Hitting a Plateau Head On

Many times during weight loss, you encounter chaos. Sometimes you encounter a lot of it. Having a routine is key to losing weight, and I have to tell you, there hasn't been a routine in place for me for nearly three weeks. And the scale is showing it.

I have a 6 pound gain, and I can't tell you if it's because of a slight change in diet (trying cornmeal based tortillas so I can have a sandwich once in a while), the candy (did I mention I love jellybeans?), or the fact that I've been eating like a starved wolverine. Perhaps all three.

Either way you look at it, I'm on a plateau between 300 and 290. The Easter holiday is over, the kids are back in school, and I need to get back on track. Again.

Yes, I lost control. Yes, I ate things I shouldn't. I came, I devoured, I gained. But the important thing is I get back on the horse and ride the crap out of it!

No more jellybeans (because I ate them all), no more overeating (even though the fridge is filled with leftovers), but the only thing I won't do is stop the corn tortillas- I want to try a week without any changes in diet to see if they actually are a factor in the gain. If they are, they're out, but if not, I can eat sandwiches with my family without having to make something special. It's hard to find alternatives to a spring picnic sometimes- especially when you run out of salad greens!

I'm also looking into gluten-free breads I can bake at home. When this tortilla test is over, I'll try some of these recipes the week after- remember, I'm skipping a week between each test to 'clear out' my system.

So this week was not a triumph weight-wise, but I'm not giving up- not by a long-shot. I still have the entire spring/summer/fall months to get into better shape and exercise more. Those sluggish winter months are behind me and it's sunshine all the way from here until October!

God bless, and keep those chins up!

Mini Goal ACHEIVED!

Last week was a bit of a bummer- I was so busy and so drawn out that I decided to treat myself- all the while I was in PMS mode. These things are bad enough separately, but together, they do not bode well on the scale!

I weighed myself last Monday, and gained two pounds. Weighed myself again Friday (which I usually don't do unless I gain- just to keep myself on track for the weekends), and gained another pound. The first gain I can attribute to womanly stuff, but the second gain was definitely when I treated myself to a cheesesteak and a slice of pizza. Sometimes you just have to have what you crave, even if you know you'll pay for it later!

So, before the weekend even started I had a three pound gain. All I planned on doing was behaving myself and making sure I didn't underfeed my body or pig out out of rebellion. Not eating enough (or too much) can also mess up your metabolism, so I just let things be and started listening to my body again. 

This week is a walking week, and the first time I've done any serious walking in almost a month! Two weeks ago I had setbacks in my schedule or the weather, so I not only didn't get gym time, but the only walking I did was to and from the school for my daughter. It wasn't bad, but I didn't get in what I should have, when everything was said and done. 

God has a very good sense of humor, and decided to let my daughter forget a few things she needed for class, right when we were on the last leg of the journey to school this morning. I don't normally go back and fetch things for my kids (letting them learn about consequences), but today I did- she's been very good at remembering, and I wanted to give her a break. So one more trip back and forth to school, adding another mile to my tally.

I was hurting before I was even half way to the gym. My hips hate me.

The important thing is, I did go to the gym. I even did my workout. Slowly, but I did it. Then I sat for a few minutes before heading home. By the end of the day, I'll have logged in a whopping five miles.

That. Is. AWESOME!

But wait- there's more!

Remember the weekend? I did everything I could to lighten myself before I stepped on the scale- and if you've ever tried to lose weight, you know exactly what I'm talking about. If you could be lighter by breathing helium, you would- and so would I. After doing all I could over the weekend and at the gym, I braced myself and stepped on the scale.

Part of me wondered if the scale was off kilter. Part of me wondered if I was reading the numbers right. But when I stepped on the scale again, it was the same number.

Two. Nine. Zero. 290. I not only lost the three pounds, but got to my first mini-goal. I had lost a total of thirty pounds. I'd almost cried, I was so happy!

I got a high five from the gym manager, and kudos from the other people who were exercising. I'd left with a feeling of great accomplishment- even the walk home was a lot more pleasant! My hips didn't seem to hurt as much, and here I am, resting and sharing the triumph!

I'm beginning to see life as a big roller coaster ride- but instead of being scared, I'm starting to enjoy the ride!

Keep those chins up!

Retesting Theories

I found out something interesting over the past few weeks.

I might have to get retested for Celiac disease. All because someone in the medical field didn't give me proper information.

The clinic doctor at the time (whom I shall lovingly refer to him as Dr. Pinhead) kept putting off any suggestion that something other than my weight could be the reasons I was feeling so run down and lethargic. 

"You're tired because you're fat. You're achy because you're fat. You're run down because you're fat," he would tell me over and over. But I kept insisting on the test, and he finally relented.

When the results came back, it was negative, confirming the fact that Dr. Pinhead was right, and I was just fat. But my gut, as big as it was, just knew something was off kilter. I just couldn't find the reason.

Now I have a new doctor (clinics trade them around like baseball cards), and I'll ask the new doc if I can have the test again. Why? Because Dr. Pinhead never told me I had to eat bread and pasta before I took the test!

He knew I was not eating flour, or anything that contained it. Yet he never told me I should be eating it regularly before the test. I could have had a false negative, and would never have known, had I not talked about it with a group of friends over the weekend. 

I was told I had to eat it anywhere from a few days to a few weeks before the test, so I'm going to ask the doc (and look it up on the net) just how long I'm supposed to be eating this stuff before I get retested. And I will get retested. God gave me a big mouth for a reason!

The downer is I'll probably gain weight. The upside is I'll find out if I have it, or am sensitive to gluten. One more piece of the puzzle will be solved with no guessing games. I'll keep you posted!

Bit By Bit and Bite By Bite!

One thing I've learned is that I must do things slowly and consistently in order for things to change. It might not work for everyone mind you, but it works best for me. If I take on too much too soon, I burn out faster than a Fourth-of-July sparkler.  For instance:

Messing with the diet plan first. Once I got this to a healthier level, I went to the next step. Please note I said healthier, not completely healthy. I'll explain why in a minute.

Getting into physical shape. I started walking first. I didn't buy weights, join a gym, or do anything extreme as I started, because I knew I would poop out too soon. Remember the old Aesop tale of the tortoise and the hare- slow and steady wins the race!

When those two things became habits, I stepped it up. I started going to a gym and doing toning exercises- I wasn't trying to build muscle- just make the muscle I did have a bit more firm. I worked out until I was slightly sore, and took a day off in between. In fact, I'm still doing it! When it gets to a point where I'm not sore, I usually do one of two things- add weights (usually 5 pounds at a time) or add repetitions- never both. 
In the kitchen I stepped it up by cutting down on seconds. Even if I was truly hungry for more, I would only give myself a spoonful or two as a 'second helping' and that usually was enough. I stepped it up again when that became a habit, and tested my theories on flours- then I started making my own breads. Even if I wasn't eating bread, my family was, and homemade bread is not only cheaper, but better for you!

The idea is not to change the kitchen around in a day, but to gradually introduce new recipes to the menu and see what tastes better to the entire family. I'm working towards getting rid of 80-90 percent of the prepared foods we have now and have a collection of foods that I can either make myself, or have them made as close to it's natural state as possible. That's why it's 80-90 and not 100 percent- I don't think I can do a complete turn-around without having my own farm!


I am happy to report that I behaved myself last week and not only didn't eat anymore cake, I walked 15.5 miles! And the scaled showed the results- not only did I lose that 1.5 pounds I gained last Monday, but I am now a svelte 291.5!


That's right folks- that's a total loss of 28.5 pounds! 1.5 pounds away from the big 3-0!


And that means I'm closer to my next goal weight-275. That also means I have a better chance of fitting into my wedding dress from 15 years ago! I was 265 then (not thin, but thinner than I am now!), and with any luck, I might be able to wear it for our 15th anniversary in mid-May. It's a stretch, but I think I can do it! This isn't my main goal though- just a step in the right direction. The main goal is to get somewhere in the 160-170 range in the next 2-2.5 years!


That, and living a healthier lifestyle- being able to go on long hikes with the kids, eating better foods, and just enjoying life without getting out of breath!


Keep those chins up and your weight down- God bless!

Theories Retested

Well, it's semi-official; I may not have tested positive for Celiac disease, but I'm definitely sensitive to something in commercial flours.

I had wraps for the past three days- one wrap a day, so it wasn't a lot, but as each day passed, I felt more and more run down. I pulled a few recipes for tortillas out of my collection, and will try making a no-wheat version of the same kind, using low or no-gluten flours. I also want to try making some with flour we bought in Lancaster at a Amish market. I noticed over the Christmas holiday that I ate peasant bread (I made myself) and didn't get tired after eating it. So that warrants some testing too.

This week will be spent 'cleaning out my system', meaning I won't eat any more flour just so the results from my next experiment aren't muddled by the tortillas I ate over the weekend.

Due to inclement weather I haven't had a chance to weigh in this morning, but as of last week I lost a little more- my total weight loss is now 27 pounds, and I am now a svelte 293.

And it feels good.

I have more energy (at least before I did this tortilla thing), and my clothes are much looser- in fact, I was gifted with new clothes at Christmas and my birthday (January 3rd- write that down) because my other clothing was getting a bit baggy.

One thing I did not do was save the 'fat' clothes- those suckers got donated the first chance I had! Why? Because I am determined never to fit into them again. There is no 'just in case' for me. These are going to be permanent changes in my life. Period.

I'll be using this time to see just how long it takes for my body to recover energy too- after three days of having tortillas, then not having any flour, I'm curious as to when I'll stop feeling so sluggish. I hope it's soon!

I'll keep you posted. In the meantime, keep those chins up and smile!

Maintained through the holidays!

Over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, I did a lot of running around. I shopped, wrapped, and did a lot of things I don't normally do. I also didn't do a lot of things I usually do around the holidays, like massive cookie baking and decorating. I just didn't have time!

And during the week between Christmas and New Years, I made this fantastic pepperoni dip that goes great with my homemade peasant bread. So I ate some.

Okay, more than some. But for some odd reason, I didn't feel tired like I normally do after having something with flour. The flours I used (three kinds) were bought in Lancaster (sold by the Amish) and I'm wondering if there is a difference between that and off-the-shelf brands at the store. It's worth looking into, especially with all the GM (genetically modified) grains used in most commercial flours.

That was my one splurge though. The only other time I had any kind of bread was when my mom took me out for lunch at a local restaurant that has phenomenal burgers!

I was so busy that I hadn't even walked or gone to the gym for the past two weeks. I really thought I would see bigger numbers on the scale, yet my really snug-fitting coat still felt less snug. So I let the scale tell my story for me.

I am 294.5- that means I only gained a half-pound over this entire chaotic holiday. That. Is. Awesome!

I'm back on my regular schedule now, and I feel as if I 'got away with it' this time- that doesn't mean I'm going back to eating bread or flour. I will be looking into the differences in the flour processing if possible; it's just a little too odd that I would react to commercially made breads but not my own homemade kind. I'm also back in the gym (and walking), so hopefully my past eating sins won't catch up to me.

Food experimentation was the order of the day last night, and I finally made something I've been wanting to try for at least a few weeks. I made a noodle-less lasagna, using chicken breasts instead of noodles. All I can say is thank God for deli slicers! I pan fried the breasts in butter until just tender and let them cool. Then I sliced those puppies up nice and thin and layered them with the sauce and cheeses. The sauce was made with Italian sausage, and I added a layer of baby spinach leaves between the cheeses and the last chicken layer. The cheese mix had mozzarella in it, and then I topped the whole thing off with shredded cheddar.

It was awesome!
I made two trays and the first was gone by the end of dinner. We're having the next one tonight, so I have the night off!

Kudos to those that lost or maintained their weight this Christmas- it's got to be one of the hardest things to accomplish! And if you gained? See it as a learning experience and do not put yourself down! Everyone stumbles once in a while (have you read this entire blog yet??), so just pick yourself up, dust yourself off and keep running. You'll be thinner by the time you cross the finish line!

Fighting Fat- and Winning!

Sometimes you learn things fast, and sometimes you need to be hit with a brick before you understand a concept. I knew I wasn't supposed to be eating breads and pasta, but I kept eating it, just not as often, and taking smaller portions. The idea was, 'A little bit won't be so bad.'

Hah!

That's when it hit me- I was eating some kind of wheat flour product at least three times a week- small amounts, but I was eating it. And it showed on the scale. I gained a bit, I lost a bit, but I was basically maintaining. Not bad, but not good either.

So I decided to try another experiment.

Last week I didn't do any walking (the weather was miserable and I had the car), but I did do my workouts. My diet consisted mostly of clear broth soups and stews, and meals that were mainly meats and vegetables that had no flour as a side or in the gravy. The soups contained rice, the stews contained potatoes, so the results of this wouldn't be skewed by the fact I didn't have any grains or starches. I did this all week, refraining from any flour consumption.

The result? I lost three pounds! I am now down to 294!

So, I can say I won't eat flour all I want, but the fact is, I was eating it- sometimes without realizing I was doing so, or thinking a 'little bit' won't hurt me- but when I began to think about wheat flour as a poison to my body instead of just a hindrance to weight loss, everything snapped into place.

Absolutely NO wheat or rye flour. None. Nada. Zilch.

I bought other flours that don't have gluten (graham seems to work well for things that don't need to rise, like pie crusts), and I'll experiment with them in the upcoming weeks. Hopefully I can find something bread-like so I don't crave the gluten breads.

Thanksgiving is coming, the holiday where bread runs rampant over the feasting table. That is going to be a real challenge for me! But I'll keep my chins up and put out some more veggies like broccoli and baby carrots to stem the bread tide.

I'll keep you posted on how I do!