooperating. Oh well- a loss is a loss, and I'm just glad to see my weight-loss chart going down every week. I'm on a roll and it feels so good.

One of my prayer requests lately has been, "Lord, please re-teach me how to eat." I watch my kids eat. They'll walk away from desert if they are "done." I knew my portion sizes and brain didn't remember what was right and normal any more, so I need to be re-taught by my body's Designer. He has been so faithful in answering that prayer. I feel like I'm understanding myself better, have a good idea of how much food I really need, and am still enjoying some treats, too. I want this weight-loss this time to be permanent and the internal changes to be lasting. That's why I'm going to the Source- My Maker. : )

I wanted to share a great website called www.mapmyrun.com You can chart your walks or runs on their and it will calculate the distance. I love it! I used to have to try to measure it with my car to see how far I'd gone. I have fun plotting new routes and upping my distance. There is also a www.mapmyride.com for bike riders.

OK...Here's my current stats:

Pounds lost this week: - .8 lbs.
Pounds lost in March: - 7.4 lbs.
Total Pounds so far: - 29.4 lbs.
Yippee!

Goals:
Run 5K race on May 16th
Run 5 mile race in September
Lose 50 pounds by August 14th
Lose 60 pounds by Christmas and that's as far as I want to go. : )

Excited About Races

In my last post I mentioned that I am training for a 5K race by doing the "Couch to 5K" running plan. Just today I found the race I want to run. It's on May 16th. It is so neat how excited I feel to have a real race to look forward to. It is very motivating.

If that race goes well, I think I might consider training for a beginner's triathlon they are having here on August 6th. I would DEFINITELY qualify as a beginner. It sounds kind of scary but fun, too.

I also started a new eating plan today. My mom belongs to Curves and loaned me her book. I was intrigued by their eating plan and decided to give it a try. It is a 30-day cycle, 3- phase diet. Phase 1 goes for 1 week of 1200 calories and higher protein, Phase 2 goes for the rest of the month and is 1500 calories, and then you do a 3rd maintenance phase for 2-4 weeks to give your metabolism a rest before you start the dieting cycle over again. I like the idea of this being slow and easy on my metabolism. I've got a slow one anyway and been a life-long dieter. I'm excited to see how this goes for me. I'll let you know.

I'm creeping toward my 50 lb. goal. I'm approximately 1/2 way there. I wanted to be there by the end of this month, but I'm seeing that is pretty unrealistic. I don't want to do this too fast and gain it back again. My new goal is to be there by summer.

For exercise, I'm doing the Couch to 5K plan three days a week and filling in the rest of the time with videos from Netflix. My favorites are the ones by Ellen Barrett. I love the Pick Your Level Weight-loss Pilate's and even though it is really cheesy, I do like Jillian Michael's Cardio Kickbox. I'm also doing the Bikini Ready Fast but don't worry, I was only teasing about running my 5K in a bikini. The world is not ready for that yet, and neither am I. Ha Ha!!