Bonjour...weekly check-in time! Let's talk numbers, as in the 4 lbs I lost this last week. Thanks mostly in part to the 3 day thing I keep squawking about. I was thinking I'd try it again today but, it gets really hard! So maybe next week. And cutting your calories that often just tells your body that you're starving to death and you lose muscle, not fat. So I don't recommend doing it all the time. Once or twice a month to help out is probably good.
I think that those two weeks of slacking off early this month and not eating very well has hurt my chances of reaching my goal of 10 lbs this month. I'm not too sad about that because I'll be close, but lucky if I reach that mark. I have a soft goal for the rest of the month of an additional 2 lbs, pretty sure I can do better, but baby steps. I am already lighter than I have been in the last 4 years and other people are starting to notice!! Once I hit that 2 lb mark I will have lost a grand total of 20 lbs, a feat I have not achieved since I was about 20 by taking a random supplement that is no longer found on the market (scary!) But yea for small victories!!
This week's plan includes starting a round of the 30 day shred, 5 days a week for 30 days (and if you've ever attempted Jill's 30 day shred, you know that this workout is HARD!!) so I am a bit terrified. I usually do it once or twice a week and am so sore after that that's all I can do! But I have yet to do a whole 5 days of workouts this month (last week my day 5 work out was a 1 mile walk with the kids so I don't count it) even though I have been planning it for sometime, so it may be time to step it up!
Does anyone know just how hard it has been to eat well this month? There is so much candy around that it has proven rather difficult!! I feel that October is one of my personal "bad" diet months. November, eh, that's usually confined to one day of binge eating, and December usually I'm baking for other people, not having that stuff around the house, but October? The kids got a ton of candy from the Mickey's trick or treat party at Disneyland earlier this month, which means each person who went got about 1-2 lbs worth of candy each! Then we have an additional 3 days of trick or treating that we are doing this year at school/church/Halloween! So even more candy! I am also setting a smaller goal for next month for this reason. I can't put so much pressure on myself when there will be temptation staring me down all the time, I'm human you know and chocolate is my weakness!!
Next week's update will include pictures and numbers! Time to let it all out there!
How's everyone else doing? Struggles? Victories? Fill me in!
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Would you give your kids cocaine?
Well, would you? I mean, no parent, even the crappy ones who take drugs themselves would willingly give their child something like that. But in a recent study, it was found that certain processed (read: junk) foods can cause the brain to respond and have addictive cravings the same as someone who uses cocaine. (This article was featured in Thursday's Daily Press newspaper, "Under Fire." Article could not be found online.)
Certain "over" processed foods, such as flamin' hot cheetos have recently come under fire for such reasons. Researchers state that these foods are super processed with these flavors causing people to crave the heck out of them. Foods are genetically engineered to so that the brain's pleasure centers are flooded with dopamine, which causes that "feel good" state thus perpetuating the need to repeat that feeling. And there you have it. Your kid is addicted to crack! (In the form of food)
I try so hard not to criticize other parents for their choices. We live in an overly critical society and I try very hard to never want to not be a part of that, I mean, to each his own! Live and let live folks! That's Betty's stance! But giving your kids crap like soda, and junk ALL the time to me is absolutely unacceptable. You wouldn't willingly give your kids poison would you? The why would you pollute them with unnecessary junk food? It's relatively the same concept! There is no nutritional value in giving your kid a soda, there is no benefit to them in giving them fast food ALL the time. In fact, the opposite is true, this is detrimental to their health and well being over time. And people wonder why their kids are overweight, or why their kids teeth are rotting out. Really? Let's think! Childhood obesity is not the child's problem, it's the parents!
I know it's hard. Shoot, despite my best efforts, my kid's favorite food is french fries!! I was a product of this type of behavior, and I grew up an overweight child. And I also admit that I allow my son to have some junk, occasionally, because we can't avoid it 100%, not a single one of us can. Some days it's way easier to hit the McDonald's drive through on the way home, or to just let them have something like a soda for a special dinner out. The key is occasionally. Giving in to your child's whims, tantrums and begging is lazy parenting. (Ugh and I hate to go that route, but I am VERY passionate about this!!)
Just think of the struggles you are having yourselves to be healthy, do you really want that for your child? I know that this is the number one reason I am the food Nazi with my children. They will never be allowed to raid the pantry, they do not get juice every day (maybe once or twice a week, and only one a day), they will never have a soda under my roof, they will eat at least one serving of fruit or vegetables daily, they will be extremely limited in having fast food. They will have the options to make wise food choices, they will learn why these things are not healthy for them, they will be allowed occasional treats because kids have gotta be kids, but they will be given every advantage to be as healthy as possible. Because I don't want them to be teased in school about their weight, or to have a phobia of eating in public, or to struggle their whole lives with obesity like me. And why would anyone else want that for their kids? This is such a passive epidemic, I mean how often do you think about that as you hand your child some chips or candy? You don't. You really have to be mindful of these things and that requires extra effort to an already overwhelmed parent! But isn't it worth it? Like I said before, you wouldn't willing poison your child. Maybe take small steps and just be the bad guy and say no. One day, your son will be in fresh and easy begging you to buy him some cauliflower! (that one blew me away!) And think of how great that will make you feel! Hooray for small victories!
* I implore you to do some digging about some of these things, google, bing, do whatever to learn some of the facts surrounding these things! Becoming informed is like arming yourself for battle!*
Certain "over" processed foods, such as flamin' hot cheetos have recently come under fire for such reasons. Researchers state that these foods are super processed with these flavors causing people to crave the heck out of them. Foods are genetically engineered to so that the brain's pleasure centers are flooded with dopamine, which causes that "feel good" state thus perpetuating the need to repeat that feeling. And there you have it. Your kid is addicted to crack! (In the form of food)
I try so hard not to criticize other parents for their choices. We live in an overly critical society and I try very hard to never want to not be a part of that, I mean, to each his own! Live and let live folks! That's Betty's stance! But giving your kids crap like soda, and junk ALL the time to me is absolutely unacceptable. You wouldn't willingly give your kids poison would you? The why would you pollute them with unnecessary junk food? It's relatively the same concept! There is no nutritional value in giving your kid a soda, there is no benefit to them in giving them fast food ALL the time. In fact, the opposite is true, this is detrimental to their health and well being over time. And people wonder why their kids are overweight, or why their kids teeth are rotting out. Really? Let's think! Childhood obesity is not the child's problem, it's the parents!
I know it's hard. Shoot, despite my best efforts, my kid's favorite food is french fries!! I was a product of this type of behavior, and I grew up an overweight child. And I also admit that I allow my son to have some junk, occasionally, because we can't avoid it 100%, not a single one of us can. Some days it's way easier to hit the McDonald's drive through on the way home, or to just let them have something like a soda for a special dinner out. The key is occasionally. Giving in to your child's whims, tantrums and begging is lazy parenting. (Ugh and I hate to go that route, but I am VERY passionate about this!!)
Just think of the struggles you are having yourselves to be healthy, do you really want that for your child? I know that this is the number one reason I am the food Nazi with my children. They will never be allowed to raid the pantry, they do not get juice every day (maybe once or twice a week, and only one a day), they will never have a soda under my roof, they will eat at least one serving of fruit or vegetables daily, they will be extremely limited in having fast food. They will have the options to make wise food choices, they will learn why these things are not healthy for them, they will be allowed occasional treats because kids have gotta be kids, but they will be given every advantage to be as healthy as possible. Because I don't want them to be teased in school about their weight, or to have a phobia of eating in public, or to struggle their whole lives with obesity like me. And why would anyone else want that for their kids? This is such a passive epidemic, I mean how often do you think about that as you hand your child some chips or candy? You don't. You really have to be mindful of these things and that requires extra effort to an already overwhelmed parent! But isn't it worth it? Like I said before, you wouldn't willing poison your child. Maybe take small steps and just be the bad guy and say no. One day, your son will be in fresh and easy begging you to buy him some cauliflower! (that one blew me away!) And think of how great that will make you feel! Hooray for small victories!
* I implore you to do some digging about some of these things, google, bing, do whatever to learn some of the facts surrounding these things! Becoming informed is like arming yourself for battle!*
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
A fat chick progress report
When I started writing this blog I never intended to have a huge group of followers, I mean, I still don't have a huge group of followers now, but sometimes I wish this was something a little more than an online diary of my life. I originally wanted to inspire others, to share my trials as an over weight person, as a mom, as a wife, and I feel that I have stuck to that format pretty well. I go through periods where I just feel un-motivated to write because I feel like who reads this crap any way? So I am not putting that kind of pressure on myself anymore. I am writing my story and it is here for anyone who will listen.
If you have been following along recently, thanks for sticking with me!! I am still working my butt off, in a very literal sense. My husband is starting to lament the butt that was! I am down 15 lbs and 5.5 inches (all over) total and have had a few weeks where it was pretty difficult to stay on track. To think that this journey was going to be easy would be a naive mistake, and I was well aware that I would have some ups and downs, I just wasn't expecting them so soon in the process. But I am back on track, and a little behind schedule for my monthly goal, but I still fell that it is attainable. I lost 10 last month and set a goal of 10 for this month as well, and while it's the 17th, and I've only lost 2 lbs so far this month, I still feel that I can reach that 10 mark by the 4th of Nov. (which is my weigh and measure day.) **fingers crossed!**
I am currently back on the 3 day military diet, for the 3rd time. My first attempt I lost a total of 4 lbs, but I cheated on day 3 and didn't follow it exactly as planned, and the second time, I was just really unmotivated and didn't work out and only made it through 2 days, and I lost 0. So this time I have a laser focus and am currently on day 2. Most days I do the 20 min turbo jam work out but this week we are stepping it up (since I've been slacking) and I am doing the 40 min turbo jam work out and on alternate days, Jillian Michales 30 day shred. I'll probably go for a 2 mile run Saturday morning, so I'll have 6 days of cardio and 2 days of strength training this week. After I finish the military diet, it's back to a strict 1200-1500 calorie a day plan. That's how you do it folks, no magic cure, no magic pill. Diet AND exercise. Believe me, I have tried just about everything else out there under the sun! (read some of my previous entries!)
Can I tell you something else? Since I've started all of this, I have not only noticed that I am, indeed, getting smaller, but I feel SO much better as well. These past few weeks, where I've been eating junk and not working out very much, I've noticed I felt really crummy. Moody, tired, irritable, and there were a couple of days that I was having stomach issues as well. Somehow, my body has convinced itself that working out and eating better makes the whole body feel great, and now, I feel like I need to move and eat better to feel good. Think about it. If you're reading this and you aren't very active and aren't eating very well, and you are tired and run down all the time, try going for a walk, even if it's a very short walk, do this for 3 or 4 days and tell me that you don't feel better by day 4. It's amazing what a very small change can do for you!
I *should* be posting next week about my results with the 3 day thing and just a general progress update. Stay tuned!!
If you have been following along recently, thanks for sticking with me!! I am still working my butt off, in a very literal sense. My husband is starting to lament the butt that was! I am down 15 lbs and 5.5 inches (all over) total and have had a few weeks where it was pretty difficult to stay on track. To think that this journey was going to be easy would be a naive mistake, and I was well aware that I would have some ups and downs, I just wasn't expecting them so soon in the process. But I am back on track, and a little behind schedule for my monthly goal, but I still fell that it is attainable. I lost 10 last month and set a goal of 10 for this month as well, and while it's the 17th, and I've only lost 2 lbs so far this month, I still feel that I can reach that 10 mark by the 4th of Nov. (which is my weigh and measure day.) **fingers crossed!**
I am currently back on the 3 day military diet, for the 3rd time. My first attempt I lost a total of 4 lbs, but I cheated on day 3 and didn't follow it exactly as planned, and the second time, I was just really unmotivated and didn't work out and only made it through 2 days, and I lost 0. So this time I have a laser focus and am currently on day 2. Most days I do the 20 min turbo jam work out but this week we are stepping it up (since I've been slacking) and I am doing the 40 min turbo jam work out and on alternate days, Jillian Michales 30 day shred. I'll probably go for a 2 mile run Saturday morning, so I'll have 6 days of cardio and 2 days of strength training this week. After I finish the military diet, it's back to a strict 1200-1500 calorie a day plan. That's how you do it folks, no magic cure, no magic pill. Diet AND exercise. Believe me, I have tried just about everything else out there under the sun! (read some of my previous entries!)
Can I tell you something else? Since I've started all of this, I have not only noticed that I am, indeed, getting smaller, but I feel SO much better as well. These past few weeks, where I've been eating junk and not working out very much, I've noticed I felt really crummy. Moody, tired, irritable, and there were a couple of days that I was having stomach issues as well. Somehow, my body has convinced itself that working out and eating better makes the whole body feel great, and now, I feel like I need to move and eat better to feel good. Think about it. If you're reading this and you aren't very active and aren't eating very well, and you are tired and run down all the time, try going for a walk, even if it's a very short walk, do this for 3 or 4 days and tell me that you don't feel better by day 4. It's amazing what a very small change can do for you!
I *should* be posting next week about my results with the 3 day thing and just a general progress update. Stay tuned!!
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