Wow! Shocking Weight

I knew Alan and I were entering vacation mode a bit early and the end of the school year celebrations effecting my eating but I did not expect the horrible number on the scale. Even as a fluke, I need to double down on my eating this week so I can feel good going into my Saturday run and week beach vacation.

PHEW : I was back down to where I expected today. Good wake up call!!

Food Plan for June 13
1/3c oatmeal, 1 apple, 6 walnuts,
1 banana
Scramble: 1 egg, 2 egg whites, spinach, broccoli, onion, peppers, tomatoes
Hummus and Veggies (tomatoes, carrots, green beans, broccoli)
Salad and Falafals and Catalop
.5 c cereal + .5 c milk
OOPSes: 3 animal cookies, .5c Check Mix

Food Plan for June 14
1/3 cup oatmeal, blackberries, strawberries, .25c yogurt
1 banana
Hummus and Veggies (carrots, broccoli, cucumbers)
Pops Cereal - (160 calories)
Scramble: 1 egg, 2 egg whites, spinach, broccoli, onion, peppers, tomatoes
Yogurt Activa
Dinner: << Alan making something >>

Buy Pre-cut Veggies (5/25)

This is another "How do you throw money at a weight issue". Ideally I would be able to shop more often and have cut veggies on hand. But there are times when you have to face the fact that you are going to reach for convenience, so it might as well be in the form of pre-cut celery then packaged m&ms.

Know when you are being promiscuous with food (4/25)

I'm not a big Kirstie Alley fan, but she was once on Oprah talking about ... what else ... weight loss. She made the analogy about being promiscuous with food, just like people can be promiscuous with people. The idea is a promiscuous man believes there are no consequences to his actions. I have the same disconnect with food. It is unnatural for me to think "If I eat this pint of Ben and Jerry's, I will gain weight".

The idea is not to never eat something extravagant, never to have an extra drink or two, never to go to a all you can eat buffet. BUT when you do, face it, realize you are doing something that does not support your weight loss goals and move on. Remember it for next time so you can skip it or wait for something better.

Even more important, if you know you will be indulging, be extra careful to eat right\simple\well for the rest of the day\week. It is not the once in a while that kill us, it is the everyday habits.

Throw half away (3/25)

At one point I was trying to figure out ways to throw money at my weight. Not ready to go to a fat camp or hire a private chef, I did come up with a few ideas.

One being to get rid of half a "treat" item before you take the first bite. The theory is four fold:
1. The first bit is the best. By half you are just eating out of habit and not even tasting it any more.
2. Items suddenly cost more. A vending machine candy bar is no longer 85 cents by instead $1.70. Some times that is a deterrent.
3. It makes the whole treat experience more thoughtful. There is a conscious act happening and fends off mindless eating.
4. And of course, it cuts the calories and sugar in half. A Twix bar goes from 250 cal to 125. If I got one a week for a year that is almost 2 pounds (125 * 52 /3700)

This habit mostly applies to any time (which is rare) that I hit the work vending machines. But I also practice it when out with Jonathan by giving him extra bits or the rest of whatever I get.

Food Matters more then exercise (2/25)

2/25 I'm convinced that exercise makes you healthy but diet makes you thin. The MyLife Detox (I think it is the Smash Diet) really showed me how little food you can live off of and how vegetables can be the center of every meal.

I try to eat mostly the same thing every day
Oatmeal, Apple, Cinnamon, and Greek Yogurt
A lot of veggies with Hummus (or Guacamole)
Egg + Egg Whites and lots of veggies
Something healthy for dinner
Bowl of cereal (* When I'm good)

If I'm hungry I will eat some crackers with the eggs or add a banana in there. Even a 6th meal can sneak in but only when I'm honestly hungry (*and not emotion eating)

Sweat when you Exercise (1/25)

In no particular order, here are 25 things that have helped me take off some weight this year. The caveat is that I'm not the best person to take this advice from.
1 of 25: Sweat When you Exercise

I enjoy exercise. I always have and hope to always be healthy enough that I always will. Chan Little from the Durham YMCA taught me a valuable lesson during MyLife Fitness Program. You don't need as much warm up or cool down as we are taught. Also, it is important to push yourself till your sweating. Intervals work well for that, and thus the amazing power of Bootcamp!

The Poser Within

My darling sisters are inspiring me to post something. Both Laura, because I enjoy her blog so much and Deb because she is reminding me of where I've come from in the last year.

Mocha Moms Book Club selection this month is "Poser: My life in 23 Yoga Poses". I look forward to it but can relate to the "Poser" label. Every aspect of my life I feel like I'm just trying to keep up with what the role is suppose to be. I am very capable, but never fill anything I do. In a more loving mood, I would say I'm well balanced and diversify. But today I'm a poser.

When asked how I lost 25 pounds, I have answers, but think the real question is how will I keep it off for life? I can hope that I've learned things about myself and picked up habit I can keep, but it is only time that will confirm this.

A big thank you to the YMCA of Durham, especially Angela and Chan for running the myLife program. Thanks to Integrated Health at Duke for their fitness (be sure to sweat), nutritionist (eat often) and the shrink (be aware of your emotions). My super friends from RunBuds for making every run, even in 95 degree weather, fun. Lastly my beautiful sisters. You are each so genuine! I marvel at your lives and hope to grow up to be just like each of you some day!

-Ginny