I could have been much healthier.
I could have had smaller clothes.
I could have been sleeping better.
I could have been the success story.
But I'm not.
I let myself slip and fall and I did not get back up for close to a year. I could make promises and say I won't let that happen again, but why make myself feel bad and put a ton of pressure on myself?
The fact is I did not stick with it, and as a result I gained back the weight and feel just as miserable as I did before I started this a year ago.
Starting Thursday I am starting anew. I'm making myself accountable to my family, friends, and co-workers.
My goal is simple. Avoid eating grains and sugar, bad oils, agents of disease as Dr. Kurt G Harris says. Move. Sleep. That's it.
I will weigh myself Thursday morning and take measurements and pictures of myself. I will
take a picture of myself every week in the same spot and same outfit and keep a journal of how I feel and what I eat. I will take photos of all the food I make and post them to this blog. I will not beat myself up and weigh myself every day, in fact, I will not weigh myself again until the end of March 2012.
I honestly have never felt as good as I did when I was eating primal/paleo. I don't know why I thought bread was worth the cheating.
Anyway, I am excited to start again. This time I have armed myself with lots of paleo/primal books, cookbooks, and blogs for ideas, motivaton, and inspiration. I can do this. ANYONE can do this.
Let's give it a go!
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Benefits
When I started with eating paleo/primal my main goal for doing so was weight loss. After all, isn't that why most of us change our eating habits? Most of us do something different to lose that weight that creeps on you like a cat on your bed at night. Silent, but heavy and unwilling to get off you. I knew I had to change what I was doing because I was never heavier and more miserable in my life. So I stumbled upon paleo/primal and found myself reaping the other benefits I wasn't aware of.
These are the benefits I have experienced so far.
About a year ago and a half ago I started experiencing pain in my upper back and what felt like heaviness in my chest as if someone was sitting on me. My brain quickly went to heart attack. I was panicky and took myself to the ER. I was diagnosed with panic attacks and anxiety. Uh, fun. I felt lucky that I didn't have a heart attack, but I knew that I wasn't too far away from experiencing one if I stayed fat. It was only a matter of time.
So with all of these benefits I began thinking. I sure as hell want to be thinner and live longer, but is living longer any good if your quality of life isn't great? I read something that said, "Add life to your years, not just years to your life." That made total sense to me. What good is it to live til your 80s and 90s if you have chronic degenerative diseases, and no energy to do anything? Julia Child and her husband lived to be in their 90s. Now they were by no means paleo/primal, but they did literally suck the marrow out of life. And animal bones. They weren't afraid to eat saturated animal fats, butter, cream, cheese and meat. They had the good fortune to live in a country that appreciated good,whole foods and not the crap that our own country shills out. They ate well and got some exercise and took joy in life and friends and family. Putting it simply, they LIVED. And paleo/primal or not that is the key of doing anything worthwhile, LIVING WELL. I want to live well. Since eating paleo/primal I have been living better. Weight loss is now my side effect to living well. It has made all the difference.
These are the benefits I have experienced so far.
- Energy
- Better sleep
- Clear headedness
- Clear skin
- Satiety
- Very little hunger
- Loss of puffiness/bloating
About a year ago and a half ago I started experiencing pain in my upper back and what felt like heaviness in my chest as if someone was sitting on me. My brain quickly went to heart attack. I was panicky and took myself to the ER. I was diagnosed with panic attacks and anxiety. Uh, fun. I felt lucky that I didn't have a heart attack, but I knew that I wasn't too far away from experiencing one if I stayed fat. It was only a matter of time.
So with all of these benefits I began thinking. I sure as hell want to be thinner and live longer, but is living longer any good if your quality of life isn't great? I read something that said, "Add life to your years, not just years to your life." That made total sense to me. What good is it to live til your 80s and 90s if you have chronic degenerative diseases, and no energy to do anything? Julia Child and her husband lived to be in their 90s. Now they were by no means paleo/primal, but they did literally suck the marrow out of life. And animal bones. They weren't afraid to eat saturated animal fats, butter, cream, cheese and meat. They had the good fortune to live in a country that appreciated good,whole foods and not the crap that our own country shills out. They ate well and got some exercise and took joy in life and friends and family. Putting it simply, they LIVED. And paleo/primal or not that is the key of doing anything worthwhile, LIVING WELL. I want to live well. Since eating paleo/primal I have been living better. Weight loss is now my side effect to living well. It has made all the difference.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Down 24.5 lbs!
I lost 6.5 more lbs! Or 2.95 kilos! YES!!! That makes my total lost to date: 24.5 lbs or 11.14 kilos.
This is after 7 weeks of eating paleo/primal. An average of 3.5 lbs(1.59kilos) a week. I much prefer pounds. :-)
What I found absolutely amazing about all of this is that I am HARDLY EVER HUNGRY. For realz yo. That is something I never experienced on any other diet or way of eating. I don't even look at it as a diet anymore, but simply more of a lifestyle way of eating. I honestly don't like how I feel if I eat breads, grains, and sugars. They were killing me in more ways than one. I have not felt one ounce of deprivation and can easily pass up sugary snacks and everything else that comes my way. Color me happy!
This weight loss comes after a couple of weeks where I wasn't seeing the scale budge despite sticking to the diet.( I think it was stress) I just started a new job and I was wondering how everything would work out with preparing food for work, stress of a high volume call center, feeling self-concious about eating all this nommy food in front of unbelievers, and simply wondering if I could stick to it. Surprisingly, I had no troubles. I made some great food and stuck to it.
Here's a sample of my weekly menu:
Monday
Breakfast
Coffee with 5 tblspns of pure cream
water w/ vitamins (magnesium, D, Multi, Cod Liver Oil)
Lunch
Ground Beef(mince) casserole( sour cream, cheese, zucchini, tomatoes) (Le Yummy!)
Water
Dinner
Ground Beef casserole again-it was that good.
iced tea( green tea w/ mango flavoring)
Tuesday
Breakfast
Coffee w/5 tblspns cream
Water w/Vitamins
2 pieces of bacon
Lunch
Egg salad with bacon and avocado wrapped in lettuce leaves.
iced tea
Dinner
Steak fried in bacon fat
Broccoli
Iced Tea
Wednesday
Breakfast
Coffee w 5 tblspns cream
Water w/ vitamins
Lunch
Egg salad with bacon and avocado in lettuce leaves
Water
Dinner
Chicken in cream sauce
Zucchini
Whipped cream with blueberries and vanilla(ZOMG!)
Thursday
Breakfast
3 pieces of bacon
2 eggs
water w/ vitamins
Lunch
Chicken and steak pieces with sour cream
Sugar Free lemonade( I know it's not paleo/primal, but it hit the spot)
Snack
Cheese stick
coffee with a bit of whole milk( long day of training)
Dinner
a few bites of chicken. (wasn't very hungry)
water
Friday
Breakfast
Coffee with 5 tblspns of cream
Water w/ vitamins
Lunch
Chicken with sour cream
Water
Dinner
T-Bone steak with a mushroom cream sauce( To die for)
Broccoli
S.F. Lemonade
I know a nutritionist trained in the food pyramid would throw a hissy fit and start head rolling if they saw this menu. But you know what they can't argue? The way I feel. How can extra energy, better sleep, clearer skin, weight loss, and a clearer head be a bad thing?? These are the best benefits! I wasn't getting ANY of that on a conventional diet. None. It's all been a big, fat lie. I know better now.
This is after 7 weeks of eating paleo/primal. An average of 3.5 lbs(1.59kilos) a week. I much prefer pounds. :-)
What I found absolutely amazing about all of this is that I am HARDLY EVER HUNGRY. For realz yo. That is something I never experienced on any other diet or way of eating. I don't even look at it as a diet anymore, but simply more of a lifestyle way of eating. I honestly don't like how I feel if I eat breads, grains, and sugars. They were killing me in more ways than one. I have not felt one ounce of deprivation and can easily pass up sugary snacks and everything else that comes my way. Color me happy!
This weight loss comes after a couple of weeks where I wasn't seeing the scale budge despite sticking to the diet.( I think it was stress) I just started a new job and I was wondering how everything would work out with preparing food for work, stress of a high volume call center, feeling self-concious about eating all this nommy food in front of unbelievers, and simply wondering if I could stick to it. Surprisingly, I had no troubles. I made some great food and stuck to it.
Here's a sample of my weekly menu:
Monday
Breakfast
Coffee with 5 tblspns of pure cream
water w/ vitamins (magnesium, D, Multi, Cod Liver Oil)
Lunch
Ground Beef(mince) casserole( sour cream, cheese, zucchini, tomatoes) (Le Yummy!)
Water
Dinner
Ground Beef casserole again-it was that good.
iced tea( green tea w/ mango flavoring)
Tuesday
Breakfast
Coffee w/5 tblspns cream
Water w/Vitamins
2 pieces of bacon
Lunch
Egg salad with bacon and avocado wrapped in lettuce leaves.
iced tea
Dinner
Steak fried in bacon fat
Broccoli
Iced Tea
Wednesday
Breakfast
Coffee w 5 tblspns cream
Water w/ vitamins
Lunch
Egg salad with bacon and avocado in lettuce leaves
Water
Dinner
Chicken in cream sauce
Zucchini
Whipped cream with blueberries and vanilla(ZOMG!)
Thursday
Breakfast
3 pieces of bacon
2 eggs
water w/ vitamins
Lunch
Chicken and steak pieces with sour cream
Sugar Free lemonade( I know it's not paleo/primal, but it hit the spot)
Snack
Cheese stick
coffee with a bit of whole milk( long day of training)
Dinner
a few bites of chicken. (wasn't very hungry)
water
Friday
Breakfast
Coffee with 5 tblspns of cream
Water w/ vitamins
Lunch
Chicken with sour cream
Water
Dinner
T-Bone steak with a mushroom cream sauce( To die for)
Broccoli
S.F. Lemonade
I know a nutritionist trained in the food pyramid would throw a hissy fit and start head rolling if they saw this menu. But you know what they can't argue? The way I feel. How can extra energy, better sleep, clearer skin, weight loss, and a clearer head be a bad thing?? These are the best benefits! I wasn't getting ANY of that on a conventional diet. None. It's all been a big, fat lie. I know better now.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
When I Lose Weight...
Before I started eating primal/paleo I decided to commit to making a list of things I have always wanted to happen when I lost weight. I always made mental lists with whatever diet du jour I was doing, but I figured writing them down would be better since I could look at each one and make conscious decisions that would make those goals achievable.
When I lose weight I will...
1. Be healthy
2. be able to keep up with my son.
3. be able to fit on planes without worrying about taking up too much space.
4. not get judging glares in restaurants.
5. not be out of breath from small exertions.
6. feel sexy.
7. look good naked.
8. feel beautiful.
9. join a local theater group.
10. look fantastic at my 20 yr. high school reunion in 2012.
11. not have to use a CPAP anymore for sleeping.
12. have more energy.
13. have better skin.
14. alleviate the majority of carpal tunnel pain.
15. lose biggest symptoms of PCOS.
16. walk into a room with confidence.
17. not be hampered by my weight when making decisions about what I do in life.
18. will not hesitate to try new things that being overweight would have stopped me from doing.
19. become an inspiration to my family and friends, and a source of support should they need it.
20. I will never let myself get that unhealthy again. Ever. This is not a diet. This is a way of life.
When I lose weight I will...
1. Be healthy
2. be able to keep up with my son.
3. be able to fit on planes without worrying about taking up too much space.
4. not get judging glares in restaurants.
5. not be out of breath from small exertions.
6. feel sexy.
7. look good naked.
8. feel beautiful.
9. join a local theater group.
10. look fantastic at my 20 yr. high school reunion in 2012.
11. not have to use a CPAP anymore for sleeping.
12. have more energy.
13. have better skin.
14. alleviate the majority of carpal tunnel pain.
15. lose biggest symptoms of PCOS.
16. walk into a room with confidence.
17. not be hampered by my weight when making decisions about what I do in life.
18. will not hesitate to try new things that being overweight would have stopped me from doing.
19. become an inspiration to my family and friends, and a source of support should they need it.
20. I will never let myself get that unhealthy again. Ever. This is not a diet. This is a way of life.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Meat and Greet
July 31, 2010 -I woke up with back pain, numbness in my arm and hand, and when I stepped out of bed the pain in my heel was sharp and unrelenting. If it wasn't for the sleep apnea machine I used I would have been in a far worse mood from lack of sleep. As it was, I was tired anyway. Tired of being fat, and tired of hurting. Sleep shouldn't hurt. It hurt. I decided then and there that I couldn't do it anymore and something had to be done. That morning I went out and bought The Atkins New Diet Revolution and began to read.
I've been overweight almost my whole life. My chubby childhood, albeit with a brief skinny period between age 11-12, transitioned into a chubby adulthood, and then a just plain fat one. I have yo-yo'd so much I should have a string tied around my waist. I have been on almost every popular diet. Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Slim-Fast, Beverly Hills Diet, Lose 10lbs in 5 days diet, Soup diet, Lean Cuisine diet, Fat-free diet, South Beach, and many more. All of them swore to make me thinner and healthier. I would have a little success and then I only ended up fatter and beat myself up over my lack of willpower. I was always hungry. That never went away. Doctors told me I needed to lose weight. Just eat less. Don't eat after 7pm. Get more exercise. Eat lots of fruit. Eat high fiber. Done, Done, Done, Done, and DONE. I wasn't even back to square one anymore; I was at negative one.
The day after I started reading Atkins I started eating low-carb. I have never been more determined in my life. After 2 weeks of Induction I lost 9 lbs. *Happy dance* The third week I stalled. I hear that's normal. I had a problem though. I wasn't budging despite eating as told. Sure I had more energy and less cravings, but where was the lost poundage man?!? I started researching ways to get over the hump, and ran across a post on a low-carbers forum that mentioned Paleo eating. Como say huh? Eating primal? Before the age of agriculture? Seriously? I was intrigued. I don't know about anyone else, but having knowledge at my fingertips and information a few short clicks away, I get giddy and carried away. I spent the rest of the day looking it all up, and then the rest of the week as well. The blog that made it all click for me was the PaNu Blog. written by Dr. Kurt Harris M.D. I decided to try it and immediately felt better, had ZERO hunger, and the lbs started melting. Hallelujah!!!!!!!!!! As of today I am down 18 lbs and still losing.
This diet is controversial. This diet may not be everyone's cup of tea. This diet may even incite anger and ridiculous rants over ruining our health. I don't believe that. I want to give this a thorough try, and make my own judgments. Just what if everything we have been told about diet and health is wrong. Just what if eating "healthy" breads and grains, and staying away from fats was actually putting us on a an endless rollercoaster of constant hunger and consumption that only led us to Diabetesville and Heart Disease City, and Obesity Point. I believe my body is proof positive that it is not only grossly wrong, but dangerously misguiding. I ask only that people ask themselves questions and open themselves up to possibilities. I don't expect everyone to understand, but I would hope that people would be respectful.
So this is my blog. I am making myself accountable to the blogosphere. I encourage anyone reading this to check out my links and learn a little about this from others with far more experience than myself.
Meat for the WIN!
I've been overweight almost my whole life. My chubby childhood, albeit with a brief skinny period between age 11-12, transitioned into a chubby adulthood, and then a just plain fat one. I have yo-yo'd so much I should have a string tied around my waist. I have been on almost every popular diet. Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Slim-Fast, Beverly Hills Diet, Lose 10lbs in 5 days diet, Soup diet, Lean Cuisine diet, Fat-free diet, South Beach, and many more. All of them swore to make me thinner and healthier. I would have a little success and then I only ended up fatter and beat myself up over my lack of willpower. I was always hungry. That never went away. Doctors told me I needed to lose weight. Just eat less. Don't eat after 7pm. Get more exercise. Eat lots of fruit. Eat high fiber. Done, Done, Done, Done, and DONE. I wasn't even back to square one anymore; I was at negative one.
The day after I started reading Atkins I started eating low-carb. I have never been more determined in my life. After 2 weeks of Induction I lost 9 lbs. *Happy dance* The third week I stalled. I hear that's normal. I had a problem though. I wasn't budging despite eating as told. Sure I had more energy and less cravings, but where was the lost poundage man?!? I started researching ways to get over the hump, and ran across a post on a low-carbers forum that mentioned Paleo eating. Como say huh? Eating primal? Before the age of agriculture? Seriously? I was intrigued. I don't know about anyone else, but having knowledge at my fingertips and information a few short clicks away, I get giddy and carried away. I spent the rest of the day looking it all up, and then the rest of the week as well. The blog that made it all click for me was the PaNu Blog. written by Dr. Kurt Harris M.D. I decided to try it and immediately felt better, had ZERO hunger, and the lbs started melting. Hallelujah!!!!!!!!!! As of today I am down 18 lbs and still losing.
This diet is controversial. This diet may not be everyone's cup of tea. This diet may even incite anger and ridiculous rants over ruining our health. I don't believe that. I want to give this a thorough try, and make my own judgments. Just what if everything we have been told about diet and health is wrong. Just what if eating "healthy" breads and grains, and staying away from fats was actually putting us on a an endless rollercoaster of constant hunger and consumption that only led us to Diabetesville and Heart Disease City, and Obesity Point. I believe my body is proof positive that it is not only grossly wrong, but dangerously misguiding. I ask only that people ask themselves questions and open themselves up to possibilities. I don't expect everyone to understand, but I would hope that people would be respectful.
So this is my blog. I am making myself accountable to the blogosphere. I encourage anyone reading this to check out my links and learn a little about this from others with far more experience than myself.
Meat for the WIN!
Coming Out
Mom, Dad. I've gone Primal. Please don't judge me. Just try to understand me. I know this is difficult to believe and you're struggling with my decision. You have so many questions, I know. What will the rest of the family think? What will my friends think? Will they be supportive or think I'm ruining my life? I just want you to know I didn't make this decision lightly. I know what I'm doing, and I'm happy to let people know. What's for dinner?
Hehe...Welcome to my blog! This is kind of what it feels like when I tell people how I eat as I get the disapproving stares and incredulous questions that follow.
The reason I started this blog was to journal my weight loss, my thoughts, and feelings, my struggles, and research about this way of eating. It's all so controversial, but I believe in what I'm doing. Good health never tasted so good.
Hehe...Welcome to my blog! This is kind of what it feels like when I tell people how I eat as I get the disapproving stares and incredulous questions that follow.
The reason I started this blog was to journal my weight loss, my thoughts, and feelings, my struggles, and research about this way of eating. It's all so controversial, but I believe in what I'm doing. Good health never tasted so good.
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