Breaking Plateaus

Well, 23 days into a 40 day round and I've been on a plateau for a week and a half.  I've lost 7 pounds overall, but the scale is now stubbornly refusing to budge.  What to do, what to do?

1. I am going to add exercise back in, slowly and gently.  I haven't been going to the gym because of mental and emotional overload, I'd prefer to work out outdoors in the fresh air and sunshine.  So, now that the warm weather seems to be coming to stay, I plan to do interval walking/running for 30 minutes every evening before bed.

2. A more fun way to spike the metabolism is the cheat day.  On HCG, we take our "cheats" at the beginning in the three load days.  I have heard doctors and health professionals say that one "cheat" day a week helps boost the metabolism and break a plateau.  I believe I can hold out and have a Saturday cheat day this week and see if that works.  (And by "cheat," it will be a full-on eat-till-I-want-to-puke load day.)  That's if I don't break the plateau before then.  Sometimes, too, we just can't take dieting anymore.  I'm hoping the "re-load" will help. 

3.  Add breakfast.  Something as simple as a protein shake in the morning may help.  A scoop of vanilla protein, a double handful of frozen strawberries, and water, and whirl in the blender.  The nice thing is that it almost feels like a cheat in and of itself.  Another good breakfast if you're in a hurry would be simply to hard-boil some eggs the night before and eat them in the morning. What you want in the morning is protein - it keeps the hungries away.

I can see some differences, however - jeans fitting a bit looser, tummy feeling a bit more toned - but not the differences I had expected this far into the round.  Evidently I'm not doing what I need to do  So....hopefully these tweaks will help me stay on protocol, and break the plateau.  I'll keep ya posted!

Reviewing HCG

I am beginning a new round of HCG (today was my 2nd load day) and realized that not only am I nearly out, I don't know if I can get more from my supplier in time.  So I've been  looking at other brands of homeopathic HCG to see what my alternatives are.

I've been getting some good laughs reading the reviews.  Remember - Homeopathic HCG has a vibrational fingerprint of HCG, so everyone who is used to the shots is screaming "Oh my hell, there's no HCG in that!"  Of course not.  And I don't care!  I want to know one thing, and one thing only.

Does it work in conjunction with the Simeons Pounds and Inches protocol?  

After reviewing several sites and brands, I have decided that nearly any brand will work.  Don't freak out if it says "hormone free" - homeopathic does not contain anything but water.  And that's OK, because it still works.  I don't care if it's a placebo effect, I care if the scales are going down and my clothes are getting too big - and if I still feel good through the process.

Tomorrow I begin the diet itself.  I've got chicken breast, apples, cucumbers, and lettuce waiting for me.  After gorging for two days, I'm looking forward to eating what I know will work.  Cucumbers are delicious sliced up with salt and maybe some hot sauce - just as good as chips!  Apples with a dusting of cinnamon, perhaps a dip of stevia, strawberries dipped in a little stevia for a treat.... I am never hungry on HCG, in fact often the salad and protein are plenty.

I'd tried to do a few more rounds before, but just could not stick to the diet, mostly for emotional reasons,  and ended up quitting within a couple of days.  This time I have firmly decided that the last 40 pounds are coming off.  I should reach that by Easter.

So far as the running, I'm struggling to get that done.  I have come to enjoy running, but the added step of getting to the rec center seems to be more than I want to do right now.  I did go yesterday, and I plan to go today.  Last week I was so exhausted for some reason that I was sleeping 12 hours or more a day and just felt like I couldn't function.  I don't know what the challenge was - last time that happened I was on vacation in Central America and fell asleep every time I was in the car, in addition to nights and siesta.  I must have been pushing myself way too hard (which would also explain the shoulder injury).

I will report back tomorrow!

Getting back to workouts....

I injured my shoulder about 6 weeks ago.  After 3 weeks of trying to work through/around it, I finally had to let it rest.  It was bad enough that working was agony - and I work at the computer!

It's starting to get better, so I decided to start running again.  I do interval runs only, 5 minutes of warm up walking, then 6 rounds of running for one minute, walking for 2.  Then a 5 minute cool down.

Interval running burns more fat than "steady state" cardio does, and gets you into shape faster. I don't know if it's desirable to do the hard, hard, intense workouts - I know trainers who promote them, but I believe I can reach my goals with a much gentler approach.  What good does it do me to work out hard if I keep hurting myself?

My plan is to maintain my nutrition, plenty of vegetables and fruit, lean protein,  a gallon of water a day, and stay off the Diet Coke.  I'm using this weekend to start easing myself into it.  Then I'll do the "hard core" dieting during Lent, appropriately enough.  :)  Actually, 40 days ought to be enough time to take the bulk of the weight off and get used to a new eating plan.  I will also do the interval runs every day except Sunday.  I may run tomorrow anyway to establish the habit.  (There is a major winter storm supposed to be coming in tonight, so the weather will be a factor in running tomorrow.)

So, anyway, I just finished my run, and it was very difficult this time.  I was winded - I hadn't been winded during an interval run in ages.  The lack of exercise has been showing up in a tighter (almost uncomfortable) fit to my jeans, not just on the scales.  But since I know what to do, I'll keep up the hard work and know it will come back off.  Then it will be a matter of working off the rest of the extra weight....

Struggling

"You've got to say, I think that if I keep working at this and want it badly enough I can have it. It's called perseverance." ~ Lee Iaccoca

I have been struggling with my weight since November, when I was at my lowest weight in years.  It's been going the wrong way on the scale, creeping back up to my high weight.  This is just no ok.  What am I doing wrong?

For one thing, I've been underestimating the amount of food I eat.  Today, I signed up with FitDay.com to start a food diary. I'm good at journaling anything, so hopefully (!) I will start to see where I should be adjusting my diet so my weight comes back down.

My intention is to go with a high fat, high protein, low carb diet.  Lots of natural fats (lard, butter, whole milk, olive oil, coconut oil, etc), not Frankenfats (margarine, shortening, etc), and delicious meats.  All the green veggies I can hold.  And gallons of water.

Given that you can't manage what you don't measure, I decided it was time to start measuring, instead of guessing (and forgetting about the bag of chips I absent-mindedly scarfed down while reading, etc).  I'm also going to include more walking in my plan - when switching tasks, taking a few minutes to walk around the block.  The idea is just to get moving, instead of sitting still for so long.

I am committed to this weight loss. My goal weight is 135, and I plan to get there by the end of the summer.  :)  I can do this! You can, too!

Eat Fat to Fight Fat?

I'd rather eat this than a salad any day!

Rich, fatty foods are like destiny:  they too, shape our ends.  ~Author Unknown

I've been reading about Gary Taubes and his work concerning weight (fat) loss.  I've found an interesting thesis - much like drinking water can help you stop retaining water, eating more fat can help you stop retaining fat.

Specifically, eating more saturated fat.  You know, the meat on a delicious ribeye steak, eggs, bacon, coconut oil, olive oil....


It turns out that as a nation, we eat too much sugar and not enough fat.


"Wait, Donna, what did you say?"


Sugar is the culprit.  Sugar and refined carbs.  We eat too much sugar and not enough fat.  


You see, calories in/calories out is a myth, as I discussed in a previous post.  Any self respecting woman will tell stories about eating nothing but salad for weeks trying to lose weight, while her husband, who eats big greasy steaks, decides to forgo a beer and maybe go easy on the Doritos, and loses weight like crazy.  Why?

Saturated fat.  She is starving.  She's hungry.  Salad just doesn't fill you up.  Ever.  (Ask me how I know.)  Lean meat isn't filling.  But throw some good, natural fat on it, and it will fill you up.

Sugar, though, sugar is another story. Sugar and refined carbohydrates.

Sugar causes insulin levels to spike, leading to a sudden drop, which leaves me (at least) shaky and hungry.  Not just hungry, RAVENOUS.  As in, I will eat anything if it will just hold still long enough ravenous.    Going through the pantry in desperation at 2am ravenous.  


Fat doesn't do that.  Fat triggers satiety, which means that you eat less because you feel full.  Come on - when did anyone binge on eggs, cheese, bacon, or meat?  You can't - the fat in these foods causes you to feel full.  


Commercial salad dressings are loaded in fats --- and sugar to match, so they are not very helpful in weight loss (unless you can find one that is higher fat, that's sugar free).  


Just as a helpful ancedote - I'm Southern, which means that anything that can be fried, will be fried.  My grandfather was put on cholesterol medication and a low fat diet following a mild heart attack.  His numbers kept going up and up - so, in true Harris fashion, he started to eat the way he liked again.


Fried potatoes.  Fried chicken.  Fried green tomatoes.  Fried eggplant.  Butter.  Eggs cooked in bacon drippings, and bacon.  Biscuits and gravy.


His numbers went back down.  


Maybe we're going about weight loss all wrong.

Low Carb

We never repent of having eaten too little. ~Thomas Jefferson, 1825

I've been doing a lot of research lately - partly as a guinea pig - and have come to find that low carb is the way to go.

I've been stuffing myself with fried (yes, fried!) chicken, steak, protein shakes, water, protein bars....and losing weight.  Slowly, so far, but the meat-and-salad diet is what has always worked for me.  (And that's the HCG diet in a nutshell!)

As soon as I have a roll or a biscuit, though, the weight comes back on. 

I am never hungry.  (But really - how much meat can a person really eat?)  Sometimes I want to munch, and then I get an apple or a protein bar, but I am never hungry. 

When You Fail To Plan, You Plan to Fail

Right now, I feel like I've got workouts handled.  Mat Gover over at EXL Fitness keeps me on the straight and narrow regarding my workouts (and starting next month, I plan to add Cardio Camp to Boot Camp to fire up my metabolism even more).

However, exercise is only part of the weight loss equation.  The other part is the part I struggle with.

Nutrition.

I like to eat.  And like most people, I like to eat things that end to pack on pounds.  Sweet and salty refined carbs. 

I tend to *forget* to eat.  The problem with that is two fold - one, your body begins to think you're starving and your metabolism slows to conserve fuel, and two, when you do remember to eat, you eat a lot more than you would if you'd eaten regular small meals.

So you have to plan ahead.

I've been using protein shakes and protein bars to boost my protein intake and to make sure I'm consuming small meals at least every 3 hours.  I seldom remember to eat a full meal, but I make sure I have what I need to fix a supplemental meal frequently. 

I also plan my meals a week in advance.  SavingDinner.com has been a huge help there.  When I already know what I'm cooking for dinner, and I have all the ingredients on hand, it's a lot easier to cook at home, where I can control what's going into my food. 

So take the time.  Sit down for an hour a week, plan your evening meals with your family, plan your nutrition for the rest of the day, and you'll find that you feel like you're eating all the time, you're never hungry, and you're losing bodyfat.

Making Sense of the Grocery Store

Have you ever wandered aimlessly around the grocery store, reading labels and wondering what's really good for you?  What will help accellerate your weight loss?

Here's a trick.  Stay away from the aisles.  The fresh food you want is around the perimeter of the store.  Produce, meat, seafood, dairy.

My favorite grocery shopping tip is simply this:  If your great grandmother wouldn't recognize it as food, don't eat it.  It's probably had all the food processed out of it.

I eat lots of salads - and I grow my own veggies on the back patio when I can (I live in an apartment) or arrange with a friend to grow some in their garden.

Fresh fruit.  Apples, grapes, peaches, nectarines, melons.  I try to avoid the pre-cut relish trays and fruit bowls as I'm not sure of their freshness, but then again, my kids love them - and anything to help them eat more fruit and vegetables.

Meat, poultry, and seafood.  I always kind of cringe when I hear women talk about being vegetarians - ladies, we need the protein!  Get the highest quality you can afford.  Watch for chicken packs with lots of juices in the tray - they've probably been frozen and thawed.  I have had to look hard to find stores that keep their chicken truly fresh - here in Utah, good meats can be had at Sunflower or Harmon's.

Dairy.  Soy milk is a processed food - I avoid as much soy as I can (with occasional exceptions for tofu and tempe).  Milk should come from a critter - cow or goat, usually.  (I prefer raw milk, but often don't have money for it.)  Eggs should be as fresh as you can find them.  Cheeses and yogurt make wonderful snacks - just so long as it's not that silly yogurt that's had tons of sugar dumped into it along with edible fruit-like chunks.

I don't really fuss much about the "organic" label - it seems like that's just a way to push prices up on foods - and prices are rising too fast anyway.  My friends who own CSAs tell me that the organic label these days is meaningless.

Along the aisles?  I use stevia as a sweetener when I'm on protocol.  Plain oatmeal that I can sweeten to taste over pre-sweetened ones - you can get Quick Oats, which have been cut into smaller sections for faster cooking, and save a ton of money over pre-sweetened oatmeal.

Of course, food itself is loaded with emotion.  I have strong, strong feelings about food - and they start with "If I'm going to limit my calories, I'm going to make sure what I spend those calories on is the highest quality and has amazing taste."

So there you go!  Start in the produce section and work your way around the outside perimeter of the store.  Find foods that either came from the earth or had a mama, and avoid processed foods.

(H/T to EXL Fitness for the idea.  Mat Gover conducts a monthly grocery store tour.  I haven't gone yet.)

Protein for Alertness.

Yup, I'm going to tackle some interesting things over the next few days. 

Did you know (I didn't) that the nutrients in your food play a huge role in how well you are able to function at work?  I mean, I knew this *some*, but I just came across some information that really brought it home.

I am a night owl by nature.  My perfect workday starts at noon, with a leisurely morning.  Getting up at 8:30 is early for me.  And I tend to go to bed sometime after the wee hours of the morning.  Because of that, evidently, it is vitally important for me to have a protein rich breakfast - protein helps increase alertness.  Wow - I knew I liked my protein bar after my workout, and I prefer protein to carbs all day long (my body holds carbs right around my middle).  Morning people need their protein later in the day. 

Maybe that's why Tim can function on only 4 hours of sleep a day.  For such a calm person, he's almost frenetic with energy.  He follows a high-protein, carnivorous diet, with no potatoes (he prefers yams anyway), and very little rice or pasta. 

I need lots of sleep - 8 to 10 hours to function well - but I also tend to eat carbs if I'm not thoughtfully eating protein....

Protein, Muscle, and Women

From talking to a lot of women, I've noticed that women are almost scared of protein.  It's like they're afraid of gaining muscle.  Guys love protein.  Ever notice that a man's favorite restaurant is invariably a steak house?  And then women go to a steak house and order -- a salad. 

I'm not knocking salad.  The ones at Texas Road House are delicious.  But don't knock red meat!  It's not evil, bad, or fattening.

Ladies, because of our monthly periods, we need extra iron in our diets.  The tendency to subsist on chicken and salad makes it more difficult for us to replace that iron.  And I don't know about you, but iron pills tend to make me sick to my stomach, my body doesn't absorb it, and they can be hazardous to kids and pets. 

Organ meats such as liver (especially liver) are a great source of iron, but it seems like no one eats them any more.  I love chicken liver, but by the time I bread and fry it (I'm a Southern gal, everything needs to be fried!) it's pretty fattening.  (I also like it tucked into a roasted bird - but it's summer here and I'm not turning on my oven.)  Besides, liver is hard to find in the supermarkets these days.

So I go on to one of my favorite diet meals - STEAK and a vegetable.  Ribeye by far is my favorite.  My iron levels remain good when I eat red meat once or twice a week. 

And today's accountability - weight 156.4 goal 125.0.