139

Four to go! I appreciate the positive words and support from all of you! Love you!

Inches off!

I compared my current measurements with a fitness assessment from a couple years ago done at the gym. I've lost over 20 inches! 3"from my waist and 4" from hy hips to mention two biggies! Still working on the last 3 or maybe 7 pounds. Hope everyone has a good weekend!

Getting there....

I have gotten many compliments this week and that feels good! Three more pounds to reach my goal of 140 pounds. I am thinking about 135 and it is a reasonable weight for me....

Fantastic!

Great job Mom! You look fantastic.

I'm also drinking Responsibly Slim. I really like it. I had a shake for dinner tonight.

Patience is a virtue...

Almost the second I whined I started losing weight again. Maybe that is the key? Anyway, I was 145 today! I have lost 20 pounds! I am now using Sisson's recommended Responsibly Slim for breakfast. It blends well and tastes fine. Tonight is our school auction and I am hoping it is fun!

Analysis Anyone?

I got onto Fitday and entered exactly what I ate today except for 1/4 of an avocado because I could not get anything but a whole avocado. I think you can reasonably add a few calories, fat, carb grams and protein because I could not figure out how to do the avocado, or some blue cheese in my store bought salad today.
926 Calories ( probably more like 1,100)
Fat grams- 42.6
Carb grams- 70.9
protein grams - 69.2

I do know that I am going to ditch drinking Ensure in the morning--it alone had 40 grams of my carbs for the day! I will switch to Sisson's mix when it arrives and probably use some of your dad's protein powder for a morning drink until then.

I do not understand Sisson's formula for figuring out how much protein I should be eating daily.
My carb grams are in the weight loss range so I want to know why I am not losing 1-2 pounds per week!

Plateau II

This has been a tough two weeks. I've lost one only one pound. I have not cheated and I have been exercising. Just talked to Kate and I ordered Mark's drink mix and I am going to make it my breakfast and try it for dinner a time or two to change things up a bit. I also talked to Matt and I have made sure that I am moving everyday and I have been adding reps at the gym when I can.

I have been here before and eventually I will move in the right direction. I read through some of Mark's articles on losing weight, foods to eat etc. Much of it is too technical for me. So I am hoping that eating meat, vegetables, fruit, good oils, nuts in amounts that make sense will continue to work.

Fasting is not for me so that is not an option. Again, I don't understand what he has to say about fasting...doesn't make sense to me.

I'm open to suggestions!

Update

How's everyone doing?

I've been doing pretty well with my primal eating. However, every now and again I get a craving. Last night I ate 4 pieces of pizza. Afterward I had a stomach ache and slept horribly. Not worth it. My body is rejecting junk and I need to remember that before I eat it. Otherwise, I've been about 97% primal in the last two weeks. I'm hovering around 150 lbs., which is 2 pounds down from my weigh-in at the doctor's office last week.

I think my calorie consumption is too high to lose any significant weight. I'm planning to get on FitDay.com this weekend and input what I am eating so I can get a better sense of where I can improve. I probably don't eat enough protein and consume far too many calories in nuts.

Ciao!

Motivation

I found some motivation this weekend ... in a dressing room while trying on swimsuits. I think it's easy to be in denial of the way you look when you constantly cover yourself up with clothes (especially in the winter time). Swimsuits don't permit denial and I'm getting back on track.

I'm eating my primal salad right now. I put a few carrots in today and they are delicious.

Keep up the good work everyone!

149!

Interesting article in the Wall Street Journal, Thursday, March 4, titled, "Genes Point to Best Diets." Study shows that some women benefit from Low- fat plan, others from Low-Carb. Makes sense to me because of all of the different diet/eating plans out there and how some work for some people and not for others.

Hey, Matt can you e-mail Diane and have her become part of our blog. I have gotten her started on Primal eating this week and I want her to be part of the blog.

Return to Routine

Back on track after vacation. I should reach the 140's next week-- actually the high 140's. Soon to reach 140! I have lost almost 15 pounds! I am still determined to get there. The good thing is that I have gotten into a routine and I don't mind the routine.

Aloha!

I am happy to share that I did a good job on my eating plan while in Honolulu! I would give myself a 90% score. Of course I had several Mai Tai's during the week and then I switched to red wine. Breakfast was the most difficult meal for me and that is where I cheated twice. One time we were at a really popular breakfast spot (long wait, rave revues) so I decided to try their french toast--it was delicious and I did not eat all of it. Another breakfast I ate an English muffin with bacon. That day I felt hungry soon after we ate, it might have been the several cups of regular coffee that also made me feel hungry. I enjoyed dinner every night and was easily able to stay away from the bad carbs. When we ate something at lunch time it was also easy to stay away from carbs. Someone needs to make up a breakfast salad that sounds good in the morning(sans eggs). Matt??

Hawaii

Thank you Kate and Matt for all of your encouragement! It definitely helps. I love you guys! Have a good week!

Tortoise like

I was able to resist all kinds of temptation this week---Valentine's candy everywhere. What helped me to resist at the class party yesterday was that there were enough adults standing around and somehow we got to talking about healthy eating habits. It felt good to be able to share my weight loss and several others were working on healthy eating as well. It also helped that one parent knew of Primal Blueprint. Also, I don't like pineapple on pizza! I am close to 152 pounds so I lost another pound this week. My plan for next week while on vacation is to stay on the plan, walk, walk, walk and enjoy several Mai Tais while I am in Hawaii.
People are starting to notice and that is also an incentive for me as well. My short term goal is to weigh in the 140's when Diane arrives on March 4th. I can't remember the last time I weighed in the 140's. Probably when I was in my 40's! I am finding that if I think ahead and do some pre-planning on what I am going to eat helps. It also helps that your dad is on the plan with me too.

It's all about stress and emotion management...

I have really struggled the last few weeks with cutting out flour and sugar - namely cookies, candy, ice cream, pizza, etc. It's been frustrating, upsetting, daunting, etc. I always wonder how I got through law school, but I don't have the willpower to stop eating junk? Probably because I soothed my law school stress with junk.

Despite the setbacks, I realize that I have gained a lot of perspective and insight since January 1. For me, eating and exercising right consistently is directly and primarily linked to stress and emotion management. I am focused, thoughtful, deliberate, and smart with my food choices and exercise when my life is in balance and calm. As soon as I get busy, stressed, anxious, upset, tired, overwhelmed, or anything remotely off balance then I start to make poor choices. I eat a cookie and then that cookie turns into 5 because my body starts craving sugar.

I realize that I spend a ton of time reading and researching how to eat and exercise right, but I don't spend enough time focusing on my mental and emotional well being. I could know everything there is to know about being "primal", but it makes no difference if I'm letting my stress get the best of me.

So, what do I do? I plan to finish reading a book about emotional eating I bought last year. It is a great book and is filled with exercises to help overcome emotional eating. I've also created a list of ways to "self soothe" without food when I'm feeling stressed. Maybe I shouldn't have chosen such a stressful profession? However, some stress is inevitable in any profession and better I learn to deal with it then try to run away and hide. As much as I try to keep my life in balance there will be days when a ball drops - I don't get enough sleep or work is busy etc. I can't avoid these times, but I want to better deal with them without food.

Do you have any suggestions for ways I can stop turning to food (especially bad, sugary carbs) to make myself feel better?

Slope!

I am now heading in the right direction. Lost 2 this week (one of them has been lost twice now)!
I added a work out at the gym and kept on track with my eating. Ensure for breakfast, taco salad every day, nuts for snack, salad for dinner or bbq flat iron, some veggies or cottage cheese and apple sauce, glass of wine, iced tea, water. I tried to get off diet drinks but instead switched to diet 7 up--tastes refreshing. For Super Bowl Sunday we are going to BBQ Hawaiian chicken, green salad (ala grandma), my secret dip with carrots and so far that is it. Any suggestions?
Have a great weekend everyone! Love you!

Plateau

I was hoping that the weight loss would continue but it stopped this week. I did not eat anything different nor did I cheat. I am going to cut out diet pepsi and make sure I do some kind of exercise everyday. It is definitely frustrating.....

http://www.direct-ms.org/pdf/EvolutionPaleolithic/Cereal%20Sword.pdf

Rock Chalk

Rock Chalk Blowout Mizzou!

Taco seasoning...

Anyone ever looked at the ingredients of taco seasoning? Gross. 9/10 ingrediants are not "real food" and the 10th ingredient is sugar.

I made lean ground beef last night and created my own taco seasoning. It came out really good. I used lots of pepper, ground red peper, ground cayenne pepper, and paprika. I also used a bit of salt. Just keep adding until it tastes good.

I mixed my ground beef with homemade guacamole and some salsa. It was delicious. I could have also added lettuce and tomato to make a taco salad, but I kept it simple.

I ate pretty well this week...until yesterday. I give myself a "B" for the week. I suspect school is going to be much busier this week, so I am going to have to be more disciplined. Trip to Iowa City was good! However, I'm amazed how some people in remote midwest towns stay sane.

Mizzou v KU on Monday. I'm nervous.

TGIF 3
Another good week of staying on the eating plan. Did not cheat once. Total loss about 8 pounds since Jan. 2. Loss seemed slower this week so I read a bit in Sisson's book to see what he had to say. Looks like 1-2 pounds a week is good so I am not discouraged. Two workouts planned for this weekend.

Going hard this week

This is my week for high reps: 10X10 of a variety of lifts, with 10 seconds/or so rest between. One week out of every 3=high reps. Shopping a hardtail mountain bike, for those days when riding the road bike is either unsafe or uninteresting...having an unusual amount of pre-buyer's remorse, suggests sticking with weights/road bike and not adding more 'options'. Being able to partner with Karen on our diet has been good for both of us. Have two really great trips all planned out, and just waiting for confirmation from Steve (New Zealand) and Tour Director (Europe--August track meets) before I arrange air. New Zealand trip would be in March: fly to Raro (Rarotonga) for a week in a hotel on the beach run by New Zealanders, and then on 'return' to LAX, fly to Auckland/Queenstown to stay with Steve/Michelle/Eric for a week and come home. In August: fly to London on Aug 11, and then join a 16 day tour of London/Paris/Switzerland ending in Brussels with three Diamond League track meets. 45 people/all track nuts--tour is a Track and Field News tour they do every year.

TGIF Week 2

Stayed on the meal plan. I did not cheat once!
Got on IFit(thanks Kate) and am on target for weight loss according to Sisson.
-3# this week! Yeah! I am guessing a loss of 5# for two weeks.
Made it to several workouts this week. I am going to Power class on Saturday.
My mind is in the right place.

I'm really happy with how I am doing...Good training (just doing a bunch of random, fun stuff) and eating well. I need to slowly reduce the beer intake, though...

How is everyone else doing this week?

Ahh. Back in CoMo. It's cold, but my diet is finally back on track!

Mexican

Ryan and I went out for Mexican last night. I'm pretty proud of myself. I did good on my diet considering the options. I only had 6-8 tortilla chips with salsa. I ordered a chorizo with eggs dish and beans instead of rice. I also had some guacamole with it. No tortillas, no rice, no margarita, no soda. I know that next time I can skip the beans too because I didn't need that much food. The hardest part was resisting the tortilla chips. I think I could have ordered a burrito without the tortilla, but the scrambled egg and sausage was really tasty.

I think Mexican is not a bad dinner option. You can make ground beef or fajita chicken or steak and load up on lettuce, tomato, avocado, onion instead of the tortilla. Or, make a big taco salad.

TGIF

Raining cats and dogs today!
Five days of junk in the lunchroom, including candy, red licorice, giant p-nut butter cookies plus more and I did not try one!
I have signed up for a Saturday small group workout in the gym. Starts tomorrow.
Pass on any good and easy dinner ideas please!

Interesting observation

For breakfast this week I have been having my usual slim fast protein shake mix in 8 ounces skim milk and 1 kashi go-lean whole grain waffle with almond butter. I'm noticing that about 3 hours later around 9:30 - 10:30am my stomach is growling and it feels completely empty. For lunch I have been having a salad or leftover chicken and veggies from dinner. 3-4 hours after my lunch I am not hungry at all. I think I am burning through my breakfast carbs much faster than my lunch carbs and protein. Next week I'm planning to make my own protein shakes or eggs for breakfast. It will be interesting to see if I still get the midmorning hunger pains.

I'm failing. Over and over. But, considering my options of food while traveling, I am doing quite well! So, shame on me, good for me....

I am having some problems posting comments--when I do it asks me to make some kind of choice and I have idea what to choose.

My workout plan for this week is:
Active on Wednesday
Power on Thursday
Spin on Sunday

Kate- I might want to check out the cross-fit place you mentioned. I know I do not want to check into the cross-fit next door to Dana's. I would feel like a traitor!

Another good day--no grain products eaten.

Sticking with it

Hey everyone,

You may find it is easier to stick with the no flour, pasta, rice, bread etc. if you gradually decrease your intake. I've been eating a whole grain Kashi waffle in the morning (since I just bought them a week ago and don't want to throw them away), but I'm not eating any other bread product carb. I think next week when I stop eating my waffles it will be an easier transition rather than going cold turkey.

Just a suggestion.

Kate's Workouts for Week of 1/4/2010

Monday: Easy neighborhood run with Scout, 3-4 mi.
Tuesday: 1 hr. Hot Yoga class
Wednesday: 10/10 Tempo run - 45 min. total
Thursday: Easy neighborhood run with Kate Carte, 3-4 mi.
Friday: Walk with Scout and core on stability ball
Saturday: 10 mile trail race
Sunday: Walk with Scout, rest

I'm still sore from last weekend and don't want to push a lot of weights this week due to my race on Saturday. Next week I'm hoping to do 1-2 cross fit type workouts.

Good meal plan Mom!

Mom, your food plan looks good! If you want to "drink" your breakfast you might want to try ordering Mark Sisson's meal replacement shake mix. It's kind of expensive, but might be worth a try. Click on "store" on his blog. You can find it there.

I've got some "off limits" items still in my pantry. I'm planning to cut these things out in the next week ... baby steps:
1. Cascade Ice low calorie drinks
2. Kashi Go Lean waffles
3. Hummus (I think beans are out)
4. Think Thin protein bars - only for after long runs

Also, Crossfit Northwest has a free intro class on Saturdays at 11am. It's off of Northup near Loews. I'm not going this weekend or next, but maybe Saturday Jan. 23.

Food plan for the next 5 days-
salad with chicken for lunch
ice tea and an apple

dinner- chicken or buffalo(?) burger from Trader Joes with avocado

Not sure what to do about breakfast---probably cottage cheese and applesauce.
snacks- almonds or apple sauce and cottage cheese.

I will not touch any food up for grabs in the staff room.
Saturday- after Kate's race-- we will go out somewhere where we can stay on the plan!

Bellevue Gym

Mom-This is a gym worth checking out!

http://www.crossfitbellevue.com/

Sunday workout w/Mom and Kate

10 Squat jumping Jacks
15 Push-Ups
15 Dips
10 Lunges (with weight)
20 One-arm curls--10 each arm
300m run


Max rotations in 30 minutes.

SATURDAY 100102

"Barbara"

Five rounds, each for time of:
20 Pull-ups
30 Push-ups
40 Sit-ups
50 Squats

Rest precisely three minutes between each round.

Did quality grocery shopping with Mom--Primal Blueprint style.

MS

Happy New Year--2010!

January 2--how many days until summer vacation?