Week in Conclusion
From the moment I left my counselor’s office on Tuesday and went to my car and threw away my chocolate (yes, I was eating chocolate on the way to my counselor…sigh…) things have gotten better and brighter.
I have discovered and accept that I am not alone. That I have the help I need in the form of friends, family and professionals. I am further from the precipice than I thought. This week I gained some confidence back and I am definitely on firmer ground.
I have eaten really, really well since Tuesday’s dinner. I have limited myself a bit – I am doing no dairy, wheat or, obviously, sugar. No prepackaged meals exist in my freezer that have over 6 grams of sugar per serving (Boy and try and find those! I had to go the organic section.) My fruit bowl is overflowing, literally, and contains three types of apples, oranges, two pears, bananas and a cantaloupe melon. My refrigerator has fresh chard, spinach, broccoli, carrots, potatoes, lettuce, tomatoes and onions. Grapes and strawberries are there along with eggs, chicken breast, 4% ground beef, turkey sausage and salmon fillets. I have a ton to eat!
And I’ve rediscovered fruit salad (Yummy, Yummy ala Wiggles). I love it! It’s so fresh! Tasty! Lewis absolutely loves it; he can’t get enough! I used to barely see him eat a banana – maybe once a week. Now he’s polishing off fruit salad at every meal; I made a big bowl last night for today’s leftovers and had to add to it at lunch because he ate so much of it for breakfast! Oh, and I’m meal tracking. My goal is to stay within 1200-1500 calories. So far it’s been in the low 1300’s, which is nice.
My workouts were good and solid with a few triumphs. My stomach muscles still ache a bit from the hot Yoga on Friday; in a good way. Tomorrow I meet my new trainer, Travis. I’m excited to see what he’ll bring to my life, and a little nervous too. I hope I like him.
It’s not like I haven’t had scary moments, of course. When someone mentioned the Motherlode cake from Claim Jumpers on Thursday, that gave me a jolt; my mouth literally started salivating. I wanted it, really bad. However I was sitting in the Healthy Cooking 101 class at the ProClub…so that just wasn’t going to happen! LOL I’ve thought about chocolate or going to a restaurant…but not really seriously.
It’s helped tremendously to have the Daily Plans. They’re not to-do lists, more like a reminder list. It helps set my intention for the day. I’ve changed them as the course of the day went on; if I felt like having broccoli instead of a salad, that was fine and I made the change. If ever I feel like I don’t know what to do though, there’s my Daily Plan to remind me. It helps keep me focused. I never got everything done on it, but that wasn’t the point, and that was okay. The important stuff got done.
Hugs to all,
Regan
posted by Regan @ 7:53 PM
2 Comments:
Hi Regan. I read your March and December blogs and was so moved that I shared them with Deb as well. We are both very impressed by your passion to make your life better for you and your wonderful family.
Deb and I have experienced some of what you are going through, and would like to stay in touch to share our successes and failures. Both of us need to lose weight and improve our fitness level. For the past three years, as partners in a committed relationship, we have worked together on our daily diet and exercise plans. We've lost weight, then gone off the wagon and put some of it back on. It is a life long struggle for both of us. We can encourage each other, but also be "partners in crime" and eat the wrong foods!
Since January 1 we have dieted and exercised using the same plan. We use a software program called DIETWIN to track the foods we eat, down to the calorie. We key-in the nutritionals for all the foods we buy or prepare at home. I find that the only way for me to avoid overeating is to track my intake. Doing it with Deb sure makes it easier than by myself!
We have free weights and a few pieces of exercise equipment at home and we use it 6-days a week. We alternate uppers and lowers with 3 days of cardio. My cardio is on a rowing machine, while Deb prefers the treadmill. We have heart-rate monitors so that we can stay in the zone during our workouts.
Over the past 12 weeks Deb has lost 21 pounds and I've lost 23 pounds. But more importantly, we're gaining muscle and eating right. Yet -- it never gets easier. My craving for the "wrong foods" is always around the next bend. Our diet allows us one day off each week. That permits us to eat the foods we crave and then get back to our good eating habits. I find it easier to stay on the diet (basically counting calories and keeping protein, fat and carbs in the proper proportions) when I know that one day a week I can "cheat" without cheating. Funny thing: at the end of the day-off, I never feel very good and promise myself that next week I'll eat better on my day-off. But so far I haven't done that. Yet I am succeeding at my diet and exercise goals! I weigh 214 pounds. When you and I worked together in 2001 I weighed around 265 pounds. I feel so much better now, and I don't have to take special meds to lower my cholesterol. I still want to lose another 30 to 35 pounds. Slowly, but surely. And so does Deb.
It helps us to do it together. We welcome you to join us "virtually." Or come and visit our friendly island near Anacortes and we can compare notes.
Hugs,
Dave Wolf and Deb Bear
Everything you need is inside of you. We are like that commercial for that great big company. We don't make who you are. We make who you are better :-) Let it out, Regan! You are a beautiful person. You enrich our lives....
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