Week one: Successful

The first two days were horrible. It did get easier.

And the scale showed the result. Down 2.8. Woo-hoo!! Now, don't get me wrong, I know deal is that when you start eating carbs again, you'll gain the weight back, but here's the deal: I'm cutting back, not out. I can't have too much or I lose control. I've cut back eating at the hospital and haven't even been to the cafeteria! It's been almost a month of working there and I've never purchased anything from the cafeteria!

I've been running too. Re-inspired by a few friends and my mom and the wonderful Couch-to-5k program, I'm trying to stay active despite not being able to see my trainer as regularly. We'll see.

Day 8 of almost carb-less....

One day at a time, one choice at a time...

Day 2 of the carb-less life

Yesterday I had a cookie.

Today I had an enchilada.

In the family of bread and pasta, those are the only two carbs I've had and of course, all I can think about now is how badly I want that darn cookie or granola bar! Coming from someone who didn't think she consumed a lot of carbs, I'm seeing just how many I did consume and what part they played in my diet.

I've had more fruits and veggies in the past two days and also more fat, I feel like. Because I've been in meetings for the past two days, I'm at their mercy for lunch. Yesterday I ate the toppings off of my pizza. Yes, that's right. I didn't even eat the pizza bread! I scrapped the toppings off! Who does that? And today, I had an extra amount of re-fried beans because I couldn't have another enchilada. Both days have been filled with salad and fruit. No bagels, muffins, toast or pizza crusts.

How am I feeling? Hungry. I'm sure it's more of a state of mind than an actual physical need. Telling your body you can't have something is a sure-fire way to get it to crave that thing! I'm not saying no to ALL carbs....just 99% of them! So far, so good. Also, I need to hit up the gym later today or tomorrow morning and run a bit. Just to get things stirred up, you know?

And finally. It has been brought to my attention that my mother is planning on participating in a 5k. Woo-hoo!! I have offered to do it with her as it will keep me motivated to run towards something (literally and figuratively). Don't we all need goals like that? I am so goal oriented/driven. Type A. I know.

Words of wisdom for today: Get a goal. Try to go carb-less (mostly. Well, at least for a little bit). Stay healthy so you don't have to come to the hospital.

Going totally (almost) carb-less...hopefully

So. We've all heard about Atkins, the no-carb diet. And we all know how NOT into these all-or-nothing things I am (which is funny, because I am a very black/white person...whatever). With that said....

My trainer and I have been discussing carbs a lot and he knows my feelings towards totally cutting something out of my diet. He is graduating with a degree in Kinesiology next week and we have good discussions between my gasping for breath during our workouts. As a pre-graduation gift, he received a book about eating for your blood type. Yes, I said that right. A book about eating right for your blood type. I'm talking A, B, AB and O. The positive/negative doesn't matter in this situation. Apparently, my O+ type needs a moderate amount of exercise in addition to a limited (read: scant) amount of carbs. Hmmmmm. This isn't good. Although, given the past few months, I'm inclined to believe it.

Today is my last day on carbs (for the week). Well, carbs as I know them. Most things have carbs but I'm talking bread and pasta. I had artichoke chicken sans pasta tonight for dinner. Fortunately this week will be mostly easy, I think, because I'm in meetings Monday through Wednesday. I can make breakfast at home, eat lunch there or bring it and then be good and sensible for dinner. It will also be interesting because I don't think I eat a lot of carbs in general, but I'm sure now that I'm being more conscious of them, I will realize how much I really eat.

I'm curious as to see how my body reacts to the decrease in carbohydrates. I guess I should put off my interval running for a week so I can determine each result individually. Notice the power of positive thinking? "So I CAN determine each result individually"? I have to believe the decrease in carb intake will affect my body in positive ways and I have to think my interval running will affect my body in positive ways. Just like the Little Engine that Could...I think I can, I think I can. I know I can, I know I can.

More to come...eat some bread for me. :)

Moving day!

Today is moving day. I'm leaving my home of almost 2 years and packing up for the unknown, uncharted territory of ......the desert. Ta-da! What it really boils down to is that I'm having to go through everything I've accumulated in the past 22 months and either pack it, toss it or donate it. I very much dislike doing these things. I've found I'm much better if I just pack it all up and then when I'm unpacking it, I decide it's fate. But really, at that point, I've packed it and moved it and am then going to throw it out?! That doesn't make sense, but I've done it.

I have a food cupboard here with some things that will come with me, but mostly, I'm ready to start over with new stuff. I'm excited to go shopping and to start cooking again. I've gotten so lazy in the past few months and I believe I'm paying the price. Soreness, lethargy, lack of motivation. All symptoms that can be traced to diet and exercise. A few years ago, when I ran the Bay to Breakers, I was really focused on food as fuel for my body. What I put in it, I would expect certain things from it. Lately, more garbage in and definitely garbage out.

There are so many factors that play into general wellness (which is where I strive to be). Diet, sleep, hydration, exercise, community, sense of purpose, faith. I believe when these get off kilter, you see other areas of your life suffer. It's especially true in my life. Like I've said before, I have a tendency to throw myself down the stairs if I've slipped down a few. Where's the logic in that? It's something I've worked on and need to be reminded of weekly...almost daily, but not quite. So you slip up one day by staying up too late, sleeping in too late, rushing out the door without breakfast and then scarfing half a muffin three hours later. Lunch and dinner and tomorrow can be different. I didn't do that, btw. :)

Bring on the new zip code, new grocery stores and new bike paths! I would also like to take this opportunity to point out that moving or simply a 'major cleaning' is a good time to purge your cupboards of outdated food, foods you won't ever eat or the semi-squished can of beans that has fallen and you can't quite reach it but now that everything is empty, you realize that the can has expanded and may not be appropriate for human consumption. Toss it. Start over. Clean, newly filled cupboards and a game plan for how to move forward. You're set!

Back in the saddle....again

Not quite, 'out where a friend is a friend', because this is hardly friendly.

After taking a hiatus, we're back. And by 'we', I mean everyone. Back to working out, eating right, shopping right and general attitude tune-ups. New Years seems to be the time we all make our resolutions that last a few weeks and then peter out into good meaning intentions. You could try to have a new resolution every month, or at least get back on the wagon every month. But sometimes, it's more frequent than that, isn't it? Depending on what it is, it could be daily. And thats just fine.

I'm back from another mini vacay to Kentucky and Alabama. Both trips were great but I've been home for 4 days now and it's time to get back into the routine. I kinda like my routine; being a Type A, I know you're shocked by this. One of the things I didn't do much of while I was vacationing was cook. We ate out more often and enjoyed the locale, but I miss cooking. Today is a bit rainy and cool for May in So Cal, and I've got a pot of soup simmering on the stove. This baby will last me all week! Dinner may be lighter tonight, but I'm back in the saddle, again.

In my absence, I was introduced to www.e-mealz.com. It's amazing! For a small fee ($5/month) you can choose your plan! Store, low carb, points, vegetarian, low fat, etc. It gives you a shopping list, 7 meals (including sides) and recipe directions. I don't make all 7 meals each week, but it's a great jumping off point for us. I modify some of them, because really, who's going to eat fruit salad for dinner? C'mon.

Anyway, back in the saddle. Here we go...right?

Grab a shovel

One of my very wise friends gave me a metaphor the other day that I've been able to apply to various aspects of my life: "Slipping into a hole is easy and sometimes fun, but digging yourself out is hard and takes a lot of work".

I've applied this to weight loss and in my personal life. Both areas I've slipped and fallen deeper into a hole and while I may not have hit rock bottom, I'm far enough down that I don't want to slip farther into the unknown abyss.

So, what's the plan? How do you start to dig your way out? How do you maintain your trajectory and not lose momentum? How do you not become discouraged? If you find out, let me know! There are a few things I've learned and most of which, I need to be reminded of daily and sometimes, hourly.

Have a plan. Make realistic goals. Recognize your accomplishments, no matter how small. If you make a mistake, it's not the end of the world. You may backslide a little bit but you haven't slipped all the way back down. Make small changes daily. Persevere.

Like I said, I have to be reminded of these things daily. It's been very hard for me to not let the negative talk seep into my thoughts. I have a mantra I've been trying to recite every day since January 1st. I have to say it out loud and throughout the day, just to remind myself that it's worth it and so am I. It sounds silly, but it does help. Even when I'm running (which I hate to do), I keep saying "You can do it, you're doing it, just a little bit farther, push a little harder".

I think part of it is just bucking up and dealing with it. My dad always says that you need to feel the emotion, cry, yell, do whatever you need to do. And then move on. Don't dwell on it. Experience it, feel it, move beyond it. Sometimes I have to stop, take a deep breath, remember this and do it.

So, buck up. Tell yourself you can do it and DO IT. Make the right decisions and DO IT. You can do it. I can do it. Dig yourself out of the hole and don't look back.

Va-cay!!!

I look forward to vacations as much as the next person. When you think of vacations, you typically think of relaxing, sightseeing, lounging, drinking, eating....definitely not exercising. That said, when you travel, you typically walk. A lot. I'm a lot more adventurous when I'm abroad than when I'm home, too. Why on earth would I use the Metro in LA?! Put me in New York, though, and I will walk or ride the subway before I even think about hailing a cab. I would never stick my thumb out for a ride in CA, but I've even been known to hitch-hike in Israel! In Mexico this summer, my sister and I went para sailing! There's something about being somewhere new and exciting that ignites a fire within me to try new things.

That all being said, I've tried to incorporate more activity into my vacations. In New Hampshire this past Fall, we went apple picking and I walked a little farther up the hill than I normally would've. When my BFF came out to CA for Thanksgiving, instead of sitting in a coffee shop and gabbing, we got our joe-to-go and strolled the streets. I'm leaving on Thursday for a long weekend in the South and am already planning on taking a couple runs and trying to stay active. You have to plan ahead and be deliberate (and by 'you', I really mean 'me'). That's step 1.

Step 2. Food. I've really tried to only eat foods that I've never had before, are specific to the locale or are the most-amazing-at-this-place kind of thing. For example, my friends in New Hampshire make amazing home-made Mac N Cheese. I rarely cook Mac N Cheese and even more rarely see them, so it was mandatory to eat their one-of-a-kind Mac N Cheese. I also feel obligated to try food that the place is known for; cheesecake in NY (even though I don't even like cheesecake!), deep-dish pizza in Chicago, cheese steaks in Philly, falafel in Israel, beer in Germany....you get the idea. I'm not going to waste my time on pizza in Mexico or Israel, but bring on the deconstructed enchilada casserole in Mexico! I suppose part of this logic is that I know I will only get the Hall's Mac N Cheese when I'm in NH, so I look forward to sharing that with them. When you connect a food/drink to an event or place, there are special memories that you create and isn't that part of what holiday celebrations are about? Elizabeth has a certain home-made snack mix only on New Years. She enjoys it that one day and looks forward to it and that, makes it special.

Step 3. Have a plan. I have to plan ahead. Don't get too hungry, take a few extra steps, make me-time, make the most of moderation. I suppose my trip this weekend may include some good 'ol Southern faire and I know beer is on it's way, but I'm also anticipating running. Must run. Or at least walk. :) Either way, I'll have a good time, be in good company and will get my butt in gear.