Foiled by the FDA

FDA Bans Homeopathic HCG Diet Products

The Food and Drug Administration took a stand against Homeopathic HCG (H- HCG) diet products. See their press announcement here. HCG Diet protocols differ slightly according to the company marketing each individual product. However, the common program involves taking H- HCG while following a very low calorie diet of 500 calories per day.

The FDA categorized HCG as a drug and stated HCG was not approved as a treatment for weight loss. They said the products and diet plans were likely dangerous. The FTC partnered with the FDA in the ban, citing the prevalence of deceptive advertising in the weight-loss market.

I lost 30 lbs on the H- HCG Diet. I was rarely hungry, had increased energy and experienced no adverse side effects. I’m disappointed it won’t be available any longer. I considered buying a few more bottles of HCG drops and continuing the diet while my supply lasted, but that seemed stupid in light of the FDA’s warnings. I have to change to a different diet sooner or later and I might as well get a head start on the next one. So, I’m foiled by the FDA. And I'm back to the drawing board. Low-carb, anyone?

My Favorite Low-Carb Breakfast... Mmmm Eggs And Cheese!

Easy peasy.  Spray non-stick cooking spray in a microwave-safe bowl.  Crack three eggs into the bowl.  Don't be like me... remember to pierce the yolks so they don't explode on you later.  Pour 1/3 to 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream over the eggs and lay 3 or 4 ounces worth of cheese on top. I like to slice pieces of a good slab of mild cheddar into my eggs.  Sprinkle salt, pepper and dried dill over the top.  Do not stir this at any point, it's not necessary.  Somehow the cream and eggs combine into a cross between a souffle (that didn't rise) and an omelet. 

Cover with waxed paper and microwave for two minutes.  If it's runny, microwave at 30 second increments until it's no longer runny.  Allow it to cool for a few minutes and then dig in.

Shrimp And Spinach Soup With Cilantro And Lime

This soup is fat-free, low-carb and my new favorite for Phase Two of the HCG Diet.  If you're on Phase Three or Atkin's, start out by sauteing the garlic in a pat of butter.  Then add the broth and go from there.

Ingredients (one serving):

1 cup broth (I used salt-free chicken broth because I didn't have any veggie broth on-hand)
1 garlic clove
1 lime
100 g frozen shrimp
3 cups spinach, chopped
2/3 cup cilantro, chopped
Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle Blend
salt and pepper

Crush and chop the garlic clove and saute it in the broth.  Add the shrimp and juice the lime into pan.  Let the shrimp warm up, then add the spinach and seasoning to taste.  Once the shrimp is heated through and the spinach wilts, remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro.

I like my flavors bold and bright.  If you don't, you might want to halve the amount of lime juice and cilantro. 

This soup is a snap to make but no one has to know.  Serve it at a family dinner and tell them you spent hours in the kitchen.  For a non-dieting crowd, saute the garlic in butter as a first step, reduce the amount of broth, skip the spinach, and serve over brown rice.  And don't forget to give them some healthy veggies on the side.

Starting Round Two of HCG Diet

I just started my second round of the HCG diet and I'm pumped!  I did phase 1 for three days instead of two since I was on the road all day Monday.  I felt like crap, eating all those carbs and processed foods after eating so cleanly for the last six weeks.  I was tired and nauseas.... I'm feeling better now as I start phase 2 and I can't wait to get on the scale every morning!

My HCG Experience

What I love about the HCG Diet, besided the weight loss, is that it is conducted in phases so you're not stuck in any one diet plan for long.  I get bored easily, hence my history of diet after diet.  I won't pretend to be any kind of expert on the biological process that are supposed to cause the weight loss.  You can google "Pounds and Inches" by Dr. Simeon for the details and the science behind the HCG Diet.  But here is my experience with the diet so far.

Phase 1: Loading.  (Two Days)

8/18/11 and 8/19/11 I began taking the OTC homeopathic drops and spent two days eating as much fatty food as I could.  I made sure to eat anything I thought I'd miss in the next six weeks.  All the fat is supposed to help you get through the first few days of Phase 2, when your caloric intake is cut drastically.  Please note that my starting weight is from 8/18/11, before I started loading.

Phase 2: Very Low Calorie Diet (VLCD) (21 to 40 days)

8/20/11 through 9/7/11 I was on a VLCD while taking the homeopathic drops sublingually three times a day.  I ate 500 calories a day which came almost entirely from vegetables, fruits and lean meats.  At first it was hard to avoid sugar, I have a major sweet tooth.  And I  love bread.  But I figured it was only three weeks... knowing that it was not forever made it so much easier to do than other diets, where I was cutting out some foods forever, in theory. 

I lost 18.4 lbs between 8/18/11 and 9/7/11.  The clothes I was busting out of now fit loosely, and I've even had to stop wearing a few pieces because they're just too small!

Phase 3: Maintenance (21 to 40 days)

On Maintenance you stop taking the drops and begin eating 1500 to 2000 calories a day.  You slowly add fats back into your diet like olive oil and coconut oil, dairy products like cream and cheese, widen your selection of meats, vegetables and fruit, and add nuts also.  You just can't eat carbs or sugar, with the exception of what is present naturally in the fruits and other whole foods you eat.  I'm on Day 13 of Phase 3 and really enjoy it.  I no longer crave sugar or bread, have heavy whipping cream and vanilla stevia in my coffee in the morning, I don't count calories but I'm sure I'm getting upwards of 2000 per day with plenty of fruits and veggies... and I'm maintaining within two lbs of my weight the last day of Phase 2.

After Phase 3 you can move on to Phase 4, where you slowly incorporate new foods into your diet until you are no longer on a diet at all.  Or you can do another round of the diet, which is what I'm doing.  I start again in October and can't wait to see more changes in my size and shape!

Consult your doctor before beginning any weight-loss program.

FTC disclaimer: I receive no compensation from HCG companies, I'm merely recounting my own experiences.

I Lost 18 Lbs in 3 Weeks on the HCG Diet

If you've been read my blog for any length of time, you know 1) I want to lose weight and 2) I clearly have attention-span issues.  I've tried Weight Watchers, Atkin's, Gastric Mind Band Therapy and now I'm moving on.... to the HCG Diet.

For the record, I think WW, Atkin's, and GMBT are all great ways to go to lose weight.  And I credit the GMBT for helping me stick to the HCG Diet.  But I didn't stick to to the program on any of those weight-loss plans long enough to see any substantial results.

I first became aware of the HCG Diet almost a year ago.  I knew of two people losing weight on some restrictive diet, but I didn't pay any attention.  As the months went by I noticed they were looking fabulous, and someone I knew a little better went on the diet.  She lost over 20 lbs in three weeks and insisted she wasn't hungry or tired or losing muscle.  So I talked to her alot more about what she was doing and I started looking up information on the program.

What I found was that many people both in the medical community and in the general public have reservations about the HCG Diet.  And just as many people, both medical professionals and laypeople, are strong advocates for this program.  I decided to make my own decision; I decided to try it.

Google "Pounds and Inches" by Dr. Simeon for basic plan information on the HCG Diet.   His plan was developed using injections of the HCG hormone, however I'm using an over-the-counter homeopathic version that I buy at CVS.  I'll go into the particulars of my experience with the HCG Diet in future posts.  But for now, my post title sums up my opinion on the HCG Diet so far.... I lost 18 lbs in three weeks!  Wahoo!

FTC disclaimer: Since I am blogging about the experience, the Gastric Mind Band service was provided at no charge.  I receive no compensation from Weight Watchers, HCG companies or Atkin's, I'm merely recounting my own experiences.

Even Steven

Weigh-in was Wednesday and after last week's awesome 3 lb loss, I was disappointed not to lose this week.  But I didn't gain either.  I totally stuck to the plan, so I'm thinking I'll back off of bananas this week.  Bananas are free (no points+) on the new plan and I did hit them pretty hard this last week.  They're easy to stuff in my lunch bag, and easy to grab after work when I'm hungry and haven't made dinner yet.  But they are nature's candy bar!  So I'm backing off.

Flickr - ianqi

Gastric Mind Band Therapy + A Solid Plan = Success!



Flickr - Leo Reynolds

 Lost 3 more lbs this week for a total of 5.4 so far.  I was afraid the weekend did me in, I ate out a couple times and it can be so hard to estimate nutritional values when someone else is cooking.  But everything turned out fine.  And by the way, I think the reason the weight-loss is going so smoothly this time is the hypnosis, it really is helping me stay on-track.


FTC disclaimer: Since I am blogging about the experience, the Gastric Mind Band service was provided at no charge

This Post Brought To You By The Letter "W"



Flickr.com - Leo Reynolds



Weigh-in tomorrow.

Weekend was a wash.

 

Wish me luck!

December... Oops

I can't believe I let Christmas go by without wishing you a Merry Christmas... Merry Christmas!  I hope it was wonderful and full of love and joy.  That said, on to the progress notes: So you know how I  said one of the results of the hypnosis was that I felt like I had a little Good Health Fairy sitting on my shoulder giving me advice?  Well, apparently in the month of December I had her gagged.  Poor little thing.  I stopped listening to her.  The hypnosis doesn't do all the work for you, you have to follow-through on the advice: have a glass of water, take a walk, put some more veggies in that dish, etc.  And for God's sake put down the stinking frappucino! 

For a month full of homemade candy and cookies, I supposed it could have been worse.  I gained 4.8 lbs.  That puts me up 2.8 lbs from my starting weight.  Yikes.  So, I've taken the gag off the Good Health Fairy and she hit me over the head with her wand a couple times.  I'm not listening to her 100% but I'm letting her talk and taking more of her advice.  Most notably exercising.  I know that once a week is not sufficent exercise, but it's more than I had been doing.  And for the last three weeks I've worked out once a week.... the first week I hit the elliptical at the gym, and the other two weeks I went ice-skating. 

The long and short of it is that I've been struggling lately and I am so thankful for the Gastric Mind Band Therapy, because I think without it I would have gained alot more than 2.8 lbs in the last few months.

FTC disclaimer: Since I am blogging about the experience, the Gastric Mind Band service was provided at no charge.

November Progress

It's taken me a little while to post about my November progress... the holiday season is fun but can be so busy!  But I'm pleased to say that in the 1st full month after Gastric Mind Band I lost 1.8 lbs, despite having not one, not two, but three Thanksgiving dinners right before the end of the month weigh-in!  The December weigh-in is only a couple weeks away and I'm looking forward to having even better numbers to report... without three holiday dinners to interfere.  My family does most of our Christmas gatherings in the beginning of January, so I should have most of that month to recover from whatever damage I do on the holiday.

Have a fab day!

FTC disclaimer: Since I am blogging about the experience, the Gastric Mind Band service was provided at no charge.

Life After GMBT

I’ve had all four sessions and my hypnotherapist set me loose to get on with the process. Last week, the week following my final session, I had the week from hell. I was so busy and every time I turned around there was more to do. I am 100% positive that without the hypnosis I would have eaten every meal last week from a fast-food drive-through and would have turned into a giant french fry. But I didn’t. I brought my lunch to work every day and cooked dinner at home each night. I did have two or three breakfasts from the local convenience store and I bought a few sugary coffee beverages, but I know that things could have been a lot worse. And I finished out the week from hell with a 0.6 lb loss. And you know what? I was happy about it. I made a few poor decisions last week but 85% of the time I was making good decisions about what I put into my body. Two months ago, a week like that might have ended up with a 3 lb or more gain. But not this time. Oh no, this time I lost. So while 0.6 lb may not seem like much to someone else, to me it’s 0.6 lb lost PLUS 3 lb or more not gained. WAHOO! Winner winner chicken dinner!

I also wanted to talk about the cyclical weight fluctuations that women often experience, due to hormone levels and water retention. Without getting into too much detail I’ll say that this past Sunday morning I weighed 4 lbs less than the morning before. And I think many women can relate to the frustration of working and working at weight loss and then having the scale readings dispute their efforts. That’s why I’m only going to post my weight on the progress page monthly, not weekly. And… I should be confident enough to start posting the progress numbers now but frankly, there is a certain number I need to get below before I’m comfortable enough to start posting those particular cold hard facts again. Never fear, it’s only a few weeks away and then I will post my progress from the beginning of the GMBT sessions to the current date. But for the record, in the first four weeks on GMBT I lost 5.6 lbs with no effort at all. So now it’s time for me to start putting some effort into it. And that shouldn’t be hard with all the tools I’ve got on my belt now.

FTC disclaimer: Since I am blogging about the experience, the service is being provided at no charge.

Gastric Mind Band Therapy, Session Four

This past Sunday I had my fourth and final GMBT session. I was so excited! Julie began this session by providing information, just as she had done in the other three sessions. She told me about different kinds of gastric surgery, and the side effects and risks. The risks range from constant heartburn to lifelong diarrhea to, as with any surgery, possible death. She gave me information on the success rate with gastric surgeries, which actually made me sad. I can’t imagine how hard it would be to take the huge step to have surgery in order to control your weight, only to find yourself gaining the weight back a few years later. And you already had the surgery, so what would your next step be? My heart goes out to anyone in that position.

She talked about the specific gastric procedure that the hypnosis would be mimicking, the adjustable gastric band. A hollow band is looped around your stomach and then filled with saline. The saline makes the band expand so that it constricts around your stomach, leaving room above it for about six tablespoons of food or liquid. Following the surgery you are on a liquid diet for several weeks, and after that can move on to solid foods. She showed me actual video of the procedure being performed, then a computerized animation. And then it was on to the hypnosis!

The big comfy chair I usually reclined on during hypnosis was covered by a sheet. I took off my shoes and laid down. She covered me with another sheet and put a “Mind Band” wristband on my arm. She attached a heartrate monitor to my finger and told me to close my eyes. She began with the relaxation stuff and she used scents this time as well. I could smell the jasmine in the field she was describing. Then she moved on to the surgical part of the session. The music was gone and I heard the hustle and bustle of a hospital in the background as Julie talked. I could smell the antiseptic. I heard a heartrate monitor beeping in the background. She later told me that she observed my heartrate changed to match the recorded one during the session. That is pretty damn cool. She talked me through the procedure and then described a tightness I would feel in my abdomen when I began to overeat. She described an uncomfortable sensation that would appear when I overate but would vanish when I stopped eating. She talked about how I would eat small, sensible, healthy meals. I would eat only when I was hungry and stop when I was full. My weight loss would accelerate now and I would continue to lose at a healthy rate until I reached my goal weight. And then I would stay at that weight forever. Hallelujah!

As always, I woke feeling refreshed, confident and energized. I will miss those sessions. Julie gave me a golf ball with Gastric Mind Band written on it, to remind me of the new suggested size of my stomach, and a 9-inch plate to help me continue to eat smaller meals. She also gave me a binder that contained recordings of each of the hypnosis sessions, plus one recording about motivation and one for relaxation. The binder is also full of helpful information about the procedure, the therapy and weight loss.

It’s only been a couple days since the fourth session. As of that day, four weeks since I started down this road, I lost 5 lbs without even trying. I can’t wait to see how easy it will be to continue to lose. I’m already appreciating the help the hypnosis gives… this evening I was so tired and busy.  I’ve been running on empty for several days now. I had a couple errands to run and no time to go home and fix dinner, so I knew I was going to have to pick something up before I turned into a big hungry grumpy bear. At least, that’s what usually happens when I’m hungry for very long; I don’t think the hypnotherapy was designed to fix that particular problem. So I pulled into a fast food chicken place and ordered a four-piece chicken strip basket. It came with a biscuit and fries. I was S-T-A-R-V-I-N-G! And I was absolutely stuffed after two scrawny chicken strips, the biscuit and less than half the fries. If you know me, you know that I can put away the grub and there was no way a few meager handfuls of food would satisfy me. But it did. I could not eat any more. Well, maybe I could have, but I was as full as a tick (as my grandma used to say) and had no desire to eat any more. I had just experienced a minor miracle. Wow. This is really going to work.

FTC disclaimer: Since I am blogging about the experience, the service is being provided at no charge.

Gastric Mind Band Therapy, Session Three

I can’t believe I’m almost done with the therapy sessions. There is only one left. I’ve really looked forward to the sessions… working through the food issues, discussing nutrition, and then the oh-so-relaxing hypnosis sessions. But I’m also excited that soon I’ll have completed all the sessions and will be on the road to a smaller, healthier, more fit me!

This past Sunday was my third of four Gastric Mind Band Therapy sessions (GMBT). I walked in the door 4.6 lbs lighter than my first session, two weeks prior, so I was already excited and positive about another appointment. This time my therapist, Julie Gibson, began things by handing me a jar containing one pound of lard. How often do we lose just one pound and are disappointed that we didn’t lose more? The jar was heavier than I thought one pound would be. Julie said anytime I lost a pound I should remember how heavy that jar was. Then we discussed nutrition: serving sizes, label reading, things to be aware of such as sodium in processed foods and the nutritional advantage you usually have when cooking at home instead of eating out. We talked about the basics of weight loss: a pound is 3500 calories, if you cut 500 calories from your diet every day, in theory you would lose one pound a week. Of course there are other variables: your level of activity, hormones, medical conditions, medications, etc. It’s hard to know what causes the occasional plateau, when your weight-loss efforts continue but your weight-loss does not. She got out a huge stack of books that we flipped through and talked about. Some were cookbooks and all were about nutrition. I have a whole new wishlist for the bookstore now!

Then we did the third hypnosis session. After the initial relaxation exercise, I remember that Julie talked in more detail about my goals, motivations and methods for achieving them. She talked about meals and how I would be leaving part of my meal on my plate; I would eat smaller meals and still be satisfied. I had a little tickle in my throat and I coughed occasionally. I didn’t doze off like I had in the first two sessions. But when it was over, once again I felt great! Not euphoric, but positive and confident and refreshed. And I noticed something odd this week… I ate out a couple times and each time I looked down at my plate and realized I had put down my fork after eating exactly half of my entrée. Freaky! My efforts are still far from perfect, but I don’t expect ever to be perfect. My habits have improved tremendously and I feel great about it. And that positive feeling just feeds into continuing more of the same.

This coming Sunday is the final hypnosis session, where it will be suggested that I had gastric band surgery. I’ve already seen so many differences in my habits with the first three sessions; I wonder how much of a difference the last session will make. Stay tuned!



FTC disclaimer: Since I am blogging about the experience, the service is being provided at no charge.

Gastric Mind Band Therapy, Session 2

Last Sunday was my second Gastric Mind Band Therapy (GMBT) session.  It's been a busy, busy week and I can't believe it's Friday already and I'm just now posting about it.  But that works out just fine because now I can tell you how the session has helped me over the last week.
During the first GMBT session my therapist, Julie Gibson, did an in-depth interview with me to determine where I've been, where I want to go and the best way to help me get there.  The hypnosis that we finished the first session with addressed just that: what my life will be like if I continue on the path I am on, and what is waiting for me if I change my habits for the better.

I noticed in the week after the first session that my interest in fast food waned considerably and when I had an opportunity to be a little active, I had a little pep in my step.  My weight gain halted and I actually lost almost 2 lbs.

The second GMBT session was on a Sunday, like the one before.  Julie had given me a homework assignment geared toward addressing my motivations, my attitude about my body and resolving some emotional baggage.  We had a long talk at the beginning of this second session, just like at the first one.  We talked about the times in my life when I am more likely to hit the drive-through or overeat or over-indulge: usually when I am stressed or frustrated or very very busy.  We talked about why that was, and about how to handle those situations more constructively, as far as continuing weight loss.  I established a goal weight, which is the 125 lbs that I maintained for over five years, only to start this crazy weight-gain five years ago.  We discussed a goal outfit but I wasn't able to pick one that I really had my heart set on and could picture.  I've been thinking about it this week and might have one for this coming Sunday's session.

Julie gave me a book with calorie, fat and carbohydrate counts for lots of common foods and for many restaurants.  I've used it a few times this week, just to help me be aware of the decisions I'm making.  GMBT is not designed to require you to count calories or points or anything, but to help you make healthy decisions every day, meal after meal.  She also discussed Dr. Daniel Amen's book Change Your Brain, Change Your Body and lent me a copy to read this week.  I'm working on it.  It's an interesting read and makes alot of sense.

We finished this session with hypnosis, which we will be doing in every session.  This time Julie handed me a small black box to hold in each hand, each with a wire going to some small contraption.  She said it was for another specific kind therapy.  The boxes buzz for a few seconds, alternating between the one in one and and the other, and the purpose is to engage both the left brain and right brain in the process.  After the initial relaxation exercise, she talked about my goal, about how some of my weaknesses (hello fancy sugary coffee beverages) are counterproductive to these efforts, about making healthy choices and losing one to two lbs per week to get to my goal, and then she moved into the other portion of this hypnosis session.  She activated the little boxes I was holding, and they started vibrating gently.  She talked about stressful or emotional situations and how they were not going to affect the healthy choices I was making.  I actually have no idea how long the hypnosis sessions last.  I know I dozed off occasionally.  When we finished, once again I was so refreshed and relaxed; I felt wonderful.

I will tell you, I haven't weighed myself yet but this week I have noticed some serious differences in my habits.  Aside from my morning coffee, I rarely want coffee later in the day.  I will think "Maybe I'll make another pot of coffee" after dinner, and then I'll think "I really just want some water."  I've been drinking water and bringing my lunch to work almost every day.  I will have a snack and I won't feel bad about it, but instead of picking up a caramel frappe and a McDouble at McDonald's, I might break out a pear and some peanut butter, or have a snack-size candy bar if  I really want something sweet.  I've been in bed by 10:30 p.m. almost every night and can tell a real difference in my energy levels with consistent sufficient sleep.  All in all, I haven't weighed yet so I have no idea if I've lost any weight this week, but I've been making good decision after good decision.  And it's been easy.  It's as if a little health-fairy is perched on my shoulder, whispering the right choices in my ear.  Don't get me wrong, if I want to make bad decisions nothing is going to keep me from it.  But it is so much easier to make the healthier decision.

My second to last GMBT session is in two days, on Sunday again.  I can't wait to see the changes that will follow this next session. 

Have a great weekend!

FTC disclaimer: Since I am blogging about the experience, the service is being provided at no charge.

Small Progress is Better Than No Progress!

I just started weighing on Fridays.  It's easier for me to stick to plan during the week, so I figure that will be my best day to see some progress and keep me motivated.

This week I made big strides toward staying on plan.  I had probably one misstep each day, except Wednesdsay.  Wednesday  I rocked!  I think it was because I was focused on trying a new recipe, the steamed dumplings that I posted Thursday.  Yesterday was just a disaster.  I had a doctor's appointment in the afternoon so I left work early enough that I would have time to make myself lunch at home before heading on to the doctor's office.  And I had been running at top speed all morning at work, trying to get things done.  Well, just as I got home the doctor's office called and asked me to come early, so I had to leave right then!  More running.  I finally had lunch at 4:00 and by that time I was starving and caved in and had a regular (with bread) cheeseburger and fries.  The bread and fries are not on plan!  Sigh.  I did have one victory though... all day long I was thinking about pie.  Boy, did I want pie.  At one point I was near a grocery store that sells slices of Tippin's pie.  But I didn't do it, I didn't cave. 

Last night I tried to conconct a recipe for lowcarb chocolate cupcakes to appease my pie-craving sweet tooth.  They weren't that good but no worse than some of the other healthier versions of treats that are out there.  So if you want to give it at try, here ya go: 1 cup grated pork rinds (I used the blender), 1 egg, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1/4 cup water, splash vanilla, 1/2 cup splenda, 1/2 cup cocoa, genereous dash cinnamon.  Mix by hand.  Use those little cupcake papers when you put the batter in the muffin tin... I can't for the life of me remember what they are called right now.  But I didn't use them and just greased the tin, and the cupcakes stuck.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Anyhoo, I lost 1.2 lbs this week.  I wasn't sticking to Atkins so that wasn't Atkins weight loss.... you have to stick entirely to plan to see losses with that.  So I'm attributing the loss to eating more whole foods and less crap.

I hope everyone has a fab Friday and an even better weekend!

Back on Track

Good morning!  I just wanted to check-in.  I have been continuing to try to get back on track with the ol' food plan.  I am so close to getting it right!  Monday I did everything right except have a damned frappucino and a candy bar.  Tuesday I was ultra-busy and ate lunch a couple hours late.  Then I bought a candy bar without even thinking about it and didn't realize I was off-plan until it was in my hand.  And then I ate it.  So today, without further ado, I bring you Day One of Back on Track.  I can do it!  I know I feel so much better when I don't have sugar.  I've managed not to have any bread products for the last three days; I've just been struggling with the whole sugary-stuff-thing.

My fridge is loaded up with protein and vegetables so I have the tools; I just need to stick to that darned plan!

Tonight I will be working on my first original recipe, and I can't wait to share with you.  Hopefully by the weekend I will have it tested and posted.

Is there anything that has been a big temptation to you lately?  Have you been able to resist, and if so, how?

Have a fab day!

Eat Smarter, Move More

I think we all agree that there are two rules for weight loss: eat less (or smarter) and move more.  I get caught up in plans and points and ratios and rules for eating, then I break the eating rules, then I break them again, and then I give up.  As much as I talk about successful weight loss coming from a lifestyle change and not from a diet, I sure do seem to get on the diet bandwagon.  And then jump off it with abandon. 

It doesn't have to be complicated.  Eat better.  Move more.  That's it.  As for eating better, Stephanie Small of 9weightloss.com quotes Jillian Micheals as saying "Don't eat anything that doesn't come out of the ground or have a mother."  That's pretty simple.  Harder said than done, but simple.  I don't think I can go whole-hog on that one because I'm not going to dump dairy products or bread or tortillas.  But I can work on eating healthier choices of them. 

As for moving more, I think it can start as simply as parking farther away from your destination, or walking to the corner store instead of driving.  Then there's my gym membership... no more setting outrageous goals like getting up at 5 a.m. every day to go work out before work because I usually last about one day with that plan.  How about taking a short walk around the block before my morning shower if I get up too late to go to the gym? 

Just some thought that are running around in my head.  Have a fab day.

Random Fat Thoughts... Or Thoughts On Fats And Weight Loss

I'm not a fan of artificially low-fat foods.  I was pleasantly surprised when I read Eat Fat, Lose Fat, which promotes using real fats in your diet like butter, coconut oil, olive oil and avocados, and says you can lose weight while doing so. 

And I was really excited in January when I had more free time than usual... I spent alot of time working out and was losing weight.  I was also eating about 25% more than my allowance of ww points and sort of lost faith in tracking foods and sticking to the points allowance, since I was losing weight and getting stronger and smaller while eating more.

After January I didn't have that spare time for extra workouts anymore, but I didn't go back to the more restrictive way of eating, and I continued to enjoy healthy fats and unfortunately, some serious fast food.  I had some starts and stops with weight loss and now have pretty much gained all the weight back.   

I have two thoughts here.  One is that cutting fast food out of my life is not realistic.  As much as I would like to be a healthy super-woman, if I draw the line and mandate "no more fast food, never again" then with deprivation on my mind, I am even more likely to say "honey, how about Hardee's tonight?" and say it often.  The other thought is that I would like to accomplish weight loss while incorporating real, healthy fats into my diet.

I'm going to have to start planning meals again, writing down dinner for the whole week and shopping accordingly.  And planning out breakfast, lunch and snacks.  And to do it the way I want to, I'm going to have to figure out how to eat real foods and real fats but keep the total fat and calories down to a reasonable level to allow for weight loss.  And plan for good choices with the occasional burger joint take-out: maybe eat half the burger and a small order of fries, for starters.

Sheesh, it all sounds so complicated.  Maybe I will just concentrate this week on doing SOME planning, SOME exercising, making sure to eat fruits and veggies and get plenty of water.  Back to baby steps, people.

Have a fab day.

Day One Down, on to Day Two of the Best Week Ever

The last 24 hours did not go entirely according to plan but were pretty darned close.  I did not manage to avoid my a.m. Frappucino but I did buy the smaller four-point one instead of the six-pointer.  I ate according to plan until 6:30 p.m. when I found myself still running around working and another appointment to go, so I stopped and got a cheese stick at Quik Trip and another small Frapp.  Got home at 8 p.m., too late to cook the dinner I'd planned, especially if I wanted to go to bed early and get to the gym in the morning.  Dinner was a crazy combo of a beet and orange salad (I'll devote a post to that this weekend), a bowl of homemade chili, and a bowl of cereal.  I had one liter of water yesterday, which was my minimum goal.  And this morning I got up at 4:45 a.m. and went to the gym!  I kept it simple for my first trip back; half an hour on the elliptical and then headed back home to get ready for work.  Home is on the way from the gym to the job, so it's easier just to go back to the house rather than shower at the gym.  And I drank a liter of water while I was on the elliptical.

I didn't write down my food/points yesterday but I remember everything I ate so I'll jot it down this morning and figure out the points in a bit:
Breakfast: Frapp, and peanut butter sandwich with oat-nut bread and Naturally More peanut butter;
Lunch: an orange, another pb sandwich, and my current favorite salad of mixed romaine, orange slices, cilantro, almonds and dried dates;
Snack: cheese stick and Frapp; and dinner you already know.  Could have been worse; could have been better.

On to the next day!