Pushing Past the Pounds

75 Pounds of Potatoes

2012-01-18T12:02:00.000-08:00

I haven't updated my progress on this blog for a while - I'm sorry about that. Life has just been too crazy for words lately. But here I am now. :)

First off, let me show you my most recent picture. This is me at 74 pounds lost.

I have to tell ya - it feels really good.

I'm still living the diet I mentioned before, with the meats, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and raw dairy. I've moved on to phase two of the diet, however, which includes a few of the lower-glycemic fruits. What's interesting is that fruit now tastes really sweet to me.

And now I have a funny story.

I was at the grocery store the other day, walking through the produce section, and was seized upon by a wild impulse. My mom was with me, and she always has her camera in her purse. We stopped by the potatoes and made a potato tower.

This is: 3 20 lb. bags, 1 10 lb. bag, and 1 5 lb. bag to add up to 75 pounds of potatoes. The last time I weighed in, I'd lost 74 pounds, so technically, I should have made a 74 lb. pile, but potatoes come in multiples of five.

And then of course I had my picture taken with that tower. (Ignore the fact that I'm not wearing makeup in this picture.)

Looking at all those potatoes on the floor, I just could not believe that I used to carry that much weight around on my body. I couldn't even lift those potatoes - I had to have my son do it for me. How did I function with all that weight? Of course I struggled, and I remember that plainly, but how was I not struggling more? How did I even get out of bed? I am so happy and grateful that I've finally been able to make this change. Seeing that stack of potatoes was a real eye-opener for me.

So, we take the picture, see, and just then, a man comes around the corner and needs to get down the aisle. I said, "Oh, don't mind us. I like having my picture taken with potatoes every so often - it's just something I do."

He didn't even bat an eye. "Not a problem." And he moved on down the aisle.

Sheesh ... I was expecting a chuckle, or even a cautious "Why?"

A Very Exciting Announcement!

2011-12-10T15:20:00.001-08:00

Ever since I started my weight loss journey back in June, people have been asking me how I'm doing it. I've blogged about it and I've even posted my meals on Facebook, but in the back of my head was the thought - wouldn't it be great if people could just pick up a book and read about it, and then have the information on hand whenever they wanted it?

I broached the idea of co-authoring a book to my doctor, and turns out, he's been wanting to publish one for a long time, but just needed a little direction. So I'm bringing the direction, he's bringing the knowledge, and voila! Come March, we are releasing To Your Health: Recipes from the Injury & Wellness Center.

This book will explain why the typical American diet is so unhealthy - leading us to cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and much more - and why we need to make changes in our eating habits. Then it will explain the optimum way to eat for the best possible health. I will share the story of my lifetime of bad health, culminating in my having metabolic syndrome (precursor of heart disease and diabetes) and weighing 300 pounds, and how I changed my life and am getting my health back. Then you will find pages and pages of healthy, delicious recipes that you can make and you will want to eat. This book is volume one of two*, and each volume will be bursting with fantastic information, my before and after pictures, and tips for how you can do it too - not just losing weight, but getting healthy and changing your life.

We are releasing the book toward the end of March (exact date to be determined) and we are offering a special - if you place your order before March 1st and pay for it at the time the order is placed, you will get 15% off and free shipping, which brings your cost to $16.96 (full price of book is $19.95) If you would like to take advantage of this offer, just pop me an e-mail and put "book order" in the subject line.

*The publication date for volume two has not yet been determined, but be thinking, summer of 2012.

The Story of the Pink Sweater

2011-11-25T15:39:00.000-08:00

About five years ago, I was at the local thrift store, and I found a pink sweater. I loved the color, and it was only a dollar, but it was very much too small for me. I decided to get it anyway. After all, it was such a great color, and it was only a dollar, right? I put it in my closet and every time I would run across it, I would feel a little sad. Poor, pretty sweater ... never to be worn ...

Back in June, when I started this new lifestyle, I was really amazed to lose six pounds the first week. After the second week, when it happened again, I thought, "Well, maybe I will fit in that sweater someday." In August, I set a goal. "I'm going to wear that sweater on Christmas Day." It seemed like a good goal.

Well, guess what ...

Yesterday was Thanksgiving, and guess what I wore?

Yep, here's the sweater ... a whole holiday early. :)

Hitting a Landmark

2011-11-10T10:53:00.000-08:00

I'd like to share with you a little story. It's embarrassing. But I'm going to share it anyway.

About eighteen months ago, I was out in Roosevelt for a book signing, and I stopped in at a restaurant for dinner. All the tables were full, and so there were only booths available. I could not fit into the booth. I was so humiliated.

It turns out that most booths have a "fat" side and a "skinny" side - one bench is farther away from the table than the other. I was with a friend, and she and I traded places so I could have the "fat" side. I just barely fit in it. I ate my dinner with the table just about cutting me in half. Of course, my imagination kicked in and I envisioned everyone in the restaurant looking over at me - "Hey, that fat chick can't even fit in the booth." It was miserable. I don't usually spend a lot of time worrying about what other people think of me - life's too short for that - but that night, it really bothered me.

Last Saturday, I was in Roosevelt again. And I went to the same restaurant. And guess what ...

This is me, sitting on the "skinny" side. And I have room to spare.

If you'd like to read my post about my battle with sugar, click here - I posted it on my other blog.

Tristi's Weight Loss Journey

2011-10-01T12:05:00.000-07:00

Me in January of this year.

Me as of last week.

At the time of this writing, I've lost 40 pounds in just over three months. I still have a little over a hundred to go, but I have every reason to believe that it will come off too.

Isn't it human nature that when we see a friend who's lost weight, we ask, "How did you do it?" And isn't it also human nature that if they talk about miracle pills, we're all ears, but if they talk about diet, exercise, water, and sleep, we zone out?

The fact is, we all know what it takes to lose weight. We all know that if we keep eating junk food, we'll never meet those goals, and yet ... it's hard to give up the junk food. It's hard to exercise. It's hard to make consistently positive choices all day long. For some of us, it's flat-out impossible to turn our lives upside down in this way. After all, it was really easy to get fat … seems unfair that it should be so hard to get un-fat.

I used to think it was flat-out impossible for me. I’d exercise my brains out and lose one pound in a month. I tried all kinds of eating plans and would lose a pound a week, which isn’t shabby, but then I’d gain it back while still following the plan. I’d up my thyroid prescription. Somewhat helpful, but not entirely.

I decided that I would need to just accept the fact that I am a large woman. There are a lot of beautiful, talented, wonderful, compassionate women of size in this world—I’d just be one of them. I know that true beauty and worth doesn’t come from the way you look, but I still wasn’t happy with this decision—I wanted to be healthy, and I knew it would never happen carrying so much weight.

Earlier this year, I was very concerned about my second son. He was losing weight, was pale, had no energy, and was having outrageous temper tantrums. We didn't know what to do, and traditional methods weren't helping. Finally we got him in to see my mom's doctor, and we learned that among various other health problems, he had severe allergies. We immediately put him on a limited diet, supplements, and regular visits, and it wasn't long at all before he was a brand-new kid. He'll be able to add some things back into his diet—he’s already added some—but we're doing it gradually and with a doctor's care.

It turns out we all needed to be put on this diet. At first, I honestly thought I was in hell. I'm not talking about the swear word—I’m talking about the geographical location. I suddenly had to figure out what to eat, how to eat it, what supplements to take with it ... for our entire family. Overload!! It was hard enough to do it for one person, but now ... for five? (Yes, I did make my husband figure out his own.) I didn't think I'd survive.

But I lost six pounds that first week.

Wow.

So I kept on, and we're slowly developing some habits that will make this all easier. We're getting into the groove. We want to be healthy. We want to overcome these illnesses that have held us back for so long.

When someone asks me, "How are you doing it?" here's my answer:

1. I am totally 100% off sugar.

2. I am totally 100% off caffeine.

3. I eat no grain or fruit of any kind.

4. I eat meat, vegetables, seeds, nuts, and some raw dairy.

5. I drink 3 qts. of water every day (at least).

6. I take the supplements I've been told to take. I'm suffering from malnutrition—a lifetime of not knowing what to eat, or caring what I ate—and I need to nourish myself.

This is not easy. In fact, I've thrown at least a couple of fits, but never in my children's hearing, because I'm trying to set an example for them. There are times when I want pizza so badly I can hardly see straight. I would commit a crime for some Cherry Coke right now. But you know what? I'm not going to get some. I'm finally on the right track, and I don't want to mess it up.

I've been battling my weight my entire life. I've had some successes, and lots of failures. I never had the self-control to stay away from my favorite foods. I also needed someone to supervise me and tell me what I needed to do. I need the help of the supplements—if you're starving yourself to death because of malnutrition, and then you starve yourself to death because you're on a diet, what good are you doing? I need nutrients, and that's what I'm finally getting.

40 pounds since June 13th. It's working. It hasn’t been easy, but it's working.

Interestingly enough, we aren't approaching me from a weight-loss angle, even though by looking at me, that's clearly a need. We are approaching this from a "Let's get Tristi healthy" angle, and the things we're doing to build up my nutrition and heal my organs are, in turn, helping me lose the unhealthy weight. It's a side benefit, one I can't even tell you how glad I am to be experiencing.

I don't know how long I'll be on this tight regimen. My body was worse off than I first suspected, and we've got a lot of organ systems left to heal. But I'm going to keep at it until I'm well. I've never been so close before, and I'm certainly not giving up now.

"How are you losing your weight, Tristi?" I'm losing it by turning my entire life upside down, getting rid of old habits, creating new ones, throwing away my emotional crutches and learning to stand on my own two feet. And when I reach my goal weight and look in the mirror, I'll know that I'm a winner inside and out.

And yes, I’ll refer you to my doctor. I warn you—he’ll make you change your life. But I promise you—he’ll make you change your life. Think about it.

If you’d like me to send you his contact information, pop me an e-mail.

Blog Hop ... And a Prize!

2011-09-22T08:26:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the September Blog Hop! Celebrate the beginning of fall with me and my blogger friends by hopping around, visiting our sites, and entering our contests! There are no limits - you can enter the contest on every blog. With over 40 blogs participating, that's over 40 prizes you could win. Just click on the links below to move on to the next blog.

On this blog, you can win …

This is my new cookbook, which contains over eighty delicious, mouth-watering recipes. The best part? They're all low in sodium, although you'd never guess that from the taste. So take care of your heart while being nice to your taste buds.

I do need to make a quick clarification - while these recipes are healthy, I didn't lose my weight by following this cookbook. I've gone off grains, fruits - basically all carbs, which is a pretty strict diet, in order to get my weight off. So while the cookbook is a great resource, it's not the exact tool I'm using. :)

Would you like to win this prize? You just need to do two things.

1. Become a follower of this blog.

2. Leave me a comment in the trail and tell me why you'd like to win this prize.

That's it! You are now entered. The contest ends on Saturday night, September 24th, at midnight MST, and the winner will be contacted shortly thereafter. Please either leave your e-mail address in the comment trail or make sure it's visible through your profile so I can contact you to tell you that you're the lucky winner.

Now go visit my other friends ...

September Blog Hop Participants

1. Tristi Pinkston, LDS Author
2. Joyce DiPastena
3. I Am A Reader, Not A Writer
4. Mandi Slack
5. Michael D. Young
6. Six Mixed Reviews
7. Pam Williams
8. Laurie Lewis
9. Kristy Tate
10. Marilyn Yarbrough
11. Stacy Coles
12. Kristie Ballard
13. Lynn Parsons
14. Pushing Past the Pounds
15. Sheila Staley
16. cindy Hogan

17. Jamie Thompson
18. Jaclyn Weist
19. Cathy Witbeck
20. Secret Sisters Mysteries
21. Tamera Westhoff
22. Tina Scott
23. Lynnea Mortensen
24. Danyelle Ferguson aka Queen of the Clan
25. Jeanette A. Fratto
26. Bonnie Harris
27. Melissa Lemon
28. Mary Ann Dennis
29. Stephanie Black
30. Jane Still
31. Janice
32. Laura Bastian

33. Tamara Bordon
34. Betsy Love
35. Maria Hoagland
36. Amber Robertson
37. Debbie Davis
38.
39. Christy Monson
40. Carolyn Frank
41. Rebecca Birkin
42. Melissa Cunningham
43. Emily L. Moir
44. Ronda Hinrichsen
45. Lisa Asanuma
46. Joan Sowards
47. Jordan McCollum
48. Diane Stringam Tolley

Learn more about September Blog Hop here.
Get The Code

Another Skinny Picture

2011-09-17T18:28:00.001-07:00

My mom came over this afternoon to take some pictures of me for Facebook and whatnot, and took this one. I honestly thought that for as big as I am, I'd have to lose at least fifty pounds in order to see a difference, but I'm really seeing it now, at 33.5. Hooray!

A Skinny Picture!

2011-09-15T16:06:00.001-07:00

This is the skinniest picture taken of me in a long, long time ... I just had to share it. And I think it's very appropriate that I'm eating a salad. :)

I'm just so tired of hating every picture of me ever taken. When my mom took this one and showed it to me, I actually squealed.

I've decided to post a picture of me every month. That way, when I see you all again in person next time, you'll still recognize me. :)

A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That ...

2011-09-11T00:09:00.000-07:00

This blog post is going to be a little bit celebration, a little bit whining...

Let's start with the good stuff. I am now down 33.5 pounds. Yes, you heard me right! I can hardly believe I'm even getting to say that. This is the most weight I've ever lost. Before, my record was twenty-seven pounds, back when I was doing the Healthrider for half an hour every day and practically starving myself. But then I got pregnant, and that came to a stop. I'm really excited about this loss. I feel smaller. I can't even explain what it's like to feel smaller. I honestly thought I was going to be an obese woman the rest of my life.

The whining ... I've been hit by some health problems, and they've both kept me from being the person I've wanted to be this week. It's hard to feel productive when you're lying down with ice on your foot because once again, you've thrown out a bone (I do that every so often) and because you're overstressed. I had a bad day today with my oldest son - we ended up in a fight, which always stresses me out even further. And when your doctor tells you to avoid stress ... it's stressful to avoid stress, you know that? :)

But at any rate, the weight is still coming off. I now look forward to going in to the doctor's office if for no other reason. I'm still spending a lot more time there than I want to - with all of us being treated, it takes a long time - but I have something concrete to look forward to each time.

And when I hit 40 pounds lost, I'm treating myself to a pedicure! I've never had one!

This Week's Update

2011-09-04T15:18:00.001-07:00

I'm quite delighted to announce that my weight loss now totals 27 pounds. That is so epic ... can I just say?

Challenges this week ... staying full enough. Because my diet doesn't allow any grains at all, I'm trying to stay full enough on meats, seeds, and vegetables. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't. I've pulled out some of my husbands cookbooks that he collected back when he was doing an alkalerian diet, and I think those will help me broaden my horizons a bit. In addition, Sabine lent me her book about the primal diet, and while I've been too busy to read more than the first chapter up until now, I'm delving into it with a vengeance this week to learn all I can.

So it's a process. A very slow process. :) I'm now off caffeine, which is awesome, although I still miss it. I'm still candy and dessert-free since June 13th, which is something I didn't think I could ever do. And now that I'm off caffeine, I'm sugar-free.

Believe me, I've had my moments of feeling picked on. My husband and I went to the Golden Corral for dinner the other night, and right there in front of me was the most delicious-looking chocolate layer cake. It was hard to fill up my plate with salad and meat and ignore the cakes and the rolls, but you know what? I did it. And I'm really proud of myself.

Right now we're making plans to go to a movie as family for Halloween instead of trick-or-treating. The kids are excited about it - we don't go see movies very often - and I hope it makes it up to them that they aren't getting a whole bag of candy. That would be the worst thing ever for them right now.

Until next time ...

Well, Whaddya Know?

2011-08-17T23:13:00.000-07:00

I got on my little old scale yesterday and got a shock ... I've now lost twenty-two pounds. Yep, that was a shock in a good way. :) I knew I felt a little thinner, but until I saw it on the scale, I thought it had to be wishful thinking or something. I mean, people like me don't lose weight. That's why we are the shape we are. Right?

Well, up until now, that has been my truth. Every time I've tried to lose weight in the past, I either haven't been able to get any off, or I had to get off whatever program I was doing, usually because of time constraints. But because of our health problems, I've been forced into this, and you know, it's not fun to be forced, but I'm seeing some serious benefits. I'm going to need to take in the elastic in the waistbands of my pants ... and I imagine it won't be too much longer before I won't be wearing pants with elastic waistbands. :)

My biggest triumph is that it's been over eight weeks since I've had any chocolate, or any dessert at all. I didn't think I could go this long without a num-num.

My biggest obstacle right now is lack of preparation. I have cheated, and it's always been when I'm away from home, I didn't bring food with me, and my blood sugar drops. I need to get in the habit of taking a snack with me. My mom got me a cute little purse-sized insulated lunch bag, so it's not that taking something is difficult - it's that I don't remember and I don't prepare. If I can get that ironed out, I think I'd be progressing even faster.

My goal right now is to lose a total of forty pounds, and then I'm going to treat myself to a pedicure. I've never had one, and I think cute toes are fun. :) Then I'll set my next goal and decide my next milestone celebration.

In the meantime, the kids are feeling some better, although they miss "good" food. (Their quote) I hope they understand the reasons behind all this and don't fall off the wagon as soon as they get the chance.

"This is Heavy"

2011-08-14T19:35:00.000-07:00

I've said it before and I'll say it again, vacations aren't good for diets. I've been in Texas for a month. Land of BBQ, fried okra, Blue Bell ice cream, and my mom's cooking. I've gained about 7.5 lbs. I go home tomorrow and need to step it up! I can do it!

Hi! Remember me? Probably not!!

2011-08-05T20:22:00.000-07:00

Lately, I've been rejoining the blogging world. So here I am again.

And how am I doing with my weight?

Need I go on?

That being said, I've begun taking the right steps. Again. I did do HCG three times. For a while I was down to 185 and I kept that weight pretty well for probably eight or nine months. Then I fell off the bandwagon and started gaining. And gaining.

Hit 200 again. Hit 210 again.

Panicked. Hated myself. Called the doctor.

I've been meaning to get into the doctor for a while to ask about some things. One of them was my thyroid and just general health stuff. I came back fine. Everything was fine. Which is good in a lot of ways. I don't have to worry about high cholesterol, high blood pressure, a bad thyroid or any of that stuff.

Which means, that I can't blame my weight gain on anything BUT my own choices! Sigh. I guess the great thing is that I can start making different choices.

One choice? I've just started on some anti-anxiety medication (go see these two posts for more information). I tend to eat a whole lot more when my anxiety is high. So managing my anxiety through the medication and other things is important.

In speaking with my doctor we decided to also put me on an appetite suppressant. I'll only be on it for a total of three months, but it should give me a bit of a jump start and encourage me to keep on losing.

In the meantime I'm trying to develop healthier habits overall. The eating hasn't been as good as it should be, but my appetite is definitely smaller, so I have lost weight. I've also been walking more. I read about people doing all kinds of great exercise, running five miles a day, or spinning, or lifting weights and how they feel so good and blah blah blah. I hate it. Because I kind of have the belief that I won't get to the weight I want to (my doctor recommended 160), without doing that kind of crazy exercise.

But you know what? That's okay. I'm just going to start with walking. And so I have. I haven't walked every day, but I have walked a lot more this summer than I have in a long time. And I listen to an audiobook while I do it, making it pretty enjoyable. I don't even walk that far--probably 2 1/2 miles when I do. But hey. That's ok for now.

And I'm just going to continue developing healthier habits. Maybe after walking for a couple of years I'll go to the next level, and maybe start running. Doubt it, but hey miracles have happened before.

I just need to remember this process isn't just about being thin (although I love the idea!), but it's also about me being HEALTHY. Maybe I always figured if I was thin I'd be healthy. But that isn't necessarily true.

So I'm back. And hopefully I'll stay. I've gone from 210 to 196.2 as of this morning. Keeping on, keeping on. And this time, it takes as long as it takes, and I will make sure I'm either maintaining or losing. NOT GAINING. And being HEALTHY.

Eggplant Pizza

2011-08-01T15:11:00.000-07:00

I love summertime when the garden is just bursting with vegetables and we have something fresh every night. This year to help us stay on our primal plans we planted (or I guess I should say my husband planted) a lot more than usual and he tried a bunch of new things to give variety to our diet. So when he came to me with 3 beautiful eggplants, I was pleased, but had no idea what to do with them. I'd heard of Eggplant Parmigiana, but since we don't do grains I was looking for something I didn't have to bread (although the few things I've breaded in Almond meal have been divine). So last night we tried Eggplant Pizza. I cut the eggplants length wise about 1/2 and inch thick. Then I broiled them on one side until they were lightly brown. I flipped them and added pizza sauce and mozerella cheese and broiled till the cheese was bubbly and lightly browned. The result was perfect. The kids were not as convinced, but once I told them they had to eat it or else, it actually went down well. I think the name just through them off. I even heard a comment that we could have it again. We will because I loved it and maybe next time I will add other pizza toppings to make it seem more like a real pizza.

I'm back!

2011-07-30T14:45:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! I'm back! Long time no see. I switched google accounts and haven't posted for a very long time. Mainly because my current blog is in one google account and this blog was in the other. A marriage has been performed and we are joined once again!

Just to bring you up to date, the battle with weight and fitness goes on. Up and down and . . . wait, no just up. It's more than frustrating. I have a feeling my problem is my hormones. I'm all over the place. I've taken some tests and will start with bioidenticle hormone treatment. I'm very excited and everyone I've talked to who uses them, swears by them. I'll keep you posted.

You see, if I just had more energy, I'd be able to work out more. I wake up in the mornings feeling like I've just run a marathon. I'm exhausted all the time, and I mean really exhausted. My poor kids feel so put out, because mom never wants to do anything fun.

My appointment with the doc is on the 17th so I'll let you know how it goes. So far, I work out as often as I can and then lay on my bed the rest of the day. (pretty much) --not conducive to great writing. It's been a real push to write at all. Mainly because I'm so tired all the time. I'm at the end of my current ms and only have about ten thousand words to go, so let me tell ya, I need to feel better so I can finish this dang thing, and become rich and famous!

So that's my life in a nutshell. I'll keep posting and let you know of my progress.

My Update

2011-07-30T00:02:00.000-07:00

I'm going to start off this post with some fun news - I've lost fifteen pounds. Woohoo! Now, with that important piece of information out of the way, I can proceed with the rest of my update.

As you know, on June 13th I had a doctor appointment and was put on a very limited diet. I have been living it almost faithfully. I say "almost" because about once a week, I do falter, and end up grabbing a sandwich or something like that. I'm also not weaned off caffeine yet, although that is my next big goal. Until I'm off that, I'm not really being compliant with the diet. But it has been over six weeks since I've had chocolate (or dessert at all, for that matter) pasta, rice, or other grains, and I am seeing changes in my body. Even though the weight loss so far is fairly small, the shape of my body is changing. I can feel it in the way my stomach hangs on my body. (Yes, it hangs - we're keeping it real, right?)

Weighing in at my doctor's office was a bit mortifying. My first day of this new lifestyle, my bathroom scale said I weighed 290. Whoa - okay, that wasn't delightful. But then when I got to the doctor's, and got on his very accurate, scary, frightening scale, it added ten pounds. That's right - I started this out at 300. I didn't think I'd gotten that heavy. Wake up for Tristi!! But according to his scale, I'm now 284.5, so yeah, fifteen pounds, and we're backing away from that frightening number that starts with a 3.

Now, I've been down this path before. Huh. A lot. I've lost weight, gained weight, lost weight ... this blog was started during one of those well-meaning fits of losing weight, but then I lost the momentum. This time is different. This time, I can't lose the momentum.

In addition to the food allergies, I've got some health problems. I'm not going to go into them all here, because that's depressing and all that stuff, but also because it would take a long time, but the upshot is that I have to take care of myself or my life expectancy isn't that great. My doctor put it bluntly when he said, "You won't get to see your grandkids." Up until now, I've been skating along, feeling like the golden child, not really affected by anything. These last few months, though ... my knee gave out at the LDStorymakers Writers Conference. I was having to walk a distance between my hotel room and the conference rooms, and I was flat-out exhausted. There are other health factors we've recently discovered that added to that, but the weight was killing my knee, and it plain gave out. I'm tired of all this. I'm tired of weight-related problems, things I can't do - I don't enjoy driving our small car anymore because it's too hard for me to get in and out of. I drive the minivan exclusively now, and it makes me mad that I'm limited in which vehicle I take because of the size of my body. I find that completely wrong.

What it has all come down to, though, is my kids. They are all candidates for diabetes and heart attacks - they got all the bad genes from me and from my husband, and they have problems assimilating sugar. So we're all doing this really limited diet together - no carbs. None. No grain, no fruit, no nothing. We're eating vegetables (but not corn or peas - too high on the glycemic index) lean meats, nuts and seeds, and a limited amount of certain dairy products. We're seeing huge changes in our health, for the whole family. But it has been a challenge.

My biggest challenge right now is that I need to concentrate on making food in advance. This week, I pretty much starved myself to death because there wasn't anything readily available that I wanted to eat, I went too long without eating, and I got sick. I've got to break that habit. My kids will cook up eggs or whatever when they're hungry, and they're fine, but you know, there are just times when I don't want an egg, and I need to be more creative, and I haven't been. This is a way in which I need to be a better guardian of my own health.

I'm going to start checking in more and letting you know how I'm doing. I need further accountability. (Like the doctor's scary scale isn't enough ... ) But right now, here's my report:

1. I'm eating mostly clean. I have had some Wendy's over the last two days - starving, as I mentioned, and didn't prepare, so I need to reset the brain to cook in advance - but for the most part, I'm eating very, very well.

2. No desserts and no chocolate since the start of this diet. Yes, that means I've had no gummy peach rings, no chocolate-covered cinnamon bears, none of my old favorites.

3. I'm now drinking about 16 oz. of Coke - at least, that's what I had today. That's down from about 1 1/2 liters a day. Progress. Progress.

4. I'm not currently exercising. My workload has gotten super, super heavy lately, and what with signing books at Costco, etc, my schedule is more packed than it logically can be. I have plans to reintroduce exercise to my life next week.

5. My water consumption is about 3/4 what it should be, but again, progress.

So ... that's what's up in my world. I'm seeing good changes, I'm making good changes, and I'm very proud of myself. And that's what's important - proud of myself without making excuses. It's a good feeling.

Hey Mama Welcome to the 60's!

2011-07-14T19:33:00.000-07:00

So the whole only weighing yourself once a month has been pretty easy this last three weeks since the battery in my scale died. I had a kind of bad 4th of July week in which I had a Pepsi at the Real Soccer Game, a handful of Red Vines on the boat, and an Oreo cookie here and there. Needless to say I wasn't looking forward to getting a new battery after that! But I was still a lot less than I had been and I needed a new swimsuit. My cute step mother-in-law, who is not much older than me, and has divine taste in clothes told me to come over and look through her old ones as she had about 10 extra ones. So I went and found a cute tankini that I looked good in (for the first time in years I was excited to see myself in a swimsuit.
Since the swimsuit experience had gone well I decided to use their scale to check my weight, because I knew from experience it was right on par with my scale. And I had to step on three times just to make sure....I'm in the 60's for the first time in years. I weighed in tonight, fully clothed and in the late afternoon mind you, at 165 so I have lost a total of 34 pounds since February!!! I am so excited. I couldn't help but think of the Hairspray song "Hey Mama Welcome to the 60's". Sixteen more pounds to go to hit that 50 pound mark I was hoping for. Here is hoping the next month goes as well as the last!

So ... Whassup?

2011-06-16T11:33:00.000-07:00

Hey, everyone!

I've had fun scrolling down and checking out the progress updates - it's inspiring to me, and helpful to know I'm not alone in this battle. On days when things aren't going so hot over here, it's awesome to have people to look toward for motivation to keep going.

A couple of updates: when last I posted, I was doing my son's allergy diet with him. That went all right for a couple of days, but then he was restricted even further, and I lost my willpower.

This last Monday saw a huge change in my life. I had my own appointment with Joseph's doctor ... and let's just say, the kid comes by his health problems naturally. I not only am allergic to just about everything, but my organs (especially my adrenals) aren't functioning. So the doctor officially put me on a restricted diet, and he has given me a pile of pills to take to help kick-start the nutrition going. The pills are all condensed vegetable matter, and they look sort of like tiny little cow droppings - you know, dried up grass - but they aren't too hard to swallow.

The difficulty I'm having is just how very limited my allergies make me. I'm going to be having all kinds of treatments for them, so they shouldn't always be this bad, but it's going to take me a little while to figure out a routine that is best for me.

However, there is this - I started this all on Tuesday morning. I should have started Monday night, but we didn't get home until late. Anyway, I started on Tuesday, and when I got on the scale this morning (two days later) it showed a loss of 4 pounds, and I feel like it's a healthy loss, not an "I'm starving to death because I can't eat anything" loss. As my organs get the food they need and start perking up, I should have all kinds of energy and be able to stay better on top of things.

Perhaps what's helping me out the most right now is that the doctor has put me on adrenal support supplements, which is what I need to get me off the Coke. I haven't been able to get off it by myself because I couldn't function without it. Now I have something to help me function, and the doctor didn't take away the Coke entirely. We're weaning me off it slowly, which I think is awesome. As my adrenals wake up, we'll reduce the Coke even further until I'm off it entirely.

So - the upshot is this. I'm doing a very limited diet, taking lots of supplements, drinking three quarts of water a day, and I'm on doctor's orders to rest more and get more sleep. I'll keep you updated as we go along - right now I'm still in, "let's figure out what to eat" phase, but I can tell progress is already being made, and that's very heartening.

Biggest Loser, So Far

2011-06-10T09:20:00.000-07:00

Well, I haven't been kicked off yet. I didn't have any weight change last week, which was lucky for me since I'd baked a batch of cookies and had soda. But so far I've lost 5.5 lbs. Normally I wouldn't be too excited about it, but because I crossed a difficult marker in the weight loss (getting myself under 140) I'm pretty stoked. Unfortunately the weight loss hasn't equaled a drop in pants size yet, but whatever. Hopefully I'll be able to keep going and eventually drop a shirt size as well as pants size. I had to buy shorts today (it's been in the 90s all week until today--in the 60s. I hate Cleveland.) and so I was bummed to still be in the same size, but it will all work out in the end.

Almost there!

2011-06-03T07:51:00.001-07:00

The title of this post may be a little deceiving. I am still 25 pounds away from my goal, but I am only 1 pound away from my half way mark. My second month of primal went well, but there were a few more hang ups than the first month. Mainly a series of birthday parties with designer cakes that just kept begging to be tested until the last party when I finally gave in and went for it. I'll admit, it was tasty. But after the taste factor went away, eating a whole piece of chocolate cake after 2 months no sugar took its toll on my stomach. I think remembering that gut wrenching feeling will be helpful in the future to refraining from at least so much indulgence. So the big weigh in for the month put me at another five pounds gone away! 24 pounds in 4 months. If I can keep this rate up I will hit my goal by October.
I've found a lot of fun recipes for being primal. The family favorite is Macadamia Crusted Mahi Mahi, which thanks to Costco we can get the wild caught stuff. If you want to try it, just soak your Mahi Mahi in a dish of milk (if you are non dairy use coconut milk) then dip it in fine ground macadamia nuts (I ground mine in my 10$ Black and Decker coffee grinder that I bought at Target to grind my flax seed. Hint...Hazelnuts are too hard to do in this, but macadamia nuts are just fine.) Salt and Pepper and bake at 450 for 10-12 minutes. So easy and so good.
I am still in summer school and just got a part time job, so my grand plans for a workout routine that involves more than walking up and down the stairs at school is still in the idea process, but hopefully by next month that will be a reality. Until then, I'm still feeling great. For the most part being primal has been the easiest and most fulfilling "diet" ever. I can see this being a lifestyle change for good.

Cauliflower Again?

2011-05-20T08:17:00.000-07:00

Okay so it is not just for mashing! I have now tried what is called cauliflower rice and it is yummy! I made it by shredding a head of cauliflower on a cheese grater. Then I used it in replace of rice in my stuffed peppers. It is amazing how this one vegetable can be a substitute for so many of the grains I used to use. It is more amazing that my family thinks it is much more flavorful and says they would rather have it this way always. The peppers were divine and I can't wait to try it just as a rice side substitute. I love CAULIFLOWER!

So. . .I Sold the Bike.

2011-05-16T21:08:00.000-07:00

I had all these grand plans of exercising and then. . .nope. Didn't happen. After having my other kids I had to lay off the exercising because every time I didn't I lost my milk. This baby doesn't know what a bottle is and refuses to become familiar with one. I don't really have much of a choice here and I don't want to risk losing my milk when he isn't ready to be off.

So, I sold the recumbent stationary bike. I wasn't using it and I wouldn't be using it until after we move from here and I really don't want to take it with us (I'd rather have an upright bike anyway).

However, I have joined a Biggest Loser contest with some girls in my ward and now that I have $20 on the line and there's a competition going, I'm going to try harder to eat better (stop when I'm not hungry, not when I'm bursting) and get more regular exercise like walking and pilates.

I"m really excited about this and hope that it works out. We'll see how it goes!

I'm Hungry, I Yam

2011-05-14T10:44:00.000-07:00

Today I showed a loss of 1.8 pounds. Woohoo! The only problem? I'm hungry.

It's not the diet's fault. I can eat all the meat, seeds, and vegetables I want. It's just that I'm totally not in the habit of eating this way. I didn't have a lot of meat as a child - we couldn't really afford it, so I'm not habituated to eating it. And I'm really, really not used to doing without grains. I've depended on those to help me feel full.

My mom is the one who led us to this way of eating, and she says that yams are what has taken the place of a filling food for her. So I've got my husband running an errand for me - he's going to go buy me some yams.

In the meantime, my son is just doing what he's told, no problems, no complaints, feeling better every day.

I'm sure I will too ... once my system acclimatizes.

How's It Goin'?

2011-05-13T18:56:00.000-07:00

First of all, I just have to say, I'm having trust issues with Blogger right now. It ate two blogs from my regular site and it has since reposted one, but I'm still waiting for the other and I'm concerned that this one might not make it up at all. Keeping fingers crossed ...

As we discussed the other day, I'm changing my eating patterns pretty radically. My son has allergies and we're working on figuring out what's up, and his doctor is having him eat really simply for now. Yesterday I started eating alongside him, and I have to say, that kid is kicking my can. He's eating whatever I'm giving him and he's doing it without complaint. Me, on the other hand? I'm a whiner. :)

Yesterday I did pretty well except for two things. At 3:00, my energy dropped and I had a small Cherry Coke. Then at 9:00, I was on my way home from helping at a wedding reception and my blood sugar totally tanked. I pulled into Del Taco and grabbed a chicken taco and a small burrito. So I'd give myself about a 70% for yesterday.

Today I've done better. I did have a little bit of leftover rice from lunch - on this diet, I'm not supposed to have any grains - but I've eaten right the rest of the day. The other difficulty was the Cherry Coke. I am going to have to wean myself off it a little slowly. I'll give myself about an 80% for today.

I haven't weighed today, but plan to tomorrow. Sabine mentioned that on her plan, you don't weigh for a month - I need to keep tabs on things a little more often to keep myself motivated. :)

Talk to you soon!

Okay, Well, Here We Go!

2011-05-12T09:22:00.000-07:00

I'm entering this next phase of my life with great reluctance. You see, I really like food. (I'm sure you've picked up on that along the way.) My favorites are chocolate and Cherry Coke. I started drinking the Coke because my adrenals are shot, and yes, I know that drinking Coke doesn't let adrenals heal, but I haven't found anything natural yet to take the Coke's place. So. Long story short, I'm not losing weight and I'm unhealthy and it's time to really, really do something about it this time.

The catalyst in all this is my son. He's currently going through some allergy treatments and his doctor has put him in a very simple, clean diet. It sounds pretty similar to the primal diet Sabine is doing - lots of clean, fresh meat, a ton of vegetables and seeds, no fruit, no grain, absolutely no sugar or chocolate or caffeine. My son is feeling awesome, although the adjustment has been a little tough for him. But he's such a good kid - he knows this will lead to better overall health, once all his allergies are isolated and we eliminate those things from his diet. He has hardly complained at all, which is a huge example to me.

So I'm looking at him, and I'm looking at pictures of myself from last weekend's LDStorymakers Writers Conference, and I'm thinking, you know what? If my nine-year-old can buck up and do what he needs to do, then I can too. He's probably going to have to have some kind of alternative birthday cake this year, and he's fine with that. Surely I can give up a few things I know aren't good for me.

I told him I was going to do this diet with him so he wouldn't feel alone, but in reality, I'm doing it with him so he can inspire me with his good attitude. I'm a whiner. I'm going to miss all my nummies. But I'm tired of being the largest person in every picture, or at every dinner table, or in every room. I'm tired of thinking I look pretty cute, for a fat person. Yes, I know that's a matter of internal self-talk, and that I have to change my perception before that will go away.

So, here I go, heading out into the unknown. I've been cooking for my son for the last little bit, so I know how to cook for myself. I'm going to eat right alongside him and let him encourage me not to cheat. Eating this way has worked marvels for a lot of people, and I'd love to follow Sabine's example and lose 19 pounds in a month. Most of all, I want to get off the Coke and stop feeling dependent on the chocolate.

I'm just so glad that I have a nine-year-old cheerleader on my team. I wouldn't do it for myself, but I will do it for him. He will help me get healthy while I'm helping him get healthy.

Expect to see me posting a lot more frequently, and probably with some whining, too - I can't whine at my son, so I need to get it out of my system somehow. :)

Today so far:

Weighed in to get a baseline

Breakfast - slice of turkey meatloaf I made with 97/3 ground turkey, chopped onion, celery, egg (no crumbs or oatmeal), 1/2 peeled cucumber, 4 oz. sunflower seeds, large glass of filtered water

I will probably have to taper off the Coke a little slowly. I haven't had any since yesterday - we'll see if I can do it cold turkey or if I need to wean.

Talk to you soon!

Cauliflower!!!

2011-05-06T16:40:00.000-07:00

Okay, so going primal has been pretty easy, but there are somethings I was not willing to give up. First up Spaghetti sauce. I knew I could do without the noodles, but not my meaty goodness (which now that I am making it fresh from my homemade bottled tomatoes is to die for). But what was I supposed to put it over? It was a sauce. My answer was Cauliflower. And it was a success, everyone loved it. So I have been sick this past week and wanted some comfort food. Shepard's Pie has always done that for me. At least the ground beef, mashed potatoes version. I know the real stuff is made with lamb, but I grew up calling this Shepard's Pie and so it is. Anyhow, being primal doesn't allow for the starchiness of potatoes, so what was I to do? My meat went fine with a few herbs, some beef broth, and fresh veggies added, but I needed a creamy white topping to make it perfect. So I used mashed cauliflower instead. I topped off my meat, put a pat of butter on top and 40 minutes latter had one of the best versions of Shepard's Pie I'd ever tasted. I can't wait to discover what else I can pair with this wonder vegetable! I didn't even think I liked it that much a month ago. Now it is a staple in my house!!!

Um ... Hi

2011-05-02T11:48:00.000-07:00

So, it occurs to me that since I started this blog, I should probably post something, huh? I'm glad to see Brent's posts resuming - he's really inspiring with how he's taking this thing by the horns and wrassling it into submission. Every one of you inspire me with your successes and I commiserate when you have a day that didn't go how you'd hoped. I'm still here, even if I'm very, very quiet right now.

My thing is that I'm having issues with my body right now. After wondering just what was up with my back, I had some x-rays done. I've always known I have scoliosis - that was diagnosed when I was ten. But now I know to what extent I have it (quite a lot) and some other problems I have (I'm just a very interesting medical case). It really explains a lot, like why my ribs keep popping out of alignment, etc.

I've done, and loved, the Game On! diet, as I've mentioned here, but also as I've mentioned here, it's almost impossible for me to keep up with any healthy routine when my life gets busy. I can't concentrate on multiple things at a time anymore - I'm still blaming the concussion, but who knows who long I'll get away with that excuse. So as my author services business picked up, my healthy habits went by the wayside, and I'm weighing pretty much the same right now as I did a year ago. I did back down from that ghastly weight number we once talked about - the one I'm determined never to see - but I'm nowhere near close to the goals I had set for myself.

However, I'm soon going to be following Sabine's example and going primal. It's actually pretty coincidental that she's doing it - my son's doctor is doing some allergy testing, etc, on him and has limited his diet for the time being, and I'm going to join him next week. I'm away from the house Thursday, Friday, and Saturday (LDStorymakers Writers Conference) and I will have no control over my eating, so come Monday, I'm hitting the diet with my son, help him feel a little less alone. And hopefully, I'll drop some awesome weight too.

And that's all for now ... you guys are awesome, you're inspirational, and I appreciate you.

Wanting Some More Accountability

2011-05-02T11:33:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time. I've been totally on the workout train the last couple of months (I won't bore you with the details here. Click here if you're interested in reading about it.) as I prepare for another triathlon in less than 3 weeks. (EEEEK!) But my eating habits have hardly budged.

I know I need to go on a no-sugar regimen and really fuel my body with healthy foods from now until race day, but I'm having a hard time committing to it. The biggest challenge I have is my daily routine of sitting down in front of the TV at the end of a long day with my hubby and eating lots of bad foods right before bed. Every night.

Any big ideas on how to combat the problem? I keep vowing to myself that I'll only eat veggies after a certain time at night, but when it comes to that time and my significant other sits down with a big bowl of cereal and some chocolate candy goodness, I can't stick to the plan.

Help??

Staying Primal

2011-05-01T06:32:00.001-07:00

Well it has been one month since I went primal and for the most part I stuck to it. Yes, I messed up once or twice. I had a bite of my daughter's noodles when we went to Panda Express. I had one piece of milk chocolate at Easter, but I tried even on my mess ups to only let them be really little. And when I did my monthly weigh in I was down 11 pounds since April 1st! Wahoo. It worked, and with relative ease. I never went hungry. I ate as much as I wanted when I wanted it, just sticking with vegetables, fruits, and proteins and staying away from sugar, starch, and grains. So, that puts me at a grand total of 19 pounds since Feb 2. One thing for sure with this last month over the 8 pounds I lost the first two month when I just started cutting back...I don't have to go hungry, my posture has improved, and I have had so much more energy. I totally made it through finals week without a Coke! I have been finding some really good substitutes that even my kids like, to stay away from grains. On the menu for tonight is homemade marinara with grass fed beef over cauliflower (instead of pasta). My whole family loves it. I also want to start adding a little walking and a few WOW's (work out of the week from the primal blog...marks' daily apple). Here is to hoping at the end of this month you will still be seeing less of me!

Weigh in day for Brent!

2011-04-22T12:15:00.001-07:00

Its Friday weight-loss-watchers, and that means weigh in day for Brent! This morning I tipped the scales showing a loss of 6.7 lbs since Monday and I’m feeling really good about it. I’ve been overly strict, not starvation mind you, but strict. I’m eating lots of fruits and raw veggies, (as much as I want) and some lean proteins (not quite as much as I want) and no sugar (not nearly as much as I want). Plus I am religious about getting in those brisk, daily walks and have added a few pushups and crunches to my regimen as well.
I’ve made some plans to eat less carful over potions of Easter weekend. There are a few meals/time periods were food is part of the celebration. During those specific times, I’m going to enjoy some of the treats and traditional foods that go along with the season. But, that does not mean I will let my nutritional hair down for the entire weekend. If breakfast isn’t part of the official celebration, then I’m going to eat light, same with diner, snacks and so on. I’ve worked really hard to turn this big, unhealthy boat in the right direction and it would be foolish to completely mess it up now, just for sake of a Holiday weekend.
I hope you are doing well, and have made plans to enjoy the weekend as well. Keep up the fight and may the Easter Bunny bring us all a few really chocolaty treats!

If it doesn’t matter, don’t eat like it does!

2011-04-21T07:18:00.000-07:00

It’s been a whirlwind couple of days but the great thing is that I’ve managed to take time to eat right and exercise despite the hectic schedule. There were a few close calls, when I almost slipped, and there have been a few occasions where I almost justified cheating, but in the end I made good choices.
I’ve been thinking a lot about how strict we should be in our dieting and I think we need to be sure to cut ourselves a little slack on special occasions and extenuating circumstances. I’ve always said that I didn’t get fat from going to parties, enjoying the holidays, or eating too much while on vacation. I got this way by eating most every meal like it was a party. We’d all do well if we guiltlessly enjoyed food on those few occasions when food is part of a special event, so long as we were careful to eat nutritiously every other meal during the week. If there is a party, if your neighbor brings over homemade sweet rolls (Lisa), if you’re on a trip, or its Sunday dinner, I say go ahead and indulge a little, then just swear on your life that you’ll be good the rest of the time. I’ll say it again, I don’t think we got out of shape by enjoying special foods on special occasions; it’s the basic everyday food choices that effect us the most. If the meal matters, eat. If it doesn’t matter, don’t eat like it does!
I’m going to weigh in tomorrow. Hopefully I’ll nail double digit number because I’ve sure earned it, having said that, scales are not always fair, so if I don’t hit it big, I won’t be too worried about it.
I wish you well in your nutritional endeavors and I hope to hear more from you soon. Take care.

Calorically intact

2011-04-18T15:47:00.001-07:00

Well, I was shooting for some “Biggest Loser” sized numbers and I guess I came pretty close. I am down 7.3 lbs in seven days, that’s enough that I don’t feel like a total failure, but I was really really hoping for something in the double digits. But, I also crashed a burned a few times over the weekend. Without going into detail I didn’t make it out of Logan calorically intact, nor was I on my best nutritional behavior at Mom’s b-day party last night, so all things considered, I ought to be ecstatic about losing 7.
The really great part is that I am back on the wagon and doing well today. Had a good workout dragging trees and branches at the cabin and then came to town and did my daily cemetery walk, even though it was raining. I’ve been munching vegetarian style all day and that seems alright as a temporary tactic. It’s weird for me to have a meal without meat, but I have learned that’s it is possible. Not preferred, but possible.
My next weigh in will be this Friday and I am going to focus a little harder on a double digit loss. That will be tough because its only five days away, but I still think I can pull it off. Please continue to keep me posted on your progress and let me know if you have any strategies on surviving Easter, or if you thing that’s one of those holidays that merits a 24 hour, free pass.

Going Primal

2011-04-17T07:46:00.001-07:00

Okay so it has been awhile. What with school, soccer, homework, housework, when is a girl supposed to lose any weight? I realized just how bad it had gotten when I stepped on the scale the morning of my 35th birthday to see it top off at 199. I knew right then I was never going to let it see that 200 mark. EVER! So I did what I felt I could do at the time. I cut back to three cokes a week instead of everyday. I tried walking a bit more when I could. I stopped having after dinner snacks. And it worked--a bit. I went from 199 at the first of Feb to 191 at the first of April. Not terrible, but I felt like it was a half hearted effort. Especially when my husband at lost 29 pounds in those same two months by going Primal.
I was skeptical at first. I got the whole no sugar thing, I really did. But no grains? No starch? No beans? What was up with that? Well I promised to give it a month. And here I am on day 17, and I can't tell you how much I've lost (another one of my husbands rules for me I have to give it a month before I weigh myself) but I can tell you, my energy levels have rapidly increased. I've gotten several comments from people that I am looking better, I feel better, and a couple of days ago I wore a shirt that hasn't been out of my closet in months because the arms were too tight, and there was room to spare!
So I guess finishing out the month being primal won't be so bad. It may be the lifestyle change I was looking for. Its not that hard, it requires a little planning, but I have not gone hungry once, which is good. Plus since most fast food places don't have a ton of options for me, I am saving some money as well.
On May 1st I'll stop on that scale and see what it tells me. Until then. I'm Primal!

My body seems to appreciate it

2011-04-14T12:30:00.000-07:00

Survived the concession counter at the movies last night. The lady behind the glass case looked quite surprised when I said I didn’t need any treats. I guess some of us look more prone to popcorn and drinks than others.
As a side note, the movie was good, but felt strangely foreign. I guess that’s because it was. Not an American actor or location in the whole thing.
So far I’ve been eating smart today. I arranged my schedule to eat my best meal of the day for lunch rather than diner. I did the same thing yesterday and my body seems to appreciate it. I sleep better on an empty stomach and I wake up feeling more refreshed.
In a few minutes I’m headed for a walk. It will be nice once the weather breaks so I can exercise when I want, and not when the wind and rain dictates.
My next big weigh-in will be on Monday and I feel pretty good about hitting a double digit number. Time will tell.
Until tomorrow…keep up the fight.

Concession counters at the movies

2011-04-13T16:54:00.001-07:00

Another successful nutrition day. I’m not sure why, but I somehow have a handle on appropriate eating and exercise these days. I’m trying not to get overly cocky though, because sadly, I know from past experience that I could easily fall off the wagon at any time. I hope relapse will not be a problem for me, but I’d better make weight-loss-hay while the sun is shining because the further we get on any journey, the harder it is to turn back. I guess that’s true about all the unhealthy journeys we take as well. It can take so long to turn those massive, misdirected ships around.
My big temptation tonight will be Salt Creek Cinemas. I’m going to the movie with a friend and you know what kind of junk food awaits behind the glass concession counters at the movies. Wish me luck, and please ask me about how I did. Accountability to you is much of what gets me through these tough times.
Thanks again for the emails, texts, posts, and kind words when I run into some of you down town. Please let me know how I can help you with your battles as well. I feel like we’re in this together!

The Lost Lamb is Returning to the Fold

2011-01-25T15:52:00.000-08:00

Yes, it is I, the lost dieter. The lost little lamb is finding her way back to the safety of the fold. I decided that my clothes were sending a message of "Too tight; not right!" After a very sad New Years Eve by myself, (My kids were with their dad) and eating WAY too much, I gave in. On January 4, 2011 I joined Weight Watchers Online. I really love the online program! I love having a plan and trying my best to stick with it. Since the 4th I have lost 15.4 pounds. I know that this is not quite the excitement of The Biggest Loser, when people lose 15 pounds in one week, but I am happy. I am hoping when I next see all of you in May that there will be less of me to look at.

My question is, why does it always take a breaking point before we do something about our weight? As I said, my breaking point came after eating so much pizza I felt like throwing it up. There were many tears that night and I knew I was at my lowest point. I also knew that I loved my kids and myself enough to change my habits. Life is important to me and I want to be here to raise my kids. They also deserve a Mom who has the energy and strength to keep up with them.

I am happy to be back here giving and receiving support . It is the only way to truly be successful in any weight loss journey.

Catching Up ...

2010-12-28T23:57:00.001-08:00

Time to get back on track after Christmas, time for a new blog template, and time for an update from Tristi.

I am totally in love with the Game On! diet. I took a month's hiatus because I picked up several pretty large editing jobs and also got sick, and I have learned about myself that I can't concentrate on too many things at once. I used to be able to, but that was in another life, when I was younger, before I had four kids. So I took December off, and unfortunately, I did gain back some of the weight (there was some munching and crunching that took place) but I'm gearing up to start again on January 7th. If any of you would like to join me, just let me know - tristipinkston@gmail.com

In the meantime, I'm able to see how my body is reacting to healthy living and then not healthy living. It doesn't like it. It chooses to be healthy. So I'm going to go back to giving my body what it wants - and feeling like I finally have the power to do it. Power ... is awesome.

Post Baby Body

2010-11-07T06:52:00.000-08:00

I'm back!

It'll be 4 weeks tomorrow since I had my baby boy. He was 9 lbs. 6 oz. and we named him Lincoln.

I love the immediate loss of almost 20 lbs. However, I am fairly certain I am now at the point where I have to work to get the rest of the weight gain off. I am nursing, so that will help, but that alone won't get me to where I was pre-pregnancy. I need to lose just over 20 lbs. to reach that point. That won't get me to where I need to be though. That weight was where I was after my miscarriage last summer, the baby weight from that I never bothered to attempt to work off--I padded it and my emotions with Blue Bell Ice Cream instead.

So now I am ready to start losing more of this weight. When and how still remains a slight mystery. I have my beloved exercise DVDs, but now I have 4 kids ages 5 and under. Any suggestions?

I feel like I should write down specific goals instead of just a blanket goal of "losing weight." So here they are.
By Christmas. . .
1. I want to be down to 145 lbs.
2. I want to be comfortably wearing my non-maternity shirts.
3. I want to be down one jeans size.

To do this I will . . .

1. Not eat after 9:30 PM (I know I shouldn't eat after 7 or something, but I'm being realistic here. Every time I nurse I snack, so that means I'm snacking all day and all night long, even at 3 AM).

2. Ride my exercise bike for 15 minutes (doesn't have to be consecutive) after taking my oldest daughter to school, but before my oldest son goes to school.

3. Workout to either my walking video or pilates video 2X a week, and try to work up to 3X a week.

So there it all is. Sorry, this was a lot of thinking out loud for me, but I'm hopeful it will help.

Down another 6 pounds.

2010-10-30T19:58:00.000-07:00

It's taken me 4 months to lose another 6 pounds. Slow, but steady. As long as I'm not gaining, I'm happy. I've wanted to lose this excess weight for at least 8 years. So, even though I've only lost 16 pounds total this year, I'm still VERY proud of myself. It's 16 pounds I hope to never get back.

Started out at 198 this year. Now down to 182. Woot!!

Tristi the Champion

2010-10-23T11:37:00.000-07:00

I just have to tell ya, I'm really feeling proud of myself right now. Not proud in the stuck-up, snotty, "I'm better than you" way, but proud in the "I feel good about myself and the things I've learned and implemented in my life" way.

I told you about the Game On! diet I started in September. Well, that game goes for a month, and the one I had joined ended, and the participants decided not to go another round. I was geared up and ready to go! I'd lost nine pounds that month, and there was no way I was going to let that head start go to waste. I contacted several friends and we started up our own teams. I'm now down 10.6 pounds, and I'm seeing so many differences in myself, it's amazing.

Here are some of the differences:

1. I like to exercise now. I like the way it feels to sweat, and I like pushing myself just a little bit further each time.

2. I like the way healthy food tastes. 99% of my meals are healthy now, and I'm really concentrating on getting the right balance of nutrients in my body.

3. I used to drink Coke every day, trying to stave off headaches. I'm now down to about once a week.

4. That's because the headaches are starting to go away. Turns out, they were caused by food additives. When I eat really super clean, with no food additives, I do not have headaches.

5. I am more limber and flexible.

6. I have more stamina.

7. Moving around isn't as difficult for me.

8. I feel more energetic.

9. When I look in the mirror, I no longer see the fat woman who totally let herself go and is out of control. I see a woman who is doing her best every day to improve the quality of her life.

All of this is in addition to the 10.6 pounds lost. Weight loss doesn't just make your body smaller - it takes you on a journey of discovering yourself and appreciating yourself.

A year ago, I felt there was no way I could do this. But I've finally hit on a system that works for me, and I'd like to invite all of you to join me next month for the next game of the Game On! diet. If you're interested in learning more, e-mail me at tristipinkston AT gmail.com

Someone to keep my promises too

2010-10-08T07:00:00.000-07:00

The more I try and fail, the more I realize that if I’m going to win the battle of the bulge, I must have a continued source of external commitment. Be it a blog, weight loss support group or whatever. So, I’m back online and looking for support and someone to keep my promises too.
The past two months have been rough on my waistline. It’s crazy to think that I actually lost weight during one of my most stressful and normally junk-food-ridden times of my year and then actually gained weight during the ensuing period of peace and ease. My initial success all boiled down to my having a plan and my having made a personal and public commitment and even a commitment to God. Once the commitment period ended, so did my responsible eating behavior. The good news it, I’m not dead yet! There is still time to regroup and now is that time.
Yesterday was a good day. I’m tracking my calories again and it really does help. The weather was perfect for some outdoor exercise and I managed to order a green salad topped with grilled chicken while out to dinner with a friend.
Today is going to be awesome. The only trouble I see will come this evening when I will be traveling to Gunnison, it’s the kind of road trip that traditionally means excessive snacking. I’m going to take some bottled water and maybe some grapes or pretzels or something else along those lines. Please expect me to give a report on how I did because I’ll need your encouragement to succeed.
I’m also looking for another 5k to prepare for so if you have any suggestions or would like to run with me, let me know.

Hmmm . . .

2010-09-26T11:11:00.000-07:00

Okay. Goals for now. DO NOT look at the scale. I'm actually still fitting into most of my clothes that I fit into at the beginning of the summer--some are more snug than what they used to be, but I don't feel like I've made a huge jump in weight--just an insidious gain that I'm steadfastly ignoring.

Goal 1: Stick to 1400 calories, and don't eat sugar during those days.

Goal 2: Have one cheat day a week, when I eat whatever I want, including sugar.

Goal 3: Exercise--bike three times a week, do weights twice a week, and taekwondo twice a week (at home since we can't afford to pay for classes right now).

That's it. Achieve those goals and do them for a month . . . THEN step on the scales, and face up to reality.

I've incorporated some decent habits--other than not exercising and eating too much sugar. I'm an emotional eater, so one of the things I've started doing is when I come home from school (ie a long day of stress), I tell myself that I have to chew some gum for a while and drink a certain amount of water before I have whatever I darn well please. So I'm giving myself permission to pig out, but at the same time I'm giving myself some time to recover from the emotional stresses of the day. I find that more often than not--especially if I drink the water--that by the time my gum has lost its flavor and blowing-bubbles-elasticity that I have the self control to not go pig out.

But not all the time!

Linking to Another Post

2010-09-23T10:46:00.001-07:00

I had an "ah, ha!" moment last night and decided to blog about it on my regular blog. You can read it here.

How's Tristi Doing?

2010-09-16T15:38:00.000-07:00

I'm doing pretty darned well!

Turns out the diet game I'm playing is called Game On! Here's the website for it, although there is a little bit of language, just so you know. And here's a book review that's pretty comprehensive.

Essentially, it takes the principles we already know - eat lean meats, eliminate or greatly reduce sugar, drink a lot of water, get rid of soda, get enough sleep, exercise - but it turns it into a game and you either get points for healthy behavior or lose points for unhealthy behavior. For some reason, this approach is really working for me. Since last Thursday, I've lost 4 and 6/10th pounds. Woohoo!! You get a day off and you get a meal off some other time during the week, and you also get 100 calories a day to spend on whatever you want, so there is some leeway.

I'm a pretty competitive person, so knowing that I'm working for a team effort is really helping me. There are three people on my team and three on the other, and our points are being added up and compared. I haven't heard this week's tally yet - yesterday was check-in day - but I feel good about my contribution to the pot. I really am focusing and trying hard to stay on target, and it's showing ... in addition to the weight loss, I've lost an inch off my hips and an inch off my waist. Woohoo!!

Very Interesting Indeed ...

2010-09-13T10:47:00.000-07:00

I started this new diet plan last Wednesday, and despite taking Saturday off, I've lost 5.5 pounds since then. I don't know what's different about this plan than others I've tried, but it really seems to be working. I don't know if it's keeping track of points and having to report them, or the specific way of eating, but I'm really impressed. I'm just hoping that I'm not jinxing anything by announcing how much I've lost. :)

If you guys are interested in trying out the program, go over to Facebook, send a friend request to Andi Jensen Sherwood, and tell her you'd like to get in on the next game. It seriously is helping me out.

Funny exercise story - we went to the regional conference yesterday, but we missed that we could go to our own church to see it. Hubby got told by his home teaching companion that we had to go to the Marriott Center. Well, the place was absolutely packed. We ended up parking over at the temple and walking to the Marriott Center, only to find that there were no seats, at all, even in the hallway on the floor. So we walked over to the DeJung concert hall to the overflow. And then afterward, we walked back. Yeah, I got me in about an hour's worth of walking, completely by accident. :) But it looked good on the scale this morning!

At any rate, I'm feeling more hopeful than I have for a while. And hope is a very good thing.

Cautiously optimisitc

2010-09-13T05:33:00.000-07:00

I have 3 weeks of working behind me and so far so good. I have only been able to go hiking twice because it is too early and dark and no time to get ready for work, or too hot or too much to get done when I get home. But I have been able to continue doing my yoga in the mornings before work and my 10 minute Dance it Off cd. I also make sure to wear my pedometer to work. My goal is to take more than 10,000 steps each day. I read that that is the point at which your body starts losing weight. Whether that is true or not is beside the point for me, the more steps I take the better, right?

So I found out the other day that if I walk every single hall and take at least 3 of the staircases at work, one round is almost enough steps to make a mile. I found that out by accident when I had to deliver something to every single teacher and had only 20 minutes to do it. That was the first day I did almost 10,000 steps at work.

Each day I try to do more than I did the day before. It gets me up and moving, it gets me out in the halls between classes and sometimes during class so I see and meet more of the students and that is a good thing. Then every other day I try to walk on the treadmill doing one of the pre-programmed workouts.

So far I have done great, so I am cautiously optimistic that I will be able to maintain this level of activity and wellness and continue with weight loss and healing and getting well. Today my daughter has a soccer match, so I will be walking on the track during half-time. Maybe. I have homework I am taking with me, so maybe it will be the treadmill after the game.

Saturday I did 5 miles on the treadmill- 2 preprogrammed workouts in 1 hour. I was only going to do one, but when it was done, I barely had accelerated breathing and felt I could do more. So I went upstairs and re-filled my water bottle then went back downstairs and did the next harder workout. It was almost easy as well. That was exciting to me- 5 miles that was almost easy, barely breathing hard and able to carry on a conversation with my son that was watching a movie with me while I walked. 4 months ago I could barely do no incline and speeds 3-4 for 15 minutes and here I was doing incline 6 speed 6-7 for 60 minutes and barely feeling it!

And did you know it takes 12,200 steps to equal 5 miles?

Still here

2010-09-10T17:19:00.000-07:00

Still not losing weight.

Still running triathlons.

Still incredibly out of shape despite running triathlons.

Still seeing a personal trainer.

Still getting my butt kicked by my personal trainer.

Still attempting to count calories.

Still eating a crap diet anyway.

Still wishing there was a magic bullet.

Still depressed because there isn't one.

Still discouraged.

Still holding on to a shred of hope that I can actually do this.

Still wanting to get and give encouragement on this blog.

Still glad I have someplace to come to whine.

Still hoping to have something to say here that isn't whiny.

Still.

Resetting the Timer

2010-09-08T01:32:00.000-07:00

As you all know, I've had a ton of fits and starts on this journey of mine. I have awesome intentions, I know what steps I need to take, and then I peter out after about fifteen minutes. The reasons, in the past, have been these:

1. I am an emotional eater, and I don't know how to cope with my emotions except through eating. I don't have a tool that's stronger for me than food.

2. My body strength is such that I wear out very quickly, and so any kind of sustained exercise program is difficult for me.

3. I've struggled with making myself a priority.

Because of these factors, my weight loss has been a no-go. Because of key factors from my childhood, whenever I start to eat more healthy foods, I feel as though I'm depriving myself, and my alarm bells go off. I've also felt less-than-worthy to be beautiful and healthy.

Then add into the mix the year I've had:

1. Car accident - muscle damage, concussion, overall weakness

2. Passing of my father

3. Financial stress

I've been beating myself up for my lack of progress. I was all set to go when I realized how close I was to hitting 300 pounds, and then I hit a huge emotional wall and decided I didn't care if I weighed 300 pounds. To be honest, I might. I haven't weighed myself since. The depression just got me and I didn't fight it hard enough.

It wasn't until about two weeks ago that I realized something important - I still haven't recovered mentally or emotionally from the car wreck. This realization hit when I discovered that I broke the money. I've been paying the bills for our family since our marriage, and all of a sudden, we were getting calls from creditors telling us we hadn't paid. I handed the checkbook to my husband, and he couldn't make heads or tails of it. Whatever I've been writing down for the last few months, it's not English. On my next doctor visit, I asked, "Is it possible I'm still having concussion symptoms?" I told him what had been going on - my general inability to cope, my desire to get things done but not being able to, my inability to reason things out. "Yes," he said. "And it could take up to a year before you're fully recovered."

Wow, thanks, doctor. That's very comforting.

So in the meantime, my husband has taken over the money. And I've had to realize that life may be a little different for me for a while. I can still be creative, and I can still write and edit - the right side of my brain wasn't bothered in the crash, it was the left side that got the concussion. This explains why I can't do math, figure things out, or remember to do things. Thank goodness I can still write and can still work! But I need to be more patient with my coping ability. Fact is, coping is hard for me right now, and I need to just allow myself time to get over it. I can't make major life changes when I'm fundamentally off-balance.

All that said ... I'm trying something new.

Because the fundamentals are off-balance, I've just joined a team for a weight loss game. It starts on Thursday. Essentially, you get points for healthy eating, sleeping, water consumption, and exercise. You get time off without penalties, but you do get penalized for breaking the rules (eating candy, drinking soda, etc.) I'm going to give it a try and see how I do. If I can get these fundamentals down and make them a habit, I think I'll be a lot better off than trying to do it myself without daily reminders. It's my rememberer that's broken, so I need help in that department.

I'll check in and let you know how it goes, in addition to posting the rules.

And thanks for letting me ramble.

Great Expectations?

2010-09-02T21:33:00.000-07:00

Here we are, one and a half weeks into the school year. One full week of no morning hiking. And I realized that the unexpected has happened for me. I miss it. Really, I do.

When I was in high school I had a P.E. class that was running. That is what it was called, Running. And in class we, get this, ran. Everyday. For 4 minutes. We had 55 minute classes, so P.E. went for 40 minutes for activity, 5 minutes to dress out at the beginning and 5 minutes to dress down at the end of class. Sometimes we ran around the track- boring and I hated it and was slow at it. Sometime we ran cross country around the neighborhoods around the school. I liked that and was pretty good and fast. But it was never my favorite activity. I would have prefered dance, but it was not offered at my highschool and I lived in the middle of nowhere in a town that is not even a map dot. In fact I went to school in a different town than the one in which I lived, and that town is a map dot, but not much else. So the opportunity to take dance? slim to none.

But I digress. I went to college- far, far away and the opportunity to take dance was suddenly all around me. And so I availed of that opportunity and I was dancing everyday, except Sunday and even then sometimes in the kitchen when no one was looking. And I didn't have to run.

Then I got married and all joy was ripped out of my life and my dancing ceased. And I had babies and gained weight.

I tried to walk it off. I would start by just walking around the block. And I would last for about a week. Two at the most. It was hard and it made me hurt and I would just stop, telling myself that I will start again- next week. So the beginning of this past summer when I decided to start hiking in order to hike the trail without stopping, my biggest concern was my history of starting again- next week. And I tried to not have huge expectations. That is why I made my goal simply to be able to hike the trail without stopping. And I did, on August 16. I did it in 16 minutes, without stopping. (I blogged about it here)

Throughout the summer I hiked 30+ miles, lost 15 lbs (well 14.6) and 2 inches from all of my measurements. I feel better, look better and will soon be off some of my meds. I knew all of those things would be a side benefit- if I didn't stop. And I feel that the Lord blessed me to help me continue on. To have the committment level to get out of bed in the mornings, even when I wanted to stay and laze around- read, sleep, whatever. To continue putting one foot in front of the other, even when I didn't think I could. And for some reason this time it was not hard.

But when I tried walking on a track the other day? My knees hurt, my back hurt, and I just had to stop. and when we hiked up to Timpanogos cave? Same thing. Hmmm, asphalt trail, asphalt track, asphalt neighborhood route = pain and stopping. Dirt trail, dirt hike= stamina and no pain and willingness to go on even when it is hard.

And the biggest surprise of all? Since school started I have only been able to hike outside once and I miss it. Really miss it. When I find myself outside, I feel a pull to the mountain and a desire to lace up my shoes, shoulder my camel back, grab my poles and hit the trail. I long for it. And I never, ever expected that.

**********************************************************************************************
I just did 2.8 miles in 30 minutes on the treadmill and it feels so good to be moving again.
I do 20-30 minutes of yoga every morning and it feels great. I started a new one this week and I can really feel it in my abs. I have been wearing my pedometer to work to count my steps and I have a goal of 10,000 steps/day. The most I have done is 9,500.
And I have a goal of losing 15-20 more lbs and walking either outside or on the treadmill 2-3 times a week. I have had to become inventive- walking around the field during half time of my daughter's soccer game, parking further away from the soccer field so I have to walk further to get there, making sure I take the long route around the school when going from one place to another, doing leg stretchs while working the till in the lunch room- up on my tip toes then rock to my heels, stand on one foot for one transaction then the other for the next. It just looks like I am bored and can't stand still, but it feels good and burns calories.

5K update and Mockingjay

2010-08-26T00:15:00.000-07:00

I drove my regular walking route (regular referring to the direction I usually take and not to frequency) and discovered it is 2 miles, not just 1 as I thought. So I'm not so good with estimating distances. The 5K this Saturday would be about 3.1 miles. That would be a little bit of a stretch, but not so much it would kill me.

Unfortunately, my husband's aunt died and the funeral is this Saturday in Utah. The same day as the 5K. Because of other factors, like work schedules, we are still deciding whether to go to the funeral, which means my participation in the 5K is in limbo. We'll see what happens.

But I have a new motivation for walking. I bought the e-book of Mockingjay, which I have been dying to read. So I made this contract with myself that I can read 1 chapter for each mile I walk. This evening I did my 2-mile route. Then later I needed to make a quick trip to the store and decided to walk there with a couple extra blocks thrown in to make it a full mile. So I got to read three chapters tonight. And Chapter 3 is one of those mini cliffhangers and I HAVE TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED! So it is likely I will drag myself out of bed a little earlier in the morning to get in some walking/reading.

And it occurs to me, I walked 3 miles today. That is nearly the equivalent of a 5K. I had some Writing Excuses podcasts on my MP3, which made it nearly painless. Well, other than the sweaty and sore part. But it made it not boring. Seriously, with the right motivation, I could walk a 5K every day. Maybe I don't need to pay an entrance fee and get the shirt. I'd rather use the entrance fee to buy another book or two. And I have plenty of shirts. In smaller sizes. That I would like to wear again.

Can she do it?

2010-08-02T05:52:00.000-07:00

Ok, I go back to work today. Granted it is just for today and I don't go back for the school year until next week. Yikes! Where did the summer go?

When I made it my goal at the beginning of summer to defeat the hike that I thought would be the death of me, I was really scared that I would give up, roll over and play dead until time to actually die. I am impressed with myself that I have been consistent and that the hike is now enjoyable and I look forward to it. And more than that, I now only stop once for about 90 seconds and then I am off and can do the hike in 8-10 minutes as opposed to the 45 it took me the first time.

Now the scary part is when I can no longer go in the mornings. Like today. I would be almost at the top of the hike right now, but I would not have time to get home and showered and changed in time to be at work at 7:30 and when school starts I have to be there at 7:15. So, no more morning hiking. Except on Saturday. I am going to try to go in the afternoon/evenings from now on, but am not sure how that is going to actually work if it is 90-100* because I can't be out in the heat. So we will see how it goes.

This morning I did 2 yoga cds and my 10 minute dance it off video and feel pretty good about that and if it is too hot, I will run on the treadmill when I get home. I am determined to lose the rest of this weight, but more than that, I have enjoyed feeling better this summer and I will be healthy and will not let work get in my way.

ETA

After work I checked my mail, fixed a yummy ceasar salad pizza, (I'll post the recipe sometime. It was seriously yummy) filled my camel back bladder with water and the pack part with my lip gloss, camera, wallet, phone and keys, changed my clothes, put my Sketchers Shape ups on, grabbed the kiddos and headed out. We did the hike that we normally would have done this morning. But can we say everyone in the city was doing the hike for FHE tonight? I think I like mornings better- it is cooler and quieter and less crowded. But I did it. So that makes a small workout in the morning and a hike in the evening and I feel great.

I am amazed that all day I was wanting the clock to move faster so I could come home and go hiking. Really? Two months ago I would have called you crazy if you had suggested that I would crave hiking. I have never liked it very much, but now my body wants to move, move, move! This is very exciting to me. But we will have to see what my body says come winter and snow and cold and no way I am climbing that mountian. Will I want to get on the treadmill or do an exercise cd? We'll see.

Now, I am off for a long soak in the tub with a good book.
Night all!

It was like having a lemon ripped from my chest!

2010-07-29T18:07:00.000-07:00

No, really it was. I know I have been a major slacker. I am not proud to say that I have no weight loss to report over the last few months, especially since I started the year with a bang. But I just started not feeling good, and got so tired all the time, and was having trouble sleeping. And so when I first started to notice my chest getting a little flabby, I just got depressed and thought "I am fatter than ever." Luckily I didn't hold that belief for long, especially when the area just below my bra line started to ache all the time, and I went to the doctor.
Turns out I had a tumor the size of a lemon that had been growing more inside than out (hence how it got so big I didn't notice) and it had been pushing against my lungs (hence the lack of oxygen that effected pretty much everything). So it is now out and luckily benign and I can really say it has taken a weight off my chest!
So I guess that means I am back. With no more excuses I need to start eating right, working out, and avoiding all those things I know are bad for me. One of those is to cut down on Coke since I really got re-addicted because I was using it to help me get through the days. I am not going to lie and say I will never drink it again, but I am going to try to go down to a couple times a week instead of daily and go from there.
I will check in next week hopefully a pound or two lighter and feeling better, both physically and emotionally.

Catching Up ...

2010-07-29T15:45:00.000-07:00

First off, I'm so excited to read through the posts for the last little bit and see the progress that has been made. Way to go, ladies - I really could not be more proud of you.

I'm not sure what happened to me. I'm still super-exhausted and I hit a patch of, "I just don't care right now." I got out of the 290's and then I just crashed. I haven't weighed since, and it all seems too hard. I need to get myself replenished and built back up, but every time I think I am, I crash again. The car accident + my dad's illness + my dad's funeral + not enough sleep + not eating enough nutrients + stress with work + stress with social situations + stress with finances + stress with family = Tristi just doesn't care right now.

I'm trying to, I really am. But I may just need more time.

One step at a time

2010-07-27T09:49:00.000-07:00

I am still hiking 3 times a week. It has been an adventure, to say the least- stepping on snakes, (well almost stepping on one anyway), hikers in front of us finding dead bodies, exploring new territories, feeling better, getting stronger, losing pounds and inches. And I am finding on days that I don't go hiking, my body starts craving that movement, that exercise, that euphoria that comes after I am home again. Best exercise routine I ever embarked upon. (see this post for an explination of some of the afore mentioned exploits)

So it was with pleasure that I stepped on the scale this morning and I am down 10.2 lbs since the beginning of June. I am now at 175.6. That is so exciting to me. (Tristi, you could update the sidebar if you want and have the time)

I was thinking about what changed for me and why it seems so much easier this time around.

1. I already spent a year revamping my diet- with diet meaning the way I eat as opposed to a temporary food change. I think that has made a huge difference. I stopped looking at diet as a temporary change and looking at it as what it really is- the way I eat. I no longer feel deprived of food because I am not "on a diet" but "eat a healthy diet". I no longer think about what I can't have until I am off my diet, because I am no longer on a diet. What I eat is fuel for my body, not my soul, so there are no forbidden foods, only foods that are good fuel or not so good fuel.

2. I have dealt with a lot of the painful past and feelings and things that were blocking me. Things, hurts, wrongs, injustices, etc. that I felt I needed to hold on to in order to protect myself from being hurt again, or so I could justify my; hurt, anger, disgust, sadness, pain... When I learned to free myself of all that, I could free myself of weight that I could just not let go of. Have I resolved everything? Not even close, but I have learned how to work on it and know when I am holding on and what to do about it. But I still have a long ways to go in this area.

3. I think this is the biggest thing that I have learned this summer- I am the boss of me. What I mean by this is simply this: I was sent here on earth to learn how to become master over my mortal body, to learn how to make this body subject to the spirit, not to let it rule. Because really, if I let the mortal body rule, the choices and decisions it makes will almost always be wrong or hurtful. When I went to the dr. in early June and he started listing the things wrong with me, the things my body was deficient in, the things that were going to be wrong, I got mad. I was making good choices and doing what I thought were the "right" things and still I was having issues. Life is not fair! that was my first reaction.

Then I decided that yes, life is not always fair, but it is not about what is and is not fair. I could choose to be old and broken and wait to die, or I could refuse to be old and broken and choose to live. Who exactly was in charge here? Me or my body? and I choose me. I and I alone choose whether I exercise everyday or not. I and I alone choose what I put into my mouth, what I buy at the store, what I watch, what I do, say, think.... And only when I quit finding an excuse, a justification for what I am or am not doing, then and only then will I truly be in charge of me. Because I absolutely refuse, REFUSE to be old and broken at 47.

Because I am the boss of me. Not my appetite, not my cravings, not my size, weight, inches, or anything else that is part of my mortal body. Because I am NOT my mortal body. It is only the thing that holds me while on this earth. And I and I alone am the boss and was put in charge of making it what it is or not.

But I truly believe that if I had not spent the past couple of years putting things into place, this realization would have been much harder to execute. But I am doing it, I am climbing that mountian and I will make it. One step at a time.

Now I am off to take a hike.

Is that what I really look like?

2010-07-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

Hey, everybody, I'm back! For a while there, I was so sick of dieting. I just didn't have the mental energy to do it anymore. I had sort of convinced myself that I was okay. I mean, I'm only about 40 pounds overweight. That's not such a big deal, right? Then I went to my 30-year high school reunion. Everyone insisted on taking pictures. Here's me with two of my good friends, Debbie and Melissa.

That's me on the right. Of course, I am standing next to Melissa, who hasn't changed much since high school, except she looks better. Debbie, on the left, has really been through a lot since we graduated, and she still looks good. I look like someone brought their mother to the reunion. The bags under my eyes are so big the airlines would charge extra luggage fees. And that weird expression on my face? I think someone made me laugh. But I couldn't just relax and smile, because deep down I knew I looked terrible (especially compared to these two) and I was feeling so uncomfortable. I hate having my picture taken.

So here I am again. I need to challenge myself and so I will be participating in the Mesa Falls Marathon on August 28. Don't get too excited. There's a marathon, a half marathon, a 5K, and a 1 miler. I'll be in the 1 miler, or possibly the 5K. My normal walking route is 1 mile. I just need to bump up my speed. And train. A lot.

Beyond that, my main goal is to lose weight, get healthy, have some really good pictures taken, and plaster them on Facebook so all my old classmates can see them.

Happy dance time

2010-07-13T09:01:00.000-07:00

I just came home from the doctor's office. Good things are going on here.
Blood Pressure- down. He has me on 1/2 of the lowest possible medication and I am still going down. Soon I will be off!!
Weight- down 6 lbs in 4 weeks!! He said good job, keep it up, and we set a goal for 30 more pounds. I would like 60, but have to be realistic here.

I have continued hiking 3 times a week and it has gotten easier every day. My daughter started taking the GPS with us to track distance and time. We found out that the hike to the water fall is 1/2 mile. The GPS tracks moving time and stopped (resting) time. When we first started taking the GPS we were taking 13 minutes moving time to get to the falls with 13 minutes stopped. Friday she and I made it to the falls with only 5 minutes stopped and 8 minutes moving!! And then we hiked another 3/10 mile above the falls.

My goal is still to make to the falls with less than 60 seconds stopped time.

Still here

2010-07-09T08:10:00.000-07:00

I haven't written on here for awhile, but nothing weight significant has happened. I lost 10 pounds and quit losing. I know why. It's because I haven't been working on losing weight. I've done well enough to keep steady with my weight. Now I need to get myself moving more and start losing weight again.

I'm at 188 and I (like Tristi) don't want to see the higher weight again. I'm out of the 190's and I don't want to go back.

Hopefully the next post will be to exclaim that I've lost weight again. And hopefully it isn't 3 months down the road.

Stress Levels Still High

2010-07-07T22:29:00.000-07:00

Stress levels still high, high, high . . . and eating is now high, high, high too. With all these highs you'd think I'd be happier.

Nope. I'm scared to step on the scales. I can feel the weight I've gained. On the upside we go to Phoenix in a few days and my friend's hubby has an aunt and uncle who have a sweet swimming pool and we're planning on going every day while we're there. So at least I'll be doing some exercising!

I'll let you know when I get my courage up to weigh myself!

Hooray!

2010-07-07T15:12:00.000-07:00

If I were Irish, I would say, "Saints be praised!" and then probably something in Gaelic. But I'm not Irish. I think I have one Irish person in my whole line. I'm Welsh, British, and Norwegian, and I'm not sure what they would say. So I'll just leave it at "hooray" and maybe a "yeehaw."

I have left the land of the 290's.

That's right - as of this morning, I am 287.5. Phew!

The Land of the 290's is a terrible place to be. All the plants are dead, it's too hot, and it's dreary. You might pass someone on the path, but no one ever says hello. It's a miserable place ... oh, and there's piped-in piano music a la Floyd Cramer.

I am so glad to be back in the 280's. It's not an amusement park, but there is some color to the sky and the animals don't bite as much.

I remember passing through the Land of the 270's. They sort of whizzed past - I wasn't there very long. I'd like to return, get the lay of the land, maybe buy some postcards. That's next on my travel itinerary.

But I'm never, ever, ever going back to the 290's. Ever.

The Best-Laid Plans

2010-07-05T13:43:00.000-07:00

Since I last posted, I've had a few bumps along the way. My food choices have been mostly good ... mostly ... and exercise has been happening more frequently. But on Saturday night, I got really sick - inhaling all that smoke from the fireworks did a number on me, and walking back to the van from the fireworks display, my left hip went out and my leg stopped working. I sent my husband up ahead to get the car to come pick me up. Since then, I've been battling nausea, but the leg has repented.

But I'm not giving up. I've decided that while giving up is very, very tempting, it's not going to happen. How can I give up when I'm not happy? I don't think a person should ever be content to lay a project down until they're happy with how it turned out, or feel peace about walking away. There's no peace happening here. So, I'm not giving up.

A Hike With a View

2010-06-30T14:07:00.000-07:00

This is another repost from my personal blog. I did another hike post today as well.

Up the street from the high school, by the town water tanks, is a little park with a pavalion for picnics and get togethers. I didn't even know the pavalion was there until last week, so I am not sure how long it has been there. But then I don't go to this particular park very often. In fact, I think Ethan was a baby the last time I actually got out of my car and wasn't just dropping a child off for an activity. And that time it was winter and we were sledding.

Anyway, this park also it the trail head for some hikes in the foothills around town. A couple weeks ago Brandi's Activity day leader handed me the schedule for the summer activity days. 1 a month for the next 3 months. The first one was a mother/daughter hike up to the water fall just above this park. It was scheduled for a Thursday evening. My first thought, I am sorry to say, was that I was glad it was a Thursday because Brandi has soccer practice at the exact time of the hike so I wouldn't have to go.

Well, when Brandi saw the schedule she asked if she could skip soccer just this one time. Pleeeaaseee?

Ok, it was a mother/daughter thing, and a church thing and who am I to tell her that soccer is more important than mother/daughter stuff, or church stuff? And besides, she has been meeting with her trainer, and had that extra 5 hours last week at Velocity training, and gone to every single practice since she started. So it was agreed that we would go.

And wouldn't you know it, that day turned out to be the hottest day of the year so far- almost 100*. Have I ever told you that I don't do well in the heat? Well I don't. I wilt and get physically ill. Not a pretty site. But I drank a lot of water that day and borrowed a camel back from the kids' dad and Brandi took Jess's and we set out at the appointed time. Somehow we were still about 10 minutes late. Don't know how that happened because it isn't that far from our house. But the rest of the group had gone on already. So that left Brandi and me along with 2 other moms and daughters that pulled up at the same time.

So I have never been up to the falls. The kids have all been, but for one reason or another, I have never made the trip with them so I had no idea what kind of hike this was going to be. Easy and gradual strolling? Steep and hard almost rock climbing? Wide walking and talking trail? Narrow, hang on for dear life goat path? I had no idea. So I asked the kids how they thought I would do.

Jess said I would be able to do it, it was a fairly easy hike. I asked Ethan if I needed to wear pants so I wouldn't get scratched on tree limbs etc. or would my capris be ok. He told me that capris would be fine because it was a wide path. "In fact they take vehicles up it mom, so it is pretty wide and easy."

So I am thinking we have an easy and gradual strolling walk and why have I not ever gone before. And those of you that have been up there can quit laughing now.

Dirt path, yes wide enough for a vehicle, but it is not a smooth path, it is full of rocks and gravel and tree roots. And it is not gradual. And within the first few yards I knew it was not going to be as easy as the preprogrammed workouts on the treadmill- even with the highest incline setting.

I felt old and broken. And poor Brandi kept going ahead and then stopping and coming back for me, asking if I was alright and trying to stay with me. Then I heard water cascading over rocks. And then this came into my view.

And I was hoping we were there and that the hike wasn't really that bad, just needed to do it a few more times so I could keep up with Brandi. Then we got this close and I realized that it was not the water fall but just a mini fall of water. And the trail in front of me only got steeper and narrower. I used taking this picture as an excuse to stop and really catch my breath and give myself a little pep talk along the lines of those that Jillian Micheals give people on The Biggest Loser.

It is about here that the trail is no longer accessable by vehicle. By this time the other two moms were so far ahead that I could no longer hear them walking. But every time I wanted to say, "I can't" I thought of Jillian saying "What do you mean can't? Don't you ever say those words to me" and I took one more step- just to that tree, just to that bend, just to that little flat place... And Brandi never got mad or impatient, just kept encourging me on. Until

Brandi had fun playing with the other girls in the water while I sat on a rock and chatted with the other moms.

I had Brandi take a picture of me before we left, just as proof that I actually made it up there.

Of course going down was much easier, and faster,than going up. I also decided that it was pathetic that the hike up was so hard for me. I am not sure how far it is from the trail head to the falls. My pedometer said it was 2 miles round trip,(but the same pedometer said it was only 1 step from my laundry room to my living room when it is across the room, up a flight of stairs and down a short hall). Trevor said he thought it was a mile up. There is a little sign at the trail head giving the distance to 3 places, but since there is no sign at the falls, I have no idea if they are one of those places or not.

So back to it being pathetic that it was so hard, I decided that this summer is not going to pass by without me conquering this trail. I am going to hike until I can do it without soundng like the big bad wolf. But I am going to do it in the early morning hours when it is not so hot.

In fact, the girls and I went yesterday morning and it wasn't as hard as last Thursday. My biggest problem was my ankle where I tore all those tendons and ligaments when I broke my foot. But they will only get stronger, right?

This is headed back down. Brandi put on Jess's hoodie because it was kinda chilly down in the shadows next to the falls

This is the trail that branches off of the main trail

and goes down to the falls.

So the plan is to hike up to the falls every Monday and Friday morning. On Wednesday we are going to hike a different trail that Jess found the other day. Tuesday and Thursday I will continue strength training. And at the end of summer I will take that hike and maybe Brandi will have to hurry to catch up with me.

On a totally unrelated note, just after you get back on th main trail after coming up from the falls, this is the view

See that red building? The tannish builing right in front of it is where I used to work.

Indeed.

A Sharp Slap in the Face

2010-06-30T13:32:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's wake-up call time ...

I mentioned that I've been scared to get on the scale. Well, there was good reason for me to be afraid ... very afraid. This is the only place where I'm posting my weight, and I trust you will all be very kind to me ...

290.2

That's right. In 9.8 pounds, I will weigh 300 pounds. This is what happens when you let things just happen and you don't take control of them. I've gained 6 pounds since the car accident.

I absolutely refuse to weigh 300 pounds. I will not do it. Not gonna, no how, no way.

And yet, if I continue to be oblivious, that's what will happen, and at my current rate, I'd be there before Thanksgiving. Not a lot to be thankful for there, is there?

So, starting today, I'm taking control. Breakfast was a banana and a handful of Spanish peanuts, and a small bowl of low-sugar cereal, because I haven't been to the store to get non-sugar cereal. Lunch hasn't happened yet, but when it does, I'm going to be taking charge of it. I'm also going to be Tweeting my progress regularly. Follow me at #goTristigo I think that will be better than blogging a kazillion times a day, but I won't be Tweeting my weight.

Cheer me on, guys - if I don't do this, then my life won't change, because I'm the only one who can change it.

Food, Glorious Food

2010-06-29T12:17:00.000-07:00

This is a post I wrote Saturday over on my personal blog, but I thought you all might fnd it useful as well.

If you have read my blog for any time, you know that I stopped eating sugar, white flour and most pre-packaged, processed foods a year ago in order to try to be healthier. And you also know that the dr. tells me that I am still broken in spite of it. That was really discouraging for me and I admit that I had few days of pity party. But this darn vitamin D makes it hard to stay down in the dumps for too long.

So instead of going and eating a bunch of junk food, I decided to fast and pray and study about what to do. I am convinced that the answer lies in the food I put in my body. But just cutting all the obvious things was not helping, so I did a lot of pondering over the last week. A couple of things came to mind or just crossed my path and caught my attention. Things that I might have passed by if my mind had not been focused.

1) My friend mentioned on Face Book how much she loved Bountiful Baskets and my interest was piqued so I asked her about it. More on that later

2) I was folding towels and turned the t.v. on and it was tuned to a random channel. The program was a cooking show. The chef was making a roast or something and the host asked why it was so small. The chef answered that it has only been in the last 50-60 years or so that we went from eating mostly fruits and vegetables in season and putting a little meat with it to making meat the main focus of our meals and sometimes forgetting to add in the fruit and vegetables and as a result we are an unhealthy people.

3) In our church we have what is called "The Word of Wisdom" contained in a book of scripture. If you ask most people not of my faith what is in the word of wisdom, they will probably tell you that it says we can't drink coffee or alcohol or smoke. But it contains so much more and I felt that I needed to reread it with that in mind because if I would just follow it, I could heal my body. So I got out my scriptures and re-read the 21 verses. I will admit that I skimmed through the thou shalt not parts because I pretty much have that down- I think- but slowly read the rest:

10 And again, verily I say unto you, all wholesome herbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature, and use of man—

11 Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof; all these to be used with prudence and thanksgiving.

12 Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly;

13 And it is pleasing unto me that they should not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine.

14 All grain is ordained for the use of man and of beasts, to be the staff of life, not only for man but for the beasts of the field, and the fowls of heaven, and all wild animals that run or creep on the earth;

15 And these hath God made for the use of man only in times of famine and excess of hunger.

16 All grain is good for the food of man; as also the fruit of the vine; that which yieldeth fruit, whether in the ground or above the ground—

17 Nevertheless, wheat for man, and corn for the ox, and oats for the horse, and rye for the fowls and for swine, and for all beasts of the field, and barley for all useful animals, and for mild drinks, as also other grain.

18 And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones;

19 And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;

20 And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.

21 And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them.

My take away was that I need to increase my fruits, vegetables and grains and decrease my meats. But have you seen the prices of produce lately? And I am lucky? to have children that love fruits and veggies. I go to the store on Sat. morning and by Sunday evening there are no oranges, apples, bananas, avocados, cucumbers.... left in the house! Really.

4) I stumbled on this site (she also has a blog). A way to help my food storage and bank account be healthy as well. I haven't tried it yet, but I am going to start next week and see how doable it is with the foods that I can eat with no sugar, asparteme, high fructose corn syrup etc. (I know my sister uses this site and I get their weekly e-mail, but for some reason I just could never make it work for me. So we will see how this does for me)

So Monday evening I ordered my fist Bountiful Basket. Actually I ordered 2 because, see above statement about fruits and veggies and my kids. I also ordered the Italian package option and a 24 pound case of peaches. And I spent $57! I know. I never leave the produce aisle with that low of an amount, which makes it hard to make the rest of the grocery money cover the rest of the list.

Ethan and I went and picked up our baskets this morning. We were early, so we volunteered and helped out in the getting everything ready for everyone. In return, we got extra produce- a sweet bonus. And I was amazed at the amount of produce I brought home with me! (pictures below)

The only downside I can see is this- I like to do my grocery shopping Friday evening or early, early Saturday morning. I can't pick up my baskets until 9:30ish and I don't want to make my menue/grocery list until I know what I have so I don't duplicate or leave out something. But I will just have to rearrange and figure it out because the Lord has blessed me with a way to eat the way he wants me to.

How the baskets looked when I brought them in

All the amazing yumminess laying on my counter top.

And if you have been in my kitchen you will know that this takes

up almost the entire bar.

There is only about a foot of space left after the celery and lettuce and the

box of peaches is right at the edge.

Two close ups of the veggies and the fruit

Brandi was so excited about the plums and the peaches because I

refuse to purchase them if they are more than $1/lb

Jake was excited about the grapes for the same reason

The Italian pack (cilantro, basil, thyme, onion, mushrooms, eggplant, zuchinni, garlic) and the peaches.

I am wishing I had gotten 2 boxes of peaches.

I will admit that I had to look up recipes for the Swiss Chard because I didn't have a clue how to use it or what to make with it. If I like the recipe I choose, I'll post it.

Next up- a post about hiking.

Indeed.

Vacations and Weight . . . Oh My

2010-06-25T09:35:00.001-07:00

As soon as school got out we went on vacation, pretty much. We headed out to Yellowstone and then to Montana to visit with Damon's family. I did pretty well at Yellowstone. I might not have done fabulously with eating, but the first night we got there I went on a walk with my dad (we even jogged--just for about thirty seconds, but STILL) and the next day we walked around at Yellowstone. So I figured that even if diet hadn't been great, at least I'd done SOME exercising.

In Montana however, I didn't do so well. My diet was WAY worse AND we didn't exercise all that much.

I was afraid to weigh myself when I got home. As a matter of fact I did some unhealthy things when I got home. And I took a couple of days to weight myself. When I did I was NOT happy. I had gained. Almost back to 190. Over the past week to two weeks? or so I've done better--well not better. If I know I'm going out to dinner that night and my calories will be high, then I don't eat until that time. It's the only I way I know how to manage the calories when I know I'm eating out.

Although I haven't done that very often I have done it. Anyway, my exercise hasn't been very good either, BUT, somehow I've gone back to around 184-185. Which makes me feel slightly better. I'm still trying to get down to that 182.

Here's the deal though. We go back on vacation July 10th and we are basically gone until August 10th. The first place we're going to--my friend Hilary--she has a treadmill and access to a sweet swimming pool so I can get myself exercising. BUT, the eating? Yeah, that won't be so great. And then off to New York and then North Carolina and I have NO idea how exercise is going to work out with that or eating.

OH, and my extended family is dealing with some SEVERE issues and there is a LOT of stress in their lives and by extension--mine. HUGE issues. The kinds of issues that we'll be dealing with for years to come. Divorce, mental breakdowns . . . just some really big things. And that has made my life at home very busy. So exercise is going by the wayside and I have to admit, because my stress levels have gone so high, they're beyond comfort food--we've actually entered the realm of the 'upset stomach' stress, so it's been really easy to not eat very much or well. Which isn't good either because that also messes up the whole metabolism thing.

All in all, things are bad right now. But still. I'm determined to not let myself go. Even if I don't get to lose this summer if I can maintain this weight range from 184-185, or even get down a couple more pounds, I think I'm going to try and just be stable. It is so hard to gain that weight back and have to start the cycle all over again. I do NOT want to do that. I don't. So even though things are hugely stressful, and we're having a huge vacation this summer, I need to take control and be in control.

So if I'm eating out, I'll eat really slowly and when I'm full, even if the food is delicious, I'll stop eating. Even if the plate is still half full, it's better to waste that food then to gain weight. And I'll try to do some exercises in my hotel room. And if that hotel has a place to exercise or swim, even though I hate exercising in front of people I'll try and do it. I know I'll be walking a LOT in New York, which is great. I can take control. I can maintain this weight even through all of this stuff. And eventually I can start losing again.

We can ALL do this.

Just Sayin' Hi

2010-06-21T01:12:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

Well, it's been an interesting earth life experience for me lately. The car accident in March derailed ideas of exercise, and each time I've tried to resume a regime, I pull my psoas and oblique muscles too much, even when exercising gently. That said, I have to admit that hasn't made me too sad - exercising isn't my fav. What is making me sad is my weight.

Then my dad passed. He needed round the clock care for nine days before he died, and all my attention was shifted from me and my house to him and his. We scrabbled together a list of family who could come in and be with him, and between coordinating that, taking turns myself, and then sleeping it off when I got home, nothing about my own care was done during that time.

Since then, I've been battling extreme fatigue. It's been a combination of tiredness from caring for him and grief. We knew he was passing, but his final downturn happened so fast, it was a real shock how fast it went. I spent this time living on Cherry Coke and whatever I could grab on the run.

I have not been on a scale since the car accident. Fact is, I'm scared to get on. I know I've gained through the midsection, but I haven't had the ability to do much about it. I'm hoping that this week brings opportunity to correct my course, but I have no way of knowing at this point. Just making Father's Day dinner wore me completely out today, and I know I have a long way to go before I've built back up all the reserves I lost during Dad's final illness and the funeral.

I think something else I've been struggling with is that I've been having the thought, "Maybe I just need to accept the fact that I'm a fat woman and stop worrying about it." On the one hand, it seems so easy to just throw in the towel and stop trying. But on the other hand, I don't want to identify myself as "a fat woman." I don't feel fat on the inside. When I look in the mirror, I'm often surprised at how the way I look doesn't match up with how I feel. Physically, I feel fat, of course, but emotionally, I'm not. This has led to a lot of disconnect in the relationship I have with my body.

Nope, I'm not giving up. I've been very inspired by Lu Ann and her amazing success - she's lookin' smokin', and I want to try reducing my sugars and seeing if that is the key I've been missing. I'm hoping to get my brain working again so I can undertake a new project - seriously, I've been so wiped out, I haven't even done the bills yet, and we got paid on the 15th. We're going to have some late fees and I'm struggling to even care.

Thanks for your friendship, everyone, and for sharing this journey with me!

Size Matters

2010-06-19T08:45:00.000-07:00

by Lu Ann Brobst Staheli

As much as we’d like to believe otherwise, when it comes to how people perceive us, our weight and overall size does make a difference. Just like dates, jobs are won and lost based on personal appearance. This is particularly true when client as a certain mindset with the job you are applying for.

Do we trust doctors who are overweight to tell us to go on a diet? Can the lifeguard who huffs and puffs as he climbs onto the watch tower truly be trusted to save our lives in an emergency? How about the physical fitness guru who seems to have put on a few pounds since his last home video exercise workout? Do we think his exercise and diet regime is the one for us?

Weight talks when it comes to earning money.

This is also true when it comes to each of my careers. Teachers, school librarians, and even authors need to be able to move comfortably around the room, look good in their professional photos, and give presentations without feeling like they are going to collapse under all the extra weight they are carrying.

As much as I know that, it has taken me until this year to finally do something about it, and the results are starting to look good.

At my latest weigh in I realized I have now lost 44 pounds from my top weight. I almost had guessed how many pounds had gone away, simply because I couldn’t manage to keep my pants on! Those saggy jeans had started to make me look like the video clip I’ve entered below.

The time had come. As much as I hate shopping for clothes, I was off for a pleasant surprise. Instead of a 2X top, I fit nicely into a1X. The new pair of jeans proved I had shrunk from a size 24 to a 22.

It doesn’t sound like much, but it did great things to my ego, especially when my husband got home from working out of town and noticed how much younger I looked. Then when my 10-year-old told me, “Mom, your butt looks smaller,” I knew that when it comes to both weight and clothes, size matters!

If you haven’t seen this video before, I hope you enjoy it. The teachers at school all wanted to use it in our classrooms.

Quick Check In

2010-06-13T19:45:00.001-07:00

I know I haven't posted in forever. I think in my last post I said my new goal was to just not gain too much weight with my pregnancy.

Well, last week I had a doctor appointment and he surprised me by saying that I was spot on for where I should be with my weight gain. It had been five weeks since I'd seen him last and I'd gained five pounds. This was very surprising since I'd spent a lot of time in those five weeks sitting on my butt in a car driving out to Utah and eating junk food to stay awake. I guess I worked it off hiking at Arches.

Something I'm not sure if it's a good thing or not, I've been told a few times recently that people can't tell I'm pregnant. So does that mean I'm not showing much (which I know can't be the answer) or they just figured I am fatter than I really am? I don't know.

My ward got a nice shock when I left for vacation wearing regular jeans and came back wearing maternity clothes. That was kind of funny. I hadn't announced the pregnancy, so most people didn't know at all until I showed up with my belly sticking out.

Anyway, just wanted to share that I'm doing well with my goal of watching my weight this pregnancy and not letting myself get too caught up in the whole "eating for two" idea.

Still Wondering

2010-06-03T14:26:00.000-07:00

I'm still wondering if I'd recommend the HCG diet. My weight has been between 182-185 since I've gone off. It's been up and down . . . yesterday I was at 183.6, today 184.4. So it's hard to tell. I'm hoping that I'll start losing again--I haven't gone crazy with food, but I also haven't followed hardcore the HCG diet restrictions for the maintenance period. Soo I might not be the best person to listen to.

Still--I'm doing pretty okay. Today at school was the carnival and I worked in the concessions--popcorn, candy bars, chips, snow cones, cotton candy . . . I could have had any of it that I wanted, but I didn't. I resisted.

I did have one piece of pizza for lunch, but after standing on my feet all day (and lifting a lot of boxes of soda pop!) I felt like that was okay! And now I've had my 'after-school' snack. I'm also going to taekwondo tonight, so I'm actually doing very well on calories today. I might even be a little low.

So far I'm doing okay. I'm not thrilled that my weight has been so up and down, instead of steady and consistently staying at around 182, but oh well. I'm really hoping that in about a month I'll be able to lose around a pound a week. It might take going to a doctor and making sure that my metabolism is okay, and seeing if I'm maybe going TOO low in calories (hee hee wouldn't that be nice?). . . but I'm going to do what I need to do to lose the rest of this weight. At LEAST twenty more pounds.

Slacker #2

2010-05-31T15:39:00.000-07:00

Ok, I have kinda My slacked off in the blogging area, too. Seems as if we all have. My slacking off includes my vigilant eating habits. And that is a bad thing.

I had a really intense, stressful class with a teacher that was a beast and expected us to be mind readers and if we guessed wrong we were penalized. If we guessed right? We were penalized anyway. It was a kind of damned if we do and damned if we don't type of 6 weeks. And when someone at work brought candy or cookies? I indulged. And I haven't been sleeping well. My momma cat died and left me with 2 wk old babies. Guess who had to bottle feed them. Even at night? And bathe them, and weigh them and keep them warm and all that other baby stuff? And three job interviews for an internship next year and didn't get any of them.

All of this has added up to me gaining 5 lbs.

But school is out for the summer, so that means that I don't have to go to work every day. The class I am taking now is really laid back and not as stressful (even if it is math/stats and math and I are not on speaking terms). So I am going to get back on track.

Today I did:
1/2 hour of morning/wake-up yoga
20 minutes on the tread mill
Drank 64 oz of water
Had no sugar or other processed food

Well, Hello There!

2010-05-23T21:40:00.000-07:00

Yep, I've been a blog slacker. Slack, slack, slacker. I keep telling all of you to keep blogging, even when you're not doing well, and then I go against my own counsel. Silly Tristi!

Fact is, I haven't been doing well. I've lost a lot of strength since the car accident, and it's been hard to do my daily routines, let alone exercising, etc. But, tomorrow is a new day, and tomorrow is the day I re-introduce exercise. I'm really, really hoping that these muscles in my side are now healed enough to allow some gentle aerobics, but I won't know until I give it a try.

I've also not started the sugar-counting thing yet. I've had a ton of stress come up in the last month, and I just head straight for the sugar every time. I feel like I have no other coping mechanism, and I need to get that figured out. I'm not going to wait until I've figured it out to give it a try, though. That could take forever. :)

Okay, so, wish me luck. I'll try to check in a little more frequently, and hey, if you wanna send me reminder e-mails to exercise, too, I bet I might listen to you ... :)

The Decision

2010-05-22T12:00:00.000-07:00

I have seven more days on this HCG diet to hit the 42 days. I'm at 182 today, but I'm kind of okay with that--I've lost 20 pounds. I think I'm going to end a week early. Why? Especially when I might even be lower in a week? Well here is my reasoning.

I get out of school on June 4th. On June 8th we head to Yellowstone, then to Libby, MT. I feel if I've had a solid two weeks of maintenance AT HOME, then my body will have had more of a chance to adjust to more calories without gaining. Yes, I'll still be careful, but two weeks of being VERY careful on maintenance, then one week where things might not be so perfect should be better than one week of maintenance THEN going on vacation.

My husband has finally gotten on the bandwagon to weight loss. He hit 201 and that was it for him. So he has been trying to be careful, but since our meals have still had to differ so much it has been frustrating with dinner time. We have a fairly healthy menu plan for the month (had it a long time ago too), but now he is way more willing to follow it and be on it versus eating out. I'm excited for us to be on the same page, finally! He's even eaten cereal for dinner time a couple of times, when his calories have been higher during the day--I LOVE eating cereal for dinner! Not that it will happen much, but still.

Third reason? I'd really like to start doing a modicum of exercise. I've been exhausted on this diet. I haven't had any energy to do anything and I KNOW I've lost muscle mass, even though the HCG is supposed to prevent it. I can feel it in the way my clothes fit. And it wasn't so long ago that I was at this weight that I don't remember how my size 14's fit. And right now my 14's are still very snug, all of which means I've lost muscle. That's okay. I want to start building up my muscle and getting back to taekwondo.

Would I recommend the HCG diet? I'm not sure yet. I feel like I needed the extra motivation to get me to stick with my regular 1400 calorie diet. At 182 I feel like I will have it. If you feel like you need to lose weight quickly to get you motivated to stick to something then yes, probably. But if you are good at the 'slow and steady wins the race' then I wouldn't worry about it. And then let's wait to see the biggest thing--will I yo-yo? That's the biggest thing of the HCG. It works, but you have to maintain after. And I'm going to be seriously tempted this summer--I'm pretty much GONE for the month of July. I'll be in Boston, Phoenix, and New York City, and home all of about ten days for July. So yeah. There'll be some serious challenges.

I'll keep you guys posted!

A day in the life

2010-05-12T10:16:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! Man, it has been a while since I posted. I've mainly been floating along doing my thing, but I feel the pull to write today.

There is a debate on whether you should weigh yourself everyday or not. The HCG diet says you have to as part of their program and after. Mainly because you can gain and not have it show up in your hip size for a few days. Speaking from experience, I know this is true.

It's an up and down battle to maintain but the scale helps me know where I am. I gained weight (of course) on my trip to Disneyland and I've been working to get back to where I was. It can be frustrating, but I have done it.

Here are a few things that I know about myself--things that I know I can't eat without gaining. I cannot have bread on a regular basis. Bread is one of my all time favorite foods, but if I have to choose, I choose to feel good instead of eating bread. Bread makes me feel bloated. It makes me tired and sluggish, so I stay away from it.

I can't eat refined sugar. It really screws up how I feel. It is something people get addicted to and is not that hard to clean out of your system. You have to decide what you want more. A healthy body or sugar. Duh. That's an easy one for me.

Dairy. I LOVE milk, ice cream, yogurt, cheese etc... So, I seldom drink milk anymore and I don't feel clogged. It wasn't that hard to cut out. I do still eat a tiny bit of cheese. I like pepperjack sticks. I seldom buy ice cream because if I do, I WILL eat it. I have no self control there.

What do I eat? I eat a TON of food. I'm always full. I eat a lot of fruits and veggies, but veggies are hard for me. I never feel like eating veggies. They don't call to me and they don't taste that great to me. I try to get at least one big salad in a day though. I snack on blueberries, strawberries, apples, oranges and stuff like that. I try to eat plenty of protein and I am always full.

I eat hummus for a snack with those awesome whole grain corn chips from Costco. SO DANG GOOD! I hate sharing with my kids! =) They're gone too fast! I also buy sugar free jello. That's another good snack that feels like a dessert.

I do buy sugar free chocolate candy. I learned that it is the mixing of sugar with fat that makes you gain. If you just eat the fat without combining it with starch or sugar, you are okay. Put them together and just plan on gaining.

Do I feel deprived? Sometimes. Except when I'm working out and feeling great. When I check my weight, it feels good that I was able to discipline myself, only putting high quality fuel in my gas tank. THAT feels good. Better than that sugary snack that is instantly gone in two bites.

So, that is where I'm at. Also I work out every day. I never miss except for once a week. I alternate walking really fast for an hour and jogging for 20-30 min. I have to be careful because I'm dealing with keeping Achilles tendinitis at bay on my left calf. So far, so good, but it's only a slow jog I can do for now. After my walk or run, I lift weights for 15 to 20 min. Then I ALWAYS do at least 20 min of yoga. It centers me and gets me ready for my day. I'm lucky enough that I can do this with my schedule. I feel very blessed that I can take this time to focus on my body and spirit.

Anyway, this is just what I'm doing. You should know, that one of the reasons I have time for this kind of workout is because it is a super high priority for me. I let the house go, computer work go, and other things. They are pushed back so I can fill my cup. If I don't get to them . . . oh well. I have teenagers that can help! =)

Yeah, It's been a while

2010-05-10T10:09:00.000-07:00

Okay, so it's been quite some time since I blogged about losing weight.Typically speaking I stop posting when I'm doing poorly. And yes, I was doing poorly. I got down to 194 and then stress levels went up, I stopped trying, was defeated about how slowly the weight loss was going, etc, etc. And so I started gaining it back. And gaining. So frustrating.

I decided once I was over the 200's AGAIN, that I need a swift kick to . . . well you know where. Some friends had decided to do the HCG drops and they showed me a site that seemed relatively affordable (around 80 dollars for the drops 21-day supply, a pamphlet on starting the diet, and some b-12 vitamin drops) so I decided to try HCG. I did debate about it for a while, but I'm hoping that with the weight loss getting me down far enough, then maybe I'll be motivated enough to not only maintain the weight loss, but to lose more, and to be patient with losing a half a pound to a pound on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. And not get so defeated that I stop trying.

So I started the HCG thing three weeks ago with the oral drops. I THINK the shots would probably be more effective, but they are also way more expensive (250-400 dollars). To date I've lost a little over 14 pounds. I'm at 187.6 and I'm hoping to get down to 180--the weight I was at BEFORE I started teaching and my last huge weight gain. The weight loss has helped with motivating me to stay on a very strict diet, but I WAS hoping for a little more loss than what I've had so far. But still, it's way more than what I could have lost and I'm pretty happy.

You can have discipline for 42 days or 21 days although it can be VERY, VERY hard, but there is an end in sight. There is no argument that the HCG diet WORKS. The problem is AFTER. With diets like this you often yo-yo. But I figured I did the yo-yo thing anyway, so why not go for it?

I'm also trying to get myself into the mind set that if I DO want to eat out at my favorite restaurant or eat some candy that I'd better have the calories to spend--in other words EXERCISE. Yes. I hate that word. But, I'm going to work hard on implementing some exercise after this diet is over (yeah, not going to try it on 500 calories as it is--I'm TIRED ALL THE TIME).

I'm also planning on overall better eating after this diet and the maintenance phase of this diet is over. My husband FINALLY is trying to lose weight himself and that will make things a lot easier.

So yeah. That's what's been going on so far!

You Look Mahvelous!

2010-04-30T12:19:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,

It was so awesome to see you at the conference! And you all looked great. Brent, you are smokin'!! Lu Ann, I'm so proud of you! Melissa, way to go! Each of you were bright and twinkly and it was great to see you.

I, on the other hand ... twinkle not.

A couple of you said I looked thinner, but I do believe that was a trick of light - I chose my clothes specially to be slimming. I haven't lost anything. In fact, I'm afraid, just the opposite.

These muscles in my side are not healing very well at all. I tried to live my life normally at the conference and I was in a serious world of hurt when I got home. I was having sharp, shooting pains through my rib cage, and all kinds of delightful other things that I won't bore you with.

But ...

I am still keeping up with the nice big salads, and I'm going to try Lu Ann's awesome sugar plan. After checking out her new physique at the conference, I'd be a big blind bat if I didn't see it was working and how great she looks. I'm going grocery shopping tomorrow and will buy foods to support that change.

In the meantime, I'm so proud of each of you. Keep it up, and maybe by next conference, I'll be lookin' smokin' right along with the rest of you!

P Minus 30 and Counting!

2010-04-28T12:44:00.001-07:00

By Lu Ann Staheli

As you may know if you read my earlier post, I started counting how many grams of sugar that I was eating each day, keeping those added sugars to less than 20 grams per day.

Well, it’s really paying off!

I got weighed again on Monday and in the thirty-six days since I started, and with virtually no additional exercise—although my doctor really wants me to get an hour each day—I’ve already lost a whopping total of 30 pounds!

Whoo Hoo!!!

You have to know, I am not starving. I eat just about everything I want. I even had CHEESECAKE during the Storymaker’s conference. But I am aware of what I am eating, how much it takes to fill me up, and where I can avoid sugars altogether. Take that cheesecake, for instance. Did you know that the sugar is mostly in the graham cracker crust? Easy fix—I scraped off the crust. Earlier in the day, I avoided the sandwich roll, which also carries sugar so that I had a few extra grams for the dessert I knew would be coming.

Next step, add that hour of exercise. I broke out the Richard Simmons DVDs, so I’ll be Sweatin’ with the Oldies, and once the crazy weather decides to actually STOP snowing, I’ll be walking in the fresh air and sunshine. I’m hoping these activities will keep me on track to lose nearly a pound a day.

Even if I don’t, I’m making progress and feeling good. I’ve set my final weight goal, but I am celebrating every pound and every inch left behind along the way.

Thanks to all of you who noticed the change. It gives me the motivation I need to keep going.

I've been FAILING to PLAN --

2010-04-21T23:06:00.000-07:00

and therefore, planning to fail. :-(

Fortunately, I got kick-started again. I bought a big wall calendar and I've been trying to write my planned meals for the day on it. 3 meals. That's all I get. I'm not doing the 5-6 small meals a day thing anymore. It just doesn't work for me. This way, when I want to eat something, I have to sit down and eat it. And I have to make sure I eat everything I need until the next meal. 'Cuz there's no snacking allowed! I have allowed myself a wint-o-green mint in between (Love those things!) but they're only 15 calories each.

I just got to thinking how much better I did back when I did body-for-life, and the REASON I did so well wasn't because the plan was better than my current plan. It was because I was sitting down every day and making a specific plan for the next day. What time am I going to exercise and what am I going to do exactly? What am I going to eat for breakfast and what time am I going to eat it? Etc. etc.

Now that I'm planning again, I'm doing well again. Imagine that!

And We're Off!

2010-04-21T07:36:00.000-07:00

I've offically lost two pounds. It's a start. All this getting my habits to be better is finally paying off. I've gotten off caffeine, reduced sugar intake (mostly just by not snacking on junk), and now am starting to move around a lot more.

Maybe I will hit my goal by the end of the year. Time to get off the computer and go dance or something. :)

Getting off Sugar

2010-04-19T10:29:00.000-07:00

I finally did it. Now, I didn't get completely off sugar. But I did make myself as of last Wednesday to not eat cake, ice cream, candy, soda pop, etc. I didn't cut out all the sugar on sauces and such. But I have been looking a little closer to the labels to make a better decision on whether to use it or how much to use.

The first few days were tough, and now it's quite easy. My husband had some M&M's the other day and I was having a rough day, so I asked for two. I ate them slowly and enjoyed them. And I was satisfied.

Then today, I tasted one bite of a cupcake and I was good. It's like eating a lot of sugar makes you want to eat a lot of sugar. Eating a lot less makes you feel satisfied when you only have a small amount.

And I'm down a pound. Hard to tell exactly because of water weight changes, but I think I've lost a pound or two.

I've also got my pedometer on me every day checking how many steps I've taken. I've averaged about 7000-8000 steps most days. My goal is to get it to 10,000 steps or more a day.

Between the less sugar and more moving, I think I may have finally gotten the start I wanted to losing weight.

Now if I can just keep it up and not have many setbacks.

Interesting ...

2010-04-14T12:14:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure how I did it, but I re-pulled some of my oblique muscles and so I didn't attempt the aerobics. That was sort of getting all geared up for nothing.

I did learn something rather interesting, though.

I've been doing the salad thing and I've cut way back on bread, and I've had no pasta in about three weeks. Last night I had some spaghetti, and I was up all night with gas and bloating and other things that polite ladies don't mention they have, so I'm guessing I'm not as polite of a lady as I thought I was. It was interesting to me to note the effect the pasta was having on me after so long going without. I think this is my body's way of saying it doesn't like it. And isn't that what our bodies would tell us, if they could talk - lay off the refined flour? I guess gas is just a body's way of talking ...

Sugar

2010-04-12T19:43:00.000-07:00

by Rebecca Talley

I rarely ever watch daytime TV, but today I happened to watch The Tyra Show while I did my aerobic workout (sometimes I just get sick of my DVDs and work out to a TV program for a change of pace since I have the moves all memorized after doing them for so many years). So today's program was about overweight teenage girls. All four girls were at least 100 pounds overweight. I can imagine the kind of harrassment these girls face on a regular basis because of their weight. I felt bad for each one.

Tyra's guest was some dude who's pushing a new lifestyle change that includes limiting your sugar intake. I'd read LuAnn's post on watching sugar--limiting it to 25 grams--with interest a few days ago so this program piqued my interest even more. This guy advocates only 15 grams and substituting food flavored with other types of sweetners for sugary foods. I'm still not sure if I like these other sweetners of if they're very good for you.

He said an average American ingests 130 grams of sugar per day. Since soda has about 40 grams it only take 3 sodas to do the job. These teenage girls were all ingesting twice that amount of sugar. He challenged them to not only reduce their sugar intake, but to up their carbohydrate, specifically fiber, intake. He said that sugar bonds with the food in our intestines and it makes the food sticky and leads to constipation because it's harder to get rid of it when there's a lot of sugar present. He also said that increased sugar intake promotes belly fat. (I thought I could just use the "I've had 10 babies" excuse).

This is the same basis for the South Beach Diet. Cut out processed sugar and white flour and increase fiber through beans, fruits, and vegetables.

Anyway, like LuAnn, I looked at some of the foods I thought were sugar safe. I was surprised that non-fat milk has 12 grams of sugar per serving. However, I'm still confused about how to differntiate between the sugars. I've heard that the sugar naturally produced in fruit is not the same as refined sugar. I would think the sugar in milk is more comparable to that in fruit because it's naturally part of the milk.

Today, I have not had any sugar. I've stuck to vegetables, beans, salad, nuts. But, I do have a nasty sweet tooth that in the past has lead me to eat candy, ice cream, etc. So I need a sweet option. I've never been a soda drinker and for the last several months I haven't had much refined sugar because I've been sticking to the SB Diet.

I have questions, though. Is the sugar produced in fruit actually different? Do you count that toward your sugar intake? Or, is it just the refined sugar that needs to be controlled? What about these other sweetners (like stevia) are they bad?

I'm going to the CFI author dinner on April 22nd and I want to look good--no, make that amazing--in my red dress I bought for my son's reception. I'm hoping I can take off a few pounds before then.

Dipping My Toe into Real Life ...

2010-04-12T17:39:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been an interesting month, and that's about all I can say. I've become acquainted with muscles and bones I didn't know existed. I've taken pills for pain in said muscles and bones. I've been reminded of my mortality, and reminded that it's all in God's hands.

I'm now almost completely better. I can feel myself returning to the land of the living. Twice last week, I had to park about two blocks from my destination, and walked the remaining distance, and didn't suffer for it. I'm not forgetting as much, and I seem to be able to put sentences together better when I talk. Believe me, I'm so, so grateful.

I've been eating two nice big salads a day ever since I posted my plan, and my bread intake has gone down a lot. I've had fast food just once since then, with a few other minor diversions. I did eat some Easter candy, but not as much as I have eaten in the past. My Coke consumption has dropped, and while I know I still have a very long ways to go, I'm feeling good about the progress I have made.

Tomorrow I dip my toe even further into real life and attempt gentle aerobics. I say "attempt" because I realize it might not go well and I'm not going to push myself. But I think I can do it. In another week or so, I might even be back to full speed. The human body is amazing in its ability to heal. I have no doubt that it will be some months before I'm totally pain-free, but I'm nearly functional again, and that's fantastic.

I'll let you know how it goes with the aerobics tomorrow. In the meantime, I'm really enjoying Kraft's fat-free honey dijon dressing. I think that's my favorite out of the dressings I picked up last week.

Time is wasting away!

2010-04-12T12:59:00.000-07:00

4 weeks, 28 days, just under a month. What do all these things have in common? They each represent how long until I find myself sitting on a plane to go to Germany. They also represent the number of days I have to kick my diet and exercise plan into full gear. I did so well in January I just don't know what happened. But I need to go to that plan again. SO I am going back on Leptin, cutting out the sugar, and I need to figure out a way to add exercise to the equation this time. I don't want to spend my two weeks in Germany huffing and puffing, I need to do this, and I need to do it now! Thanks for letting me rant, sometimes it helps to just say it on the blog.

The Most Successful Un-diet Ever!

2010-04-08T10:17:00.000-07:00

by Lu Ann Brobst Staheli

I’ve known for a long time that I needed to be losing weight. My clothing size had grown. I could hardly walk from my car into my classroom each morning. When I looked into the mirror, I found a truly round face to match my round belly. I felt like Santa Claus, without his jolly.

The problem was that I was too tired to do much of anything about it. Ever since I had the radial head replacement surgery two years ago, I was having trouble making myself move. My arms hurt; my knees and legs still hurt from the fall; and my back was a constant source of ache and pain when I stood for longer than a few minutes.

My doctor told me to lose weight—but she didn’t have any advice how I could do it when I couldn’t walk, exercise, or breathe without thinking I was in the middle of a serious heart attack.

Then I found the answer. I’ve long been a fan of Dr. Wayne Dyer so when I saw him on QVC, offering an incredible price on his new book, DVD and CD series The Shift, I placed my order immediately.

Three weeks ago I was driving our sons to Big Water, Utah, to visit my husband on the set of a film he’s working on. Forget the advice we are given to spend time in the car talking to our kids. Mine don’t even consider it, and within seconds of starting the drive, DVD players and iPods were turned on, headphones in, and kids either watching, listening or sleeping, so I took advantage of the time and starting listening on my own to Dr. Dyer.

Much of what he talks about has to do with finding joy, creating spiritual wealth, and releasing our need for owning things, but one of his stories struck me as especially important. Dr. Dyer has recently been diagnosed with leukemia, and he felt it was important that he lose some weight to help with his treatment. He had spoken with a friend about a way to change hiss eating patterns and in less than 30 days, Dr. Dyer has lost 25 pounds.

Lost 25 pounds? That sounded like a great way for me to drop at least part of what I knew I needed to lose, so once home from the trip, I started the most simple and successful un-diet I’ve ever been on. Are you ready? Here it is:

Keep your sugar intake to less than 25 grams per day.

All I do is write down how many grams of sugar the food labels say are in a serving of a product, make sure I really am only eating one serving, and when I’ve gotten to 25 that day, I stop eating anything with additional sugar.

That doesn’t mean I’m necessarily done eating. I can still eat fresh veggies, fresh fruit, meat, cheese, eggs, and lots of things. I just don’t eat anything else with grams of sugar.

The result? By the end of the first week, I was walking into school without feeling exhausted. I could stand longer without my back killing me. My slacks weren’t quite to tight anymore. There was suddenly definition in my cheeks and neck, and my wedding ring could actually come off my finger without me having to pry it.

In the second week, my tummy was flatter and the upper portion of my arms weren’t as large and didn’t feel so tight. I could feel the bones in my cheeks and my thighs looked smaller.

You have to know, this had started to happen without any exercise. The only thing I had changed was counting the grams of sugar, and that in and of itself had been a surprise. The first day I had picked up my usually cup of healthy yogurt for lunch, only to discover is had 33 grams of sugar! WHAT?! Bread? 3 grams per slice. I looked at the skim milk I drink—6 grams per cup. I won’t even tell you what a glass of chocolate milk contains.

Just how much sugar had I been taking into my body that I hadn’t been aware of? I’d seen Dr. Oz haul out a wagonload of sugar on the Oprah show and say, “This is how much sugar we now eat in a year,” but I didn’t really believe him. I was trying to imagine adding that much sugar to my cereal in a morning and the thought made me sick. But once I started looking at the grams I was secretly taking, I was amazed.

And that alone was enough to convince me to stick with this program. But the bonus came when I visited the doctor.

I had been experiencing some symptoms that pointed to Type II Diabetes. My father had it; my mother had it; and both my older brother and sister had been insulin dependent. I was at a huge risk. Four weeks ago I had gone to the lab for a series of fasting blood tests. The results were not good and the diagnosis was in—I had also become a diabetic.

Of course, I didn’t know that yet until my actual appointment last week when my doctor had the blood tests rerun while I was in her office. And guess what, two weeks into my new way of eating, and all my levels had dropped enough to take me back into the pre-diabetic stages, and I’d lost at least 10 pounds since my last appointment in November.

With the addition of an hour a day exercise (okay, so I’m working up to that, but I’m already doing much more than I’ve done for the past two years!), and the continued change in my diet, my doctor thinks I’ll have this situation under control.

And I’m sure it certainly won’t hurt my figure!

It remains to see if I’ll make Dr. Dyer’s 25 pounds in 30 days, but so far I feel like that’s a reasonable goal, and after that—who knows!

Good Reasons

2010-04-05T18:07:00.001-07:00

So. . . I've been MIA for a while, I know. There's a good reason for that. I've been avoiding you all because I'm up almost ten pounds. But there's a good reason for that, too. I'm expecting baby #4 in October.

So now the goal is to not balloon out like I did with the other three and gain too much weight.

I would like to copy Tristi's goal of salad for lunch and dinner. I don't think I can do the dinner though. I could do the lunch, but every night I have to show my kids how to eat their food. That kind of requires me to eat the same thing they are having. My kids hate to eat--they'd much rather run around the dinner table while singing and dropping their food to the floor.

I will still try to exercise as often as possible, which isn't much. But now that it's warmer outside I'm going to try to incorporate walks into our days.

Goal #1: Eat a salad every day for lunch
Goal #2: Go for walks with the kids every week
Goal #3: Don't balloon out and gain 60 pounds with this pregnancy

Here a Salad, There a Salad, Everywhere a Salad Salad ...

2010-04-04T22:00:00.000-07:00

So far the salad thing is going great. I wasn't able to have a salad for dinner last night - I was out doing a book signing and we ate on the very fast run - but I know this is something I can do most days on a regular basis.

Saturday Lunch Salad -

Dole Greener Selection bagged salad mix (I really like the blends that contain different types of lettuce and also carrots and red cabbage)

four small slices of Swiss cheese

about 2 T. croutons

tomatos

mushrooms

1 T. Kraft honey dijon fat-free dressing

This, I would consider more of a snack salad. The protein content was a little light, with that small amount of cheese, but I did well with it until late in the afternoon.

I had a salad for lunch today, a standard issue, and then for dinner, I did the following:

Dole Greener Selection lettuce

turkey (not lunch meat - real, baked turkey)

slivered almonds

pepper jack cheese (not a lot, just enough for zing)

tomatoes

mushrooms

I ate a roll alongside this, and it was a nice dinner salad. The turkey, cheese, and almonds gave it enough protien to tide me over.

Kraft's fat-free dressings are pretty good, and they come in around 3 g. sugar per serving. I find that if I don't want dressing, I can throw in some extra tomato, and that gives it moisture without fat/sugar.

See ya later ... but I'm feeling pretty good about this salad thing so far.

A New Experiment

2010-04-02T22:17:00.000-07:00

Yeah, yeah, yeah, me and my experiments ...

I went to the doctor today. He says that these mood swings I'm having are perfectly normal for someone who has had a brain injury and to just expect them and deal with them. Lovely. See, I've been ornerier than a mama bear in the middle of the winter who was just awakened for the eighth time by her fighting cubs. My nerves have been really close to the surface and controlling my outbursts ... hasn't been going so well. So I guess I get to just plan on feeling like I have the world's worst PMS for a little while yet.

But as to the rest of me, I am better. Not enough to leap on a treadmill or go on a marathon run with Brent, but I'm able to walk around a bit better. I even went to the grocery store today without hurting myself, so progress is made.

Now, on to the experiment.

Foods in the lettuce family contain silica, and silica is excellent for helping injured tissues to heal. I firmly believe that we are all entitled to inspiration as to what our bodies need, and while pondering it today, I had the impression that I need to consume a large quantity of salad. I got to thinking about it. I have always loved going to salad bars. I like sprinkling beets and kidney beans and all sorts of fun little extras on my salad. I realized that I honestly could eat a nice big salad every day if it had some fun little veggies in it to keep it from being boring. In fact, I could eat two, and that's what my body wants.

So, for the entire month of April, here is my experiment:

Every day, I will eat a salad for lunch and another for dinner. I went to the store today and got a ton of fun little things to throw in there - cucumbers, tomatoes, mushrooms, alfalfa sprouts, pepper jack cheese, croutons, beets, kidney beans, pineapple tidbits, toasted almonds, and fat free dressing. I also got some tuna and some chicken, and eggs. I can vary what goes into the salad and control the protein content, etc, by adding meat and eggs. Then I can do a grain for breakfast, or a slice of whole wheat toast with my salad, if I feel the need.

I'm actually really excited about this. Eating salads is a great way to lose weight and get nutrients, and by adding in the protein, etc, I'm not going to starve like you do on most salad diets - in fact, a nice little salad can fill me up. I have struggled for a long time with getting enough vegetables, and there are times where I go for three or four days without eating any produce at all.

The point here is:

To give my body a ton of silica so it has the ingredients it needs to mend my tissues

To give my body a ton of nutrients so I can start to heal from years of neglecting myself

To increase my appreciation for healthy foods

To eat less junk food and more high-nutrition food

I do imagine there will be an occasional treat here and there ... I'm not a saint by any means and I know that my willpower needs a shot in the arm. But this is an eating experiment I can live with. At the end of the month, I'll evaluate and see how I'm doing. Of course, during such times as the Storymaker conference, when I'm not in charge of what I'm eating, I'll need to waggle a little, but I really, really think this will help me get headed in the direction I want to head in.

No Loss, No Gain

2010-03-31T13:23:00.000-07:00

So, I've been staying pretty much steady minus a pound up or down. It could just be water weight changing that. Anyway, I did pretty good yesterday. I got stressed (stress eater here) from my 4 year old at the store who would not listen to a thing I asked her to do. She was quite energetic. So, I told her to pick a candy out and we spilt it. That I figured was better than just eating it all by myself.

I have a step counter that I've tried to use most days. One day I walked 7000+ steps. Not bad in my opinion. When the crazy weather makes up it's mind that it's Spring, I will be going on walks much more often.

I'm staying steady. I'm really hoping that this coming month is the month that I finally get up strength and willpower to do what I should be doing and NOT do what I shouldn't be doing.

My husband thought about making rice crispy's the other day and I said "Nope. You want rice crispy treats, buy a box and leave it in your car." If I can't have complete power over my cravings and snacking, I don't want it in the house.

Which reminds me, I bought some Doritos and Wheat Thins for myself. Just myself. I hid them in my craft stuff. I have done really well at just eating a few for a snack. I realized that sometimes when they are where everyone eats them, I tend to eat them like crazy. I know they will be gone soon, and I NEED to eat some if I want some. So hiding my own snacks, I take it easy, because I KNOW they will still be there if I only eat a few crackers or a small handful of chips. Crazy how our minds think sometimes.

Okay, this post is all over the place. But that's my update. Hopefully the next update I give I can be jumping for joy for losing a pound or two.

Wow!

2010-03-29T21:54:00.000-07:00

I actually didn't eat as much today as I have been eating before. I have consumed more fruits and veggies. These are very small things, but baby steps are better than sitting on the couch doing nothing.

"One day at a time...One day at a time...One day at a time" {BTW, this is me talking to myself and I thought you would enjoy listening in.;) }

Psoas I was Saying ...

2010-03-29T01:34:00.000-07:00

I posted the other day about the injuries I sustained in a car accident. I'm very happy to report that everything is on the mend and Candace and I are both becoming more functional every day. Functioning is good. I like to function.

The residual pain I do have is found here, in the Psoas muscle (pronounced "so as," hence the silly pun in the title of this blog):

It attaches to the spine in the back, and then loops around and attaches to the leg in the front. It's the muscle that stabilizes your trunk when you sit, and it's also the muscle that raises and lowers your leg when you walk.

Because of the way I was sitting in the car, angled slightly to the left, that muscle took the impact and kept me from flying into the door. I'm grateful for that - believe me. Whacking into the door would have been the last thing I needed. What this means, though, is that walking isn't good for me. I went to the grocery store the other day and was dragging my little leg behind me half the time, not unlike Little Bo Peep's sheep, who dragged their tails behind them. I also can't do sit-ups, and sitting in a chair hurts after a while, because of the way the trunk needs to be stabilized.

So, there's the update on me. I'm pretty much stuck as far as exercise goes. I'm contemplating getting back on the diet train even though the exercise train isn't leaving the station for a while ... I'll have to let you know how that goes.

Tell the Wagon to Come Back and Get me!

2010-03-24T19:50:00.000-07:00

Yes, I keep falling off of the wagon and I don't like it. I am chalking much of my problem (this time) on the intense stress I have felt the past two months. I have been wondering if I would have a teaching job next year. This is my 2nd year teaching in the Jordan School District. As most of you know, 1st and 2nd year teachers in my district, were basically told we may not have a job next year. We all found out last week that we will have jobs next year thanks to the work of some awesome legislators.

This leaves me still...well...still fat. I cringe as I type those words, but the mirror and camera do not lie. More importantly I ache and I know that none of this is helping my high blood pressure or cholesterol levels. So, I decided that the HCG thing had not worked for me because of how restrictive it is. I tried it and it did not work for me. I know that this program can work, just look at how terrific Melissa C. looks!! I have thought out what has worked for me in the past. It came down to:

#1 Exercising every day for 30-40 minutes.

#2 Eating a well balanced diet with all food groups, huge emphasis on fruits and veggies.

#3 Cutting down my portion size on all foods.

#4 Following, my own way, Weight Watchers points, where I don't attend meetings.

When I chose to follow these 4 things I lost 45 pounds. I kept it off for almost two years until all of the messy things started happening in my life and I found myself a full-time, single working Mom.

I do have one obstacle that has been plaguing me. My right knee has been hurting so much as I do "normal" things such as walking up and down stairs or after sitting too long. Yes, I feel very old. I have been trying to decide how to exercise without injuring my knee any further. I am going into the Dr. next week to have it looked at. I hope that surgery is not going to be the answer to get rid of my knee pain. I am hoping that this will not stop me as I set out, once again, to start taking this weight off. I know I can do it, as I have done it before. This time the wagon is not leaving without me.

The Best Laid Plans ...

2010-03-23T10:25:00.000-07:00

I just have to laugh at life sometimes.

About a week and a half ago, Brent posted that he'd lost his oomph and asked for help getting motivated again. I responded to his post with a challenge. He's about twenty pounds heavier than me, and at the rate he's going, he'll be lighter than me in no time at all. I challenged him to work hard to get below my weight, and my counter-challenge to myself is to start losing and to keep Brent from catching up to me. I knew that was a pretty tough challenge (for me) when I issued it - Brent has been 100% more dedicated than I have been, and he's lost a ton of weight to show for it. Me ... not so much. My weight on the sidebar will show how much I've slacked off. I hoped this challenge would be good for both of us.

Well, I got serious. I picked up an MP3 player, told my husband I was going walking every day ... and was in a car accident. That wasn't part of the weight loss plan.

Yep, last Tuesday on the way to the Valor Book Launch Party, Candace and I were in a car accident. It's one of those things where we're so grateful for our blessings - we both have concussions and aches and pains - but it could have been so much worse. Impact one second later would have killed Candace and possibly me as well. I can't complain about hurting (well, I can, but you know what I mean) when I know how blessed we are.

The problem is, though, I can't get in there and really exercise for a while, and my body is such that I can't lose weight unless I'm eating right *and* exercising. One without the other is ineffective.

So, Brent, you're going to pull way ahead of me. I have plans to catch up, but I don't know how long I'll be unable to exercise. But ... as soon as I can ... the game is on!!

Pounds- Revisited

2010-03-20T20:49:00.000-07:00

So, here we are. I am so not enjoying the last couple of months. School and work have been busy and stressful, home life? even worse. And to top it all off, I keep losing and gaining the same 3 pounds. Over and over and.... you get the idea.

So tired of it.

So trying not to be discouraged about it.

So ready to be done with it.

Good news is, the other day I actually wanted to run on the treadmill instead of wasting time.

That's a start, isn't it?

Weight loss success Story

2010-03-19T23:22:00.000-07:00

Saw this news article on KSL.com. Great story about weight loss.

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=10071766

Keep your fingers and toes crossed for me!

2010-03-18T18:41:00.001-07:00

Another good day. I chose to eat a healthy lunch even though I did not want to and I went for a three mile walk even though I did not feel like it. I guess having mind-over-matter constitutes a good day. It’s funny that two days ago I was calling my “homerun shot” at the weigh-in, and today turned out to be a real struggle. I had an early morning meeting in Orem and an afternoon meeting in Sandy so I’d pretty much figured on skipping my exercise today, but somehow I pulled it off.
Tomorrow night and Saturday is scout camp. I think I’ve got my meals figured out and I should get in a pretty good hike. Remember that I’ll be posting my weight tomorrow directly on my blog an on our Facebook group “A quest for a better, healthier life.” Be sure to check it out. I hope it turns out good but if it’s true what they say, and stress really does make it hard to lose weight, I may be in big trouble! Keep your fingers and toes crossed for me!

As quick as I think that, I get humbled.

2010-03-17T17:07:00.001-07:00

I’ve managed to make it through an entire St. Patty’s day without wearing green and without getting pinched. That’s the sign of a man who needs to get out more. I did go for a nice run though. I’m still a little buggered-up from the Tooele 5k but I felt better today than yesterday.
Last night we played volley ball with the scouts. We had a great time and I hardly broke a sweat. It’s nice to feel a little of the old athleticism coming back and it was nice not to need a shower after the slightest physical activity.
Tonight for dinner I’m making a low-cal version of a traditional St. Patty’s Day feast. Anyone up for some corned-beef and cabbage? Just come on over. I’ve made just enough for a small contingency of leprechauns, so there should be plenty.
I wanted to say thanks to all of you who noticed I was struggling these past few days and send me encouraging comments, emails, and even phone calls. Every once in a while I get fooled into thinking that getting healthy is going to be easy for me but as quick as I think that, I get humbled. Thanks for helping me along.

I’m back in the game, baby!!!

2010-03-16T16:44:00.000-07:00

It’s soon time to simplify the way I post my blog. Right now, I’m posting the same information to four different places. I’ll continue to post that way until Friday’s weigh-in. At that time, I’ll be posting only on my blog and our Facebook group page. The reason for the change is not only to avoid redundancy, but to also make reporting my progress and receiving your feedback a bit easier. It will also allow me to use my personal Facebook page for posting non-weight-loss related entries.

Okay, if there isn’t any other “ward business” I’ll move on to my regular entry. I was back in the health-game for the second day in the road. A great run, proper eating, and an excited attitude are the fruits of my day’s labor. For lunch I ate one of those new salads from Wendy’s. I’m sure it had too much sodium and who knows what else, but it also had a ton of dark green and purple kinds of shrubbery, which I’m told have more nutrition than plain ol’ iceberg lettuce. There were lots of apple chunks, pecans, and other good stuff to. The dressing was some kind of strange vinaigrette variety but the tangy flavor really grew on me after a few bites.

Now that I’m back on track, I’m feeling a bit cocky. Not since Babe Ruth in the 1935 World Series has an athlete called his homerun shot but I am calling mine. This Friday’s weigh-in is going “over the fence!” I’m back in the game, baby!!!

We Got a Blog Award!

2010-03-16T11:21:00.000-07:00

Natasha and Lee over at This 'N That just gave us this award for being honest bloggers and wearing our hearts on our sleeves:
That's pretty cool, eh?

We're supposed to pass it along to a few other bloggers we feel are also very forthright. Suggestions? You guys pick 'em.

A Quick Explanation

2010-03-15T23:16:00.001-07:00

Hi guys,

I've gone ahead and enabled comment moderation - it's taking too long to hunt down all the stray spambots and delete them. I'm online all day and it shouldn't take me too long to get everything moderated.

Thanks!

Its time I got rejuvenated but how do I do it?

2010-03-15T20:36:00.000-07:00

It’s hard to understand what’s gotten into me these days, blog-wise. I’m not sure if my haphazard hiatus is due to the blog possibly losing its magic or if I am getting the feeling you all are board with my plight…so why write or if I’m just a natural-born slacker and have been casually blowing off something very important and inspirational for no good reason at all. As far as you all being board, why wouldn’t you be? Here I am supposed to be this great weight-loss champion and I’ve managed to lose only a pound or two over the last three or four weeks. Heck, if I were you, I’d be board out of my gourd over this thing. It needs a shot in the arm! I need a shot in the arm!
I did run today. That was good. I ate properly as well. Maybe I’m on my way again, maybe you’re still with me??? It seems my time and efforts these days are spread awfully thin between too many great projects. Perhaps I’ve got too many irons in the fire and in an effort to keep all of them glowing to a useful red-hot; I’m inadvertently rotating some of them into cooler places amongst the coals. The truth is, everything I am working on is important, but my quest for a better, healthier life needs to be among my first priorities. Without my health, I won’t be doing any of my other projects much good at all now would I?
How about those of you in the weight-loss trenches with me? Are you still on board? Have you too hit a plateau? Can we work together and motivate each other again like we did when the blog was new? Its time I got rejuvenated but how do I do it? Any advice?

Before and After

2010-03-15T12:32:00.000-07:00

by Rebecca Talley

I've been a bit MIA lately. I've been working really hard on my manuscript, trying to keep up with other writing projects, prepare for the Storymaker conference, and take care of my family and house. Anyway, we took the family to CA for vacation last week and I thought I'd post before and after pics from the beach. The first photo is from the last time we went to the beach in August 2008. The next one is from last week. I'm still trying to lose that last 10 lbs and going on vacation doesn't help. But, I'm happy that I've kept off the 25+ pounds. I'm not sure I'll ever get the last 10 off . . . .