Some BIG things I forgot...

Yesterday in my haste to recall the last year or so as quickly and concisely as possible (insert laugh), I forgot to mention a few big things I'll be doing the next 12 weeks.

Before I tell you the first one, let me talk briefly about the HCG diet. Some of you may be curious, though this blog will be about my journey with BFL and not HCG so I won't go into too much detail. One thing I did learn and take away from that diet is knowledge about a little hormone in our body called Leptin, and I mean little in the most sarcastic sense. I read a book titled Weight-Loss Apocalypse by Robin Woodall, and it opened my eyes to so many things.

You really should read the book, though it is focused around the HCG diet. But, there is something I will be using, or trying to, for the rest of my life. It's called the hunger scale. Basically you rate your physical urgency to eat on a scale from 1-5, with 5 being content. You also rate your fullness after you eat from 6-10 with 6 being satisfied and 10 in pain from over eating. Your goal should be to stay around a 5-6. I try to eat when I feel like a 3-4, and stop when I reach 4.5-5 as to not push myself beyond a 6. This all works because of the leptin. When you're physically hungery your body releases leptin that stimulates the physical desire to eat. When you eat, leptin levels decrease causing the need to eat to diminish. If you eat too much, your body will release MORE leptin (too much) thus causing fat storage. It's a simple yet complicated process, but the book does a good job explaining it. All I will go into here is that I will be listing to my physical cues to eat, and stopping as soon as I reach a 4.5 - 5 on the hunger scale. BFL says to eat every 2-3 hours, but if I'm not hungry in 2 hours, I won't eat. If I'm still hungry 30 minutes after eating one meal, I'll eat again and so on. If I'm in the middle of eating a meal and reach a 4.5 on the hunger scale I will not finish what I'm eating just because I think I'm supposed to. You get the idea.

I hope to live my life around the hunger scale. It makes sense. But I'm not naive enough to think that I will ALWAYS be a strong follower, but I want to be the majority of the time. Anyway, if I've completely confused you, read the book. I think I bought if off Amazon for around $10. Totally worth it. And if you're an emotional eater like me, then it will address that as well. But that's a topic for a whole nother post. A long one at that.

The other thing I forgot to mention is that I will be doing Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred video.

This will be in addition to my required BFL workout. So if I get my shred in one day but not my BFL workout, then basically to me I did not workout that day, get it? I will be taking Fridays off from all workouts, even from Jillian. So I guess technically it will be more like a 34 day shred. But I hope to really lose some inches in the next month or so.

Two of my scheduled cardio days will be the Couch to 5k running program. One weight day I'll add the third C25k day, plus will be doing the shred which will make for a very tiring day. The other scheduled cardio day will be a cycling class.

Ok, I think that covers what I left out. Eating according the hunger scale and doing the 30 Day Shred.

Today I got my shred in and my 20mins of cardio. My cycling class was cancelled for the day of love.

I love me some pizza and chocolate, so today I'll have my cheat meal. But normally it will be on Saturdays, so not this Saturday but the next one I'll have a cheat meal again.

I have a huge list of all the great foods I can eat as my carbs, protein and fats on this program and after being so restricted on the HCG protocol I feel like I have tons of choices. I'll share some of my go to foods on another day's post.

Hope everyone has a nice Valentine's Day.

12 Week Journey...

Wow, it's been so long I forgot I even had this blog. Not really, but I sure did push it to the far corner of my brain. I'm back, and have lots to catch you up on. So I don't completely bore you, I'll make it short and sweet. From my side bar to the left, you can see that my weight got up to an all time high of 190. It made me SICK to see that number. I only saw it once but hung around 188 for months. I fell into a deep depression.

Before summer 2011 I heard about the HCG diet and decided to give it a whirl. I lost 20lbs in 23days. So happy. But as with all quick losses, I had quick gains and ended up gaining 10lbs back. Then I dabbled with Medifast and lost 14lbs, but a move and Halloween kicked me up a few pounds, PLUS I was spoiled by HCG, and losing 2-3lbs a week was not fast enough to me since I knew I could lose a pound a day with HCG. After Thanksgiving I went back on HCG again but with the Holidays I couldn't keep myself from cheating and since it's so hard on your system to start and stop that protocol I had to take myself off it. The lowest I got was 162 in Jan.

So, since I haven't given up on my weight loss dream, it's time to start yet ANOTHER type of program. Now I know what you're probably thinking..."you've tried everything lady, nothing is going to work for you". Trust me, I KNOW. BUT, I also know that I have not been overweight all my life. In fact, the majority of my adult life I have been a healthy weight and even after my second child I was fit and lean. This has been an issue since I had my third child in 2010. I just can't seem to get focused. But I'm not giving up. If I listen to the voice of doubt in my head saying "nothing will work for me", NOTHING WILL WORK FOR ME. Because I won't be doing anything! If I keep trying, I have hope. And "Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies" - Shawshank Redemption.

And so, here I am again. This time I've spent some time evaluating: myself, my past successes, past failures, and I think I've come up with a solution. I tried to figure out what the difference has been between the times I did lose weight after my kids, and the times I've failed. There are a few similar factors. One, I never had a scale. After my second child I only had the scale at the gym, but I worked out with a friend so we only stepped on it maybe once every couple of months. Two, my goals NEVER revolved around weight, always about fitness, clothing size and inches. Three, no time constraints ie, be this size in two months. I did however have fitness constraints like run a 5k in this month etc. And fourth, no diet plan. I tried to make good choices 50% of the time, but I didn't follow any certain diet plan.

Now, I'm not saying these four are my road to success this time, just that they've been in the past. The first two I'm going to do this time. The last two have to be tweaked a bit because I'm now about 10years older and it took me about a year to lose 20lbs with not watching my diet. I don't have that kind of time now. Plus it's a healthier way to do it.

So, I'm getting rid of the scale, taking my measurements once every two weeks, signing up for a 5k and eating according to the Body for Life program. Will be following that exercise program as well.

I'm so excited. It will feel so freeing to not judge my day by the number on the scale but by how many miles I run, or weights I can bench.
It's what worked before and it feels familiar and comforting.
I will try to post a few times a week, but I can't commit to everyday. I just know it won't happen.
I'll be putting up some before pics as well as my numbers on the left there. Again, only the measurements will be changing.

So, for day one I did cardio. It was supposed to be a weight day because tomorrow is the cycling class I like and that will be my cardio day, but I didn't have time to go to the gym so I just did a video. I think it's ok while I'm trying to sort out a schedule.

MIA

I know I haven't posted anything here in awhile - it's because I WENT BACK TO WORK! Bleh. Yes, my beautiful 4months off has come to an end. Last week I had to take the elevator up to the dreaded 4th floor again. And do you think they were easy on me? Giving me a chance to get back in the swing of things? Learning all the things that have changed since I've been gone? NO WAY. I was the only one with 5 patients at 1900 and then 6 at 2300. Thanks guys. But enough about that - that's just my excuse.

Weight wise I've done pretty good. Down another 2lbs. Not to shabby for minimal exercise, but I have been cutting my portions way back. Not sure how working nights will play into this weight loss thing. A messed up sleep pattern can totally wreck your progress, but then again I run my A off at work so maybe that will help. We'll see.

I plan to get some good workouts in this week since I'm off until Friday.
Until then - it's sweat time.

ps - good job Mom on the 15lb loss!!!

Happy Saturday

Got up this morning and met a friend for a 0630 bike ride. Ended up doing about 65mins, roughly 16miles. Felt great to burn over 600 calories so early.
Now I'm off to eat some egg whites and salsa - yumm. I'll have a great rest of the day knowing I got my workout in.
Have a great weekend.

FIRMalicious

It's been a rough week. I haven't felt like doing anything and I think there may have been a binge day in there too. I guess the only thing that keeps me going is that I keep trying. I may not be successful (yet) but I keep trying.

Today marks my DD 4month birthday - oh how time flys. So I thought it would be appropriate to celebrate by trying out a new workout DVD that I've had for about two months. I just haven't wanted to try it - until today. Boy am I glad I did!

The FIRM - 500 calorie workout

(only $9.95 from Wal-Mart, but you might find it cheaper online)

It guarantees you'll burn 500 calories so I tested it with my HRM, and guess what? I burned 658 calories in 60mins! That's as much as I burn running for 60mins!!! Fantastic. AND, I did mainly the beginner variation with hardly any weights. The thing I really like is that it's hard. It's not like a pansy DVD that I've tried before - and believe me I've tried A LOT of them. I hate it when you're not pushed or don't even break a sweat after a week of using it. Not this one. Once I master the beginner then I have the option of weights, which I'll start with 5lbs since I don't own 3lbs, then move up to 8lbs, 10lbs etc. I can see myself benefiting from this DVD for awhile.

If you're a beginner beginner and have a hard time keeping up with fast paced steps then this might not be for you. But if you're looking to burn over 500 calories in an hour, use weights and cardio combined, do some push ups, ab work etc., then you'll like this one.

I'm so happy with the way I spent that hour. I feel much better today!

New Week

Last week I got the sickness. I was so sick that no exercise happened. Today I'm feeling better but still a bit congested in the head. I'm going to call last week a draw and start this new week fresh and ready to get my big butt moving.
Pretty happy that the scale was back in the 178's again even with a crappy week. Moving on.

Freak Out Moment

I had a freak out moment yesterday. I dodged a very would-be embarrassing moment. I was gone for most of the day (thank goodness!) and when I returned home late in the evening there was a message on my phone from an old friend - whom I haven't seen in 5 years.

She was in town!!

She wanted to meet!!!

I was supposed to call her!!!!

Now, before I go on let me say that I REALLY like this friend and would have LOVED to see her - if it weren't for my weight. Luckily by the time I got home she was surely on her way home and no longer in the danger zone. For this I was grateful. How sad is that?

I knew and lived by this friend back when my second son was born and I lost all (and then some) of my baby weight. I didn't feel like it then, but I looked fantastic. I couldn't let her see me like this, not after 5 years, not when the last time she saw me I was 128lbs! She probably wouldn't recognize me or worse, she wouldn't be able to hide her "surprise" face at seeing me. Not that she'd do it on purpose, but who could blame her?

This is what I've come to. Hiding. Is this not a kick in the pants to step it up a notch? I'll have these moments again, that's for sure. I want next time to be different. It NEEDS to be different.

This mornings chow: Oats with PB and a handful of chocolate chips. Sweet tooth in the morning? Oh yeah! Thanks Mom!