The Catalyst. . .

Any person who has ever had a successful weight loss journey has a story that started it all.  That moment when they woke up, broke down, wept. . .

I've spent my entire adult life 20-60lbs overweight.  I was a thin teenager and a sickly thin child.  Then I turned 20 and it was all down hill from there.  Perhaps it was the undiagnosed Celiac disease or the PCOS or a metabolism shift.  I tried a couple weight loss plans here and there. . . nothing ever stuck.  I was definitely a social eater and a lover of all things carbs. 

Then, one winter day in 2010 when my world was crumbling around me, I stood on the scale and realized I had reached a weight I swore I'd never see.  It was more than I weighed nine months pregnant with any of my children.  I had barely capped that weight, in fact on a different day or in different clothing, I may never have breached it. . . but the fact is, on that winter morning I did.  And it set things in motion.  I launched into a weight loss regime like I never had before. . . and the pounds came off.  I lost nearly 40 pounds in less than four months and I was thrilled!  I quit being careful and managed to maintain my weight loss for about nine months.  Then I remarried. . .

I've gained back all but 14 pounds.  Sigh.  I know why. . . we've been eating too many gluten free carbs.  Hubs and I enjoy date night dinners (including desserts) too often and I've been drinking snickers mocha's like a mad woman. 

I'm back up to a size 14, but I was almost back to a size 8.  I know that I can get there again.  I've lived in a bit of apathy about losing weight this year. . . the infertility treatments made it easy for me to ignore the weight gain.  But, I saw a photo of me squished down on a child size chair at my niece's birthday party and I was SHOCKED and DISGUSTED.  I wept.  Granted it was a very unflattering position to be in, all squished up. . . but still.  How did I get so flabby????

I never want to see another photo like that again.

I'm on day two of clean eating.  It's going well.  I've had a headache behind my eyes. . . and I'm sleepy. All this is to be expected whenever you launch into a new dietary regime.  I'm reading The Metabolism Miracle and have decided it's the way for me to go.  It's obvious I have metabolism B, so I'm hopeful this will work well for me.   I'll work my way toward the carb free first eight weeks after I finish up some of the healthy foods I purchased already (grapefruits, yogurt). 

The Metabolism Miracle allows unlimited neutral foods (meat, nuts, cheese, certain veggies, etc. . . ) for the first eight weeks (think Atkins).  After eight weeks, you move into phase two which adds carbs back in. . . eventually you move into phase three for maintenance.

I'm a firm believer in not excluding any food groups from a healthy diet. . . but, I can exclude carbs for two months.  I eat minimal grains anyway (gf oats, brown rice, some gf pasta).

I'll be baking more again with almond and coconut flours in order to find foods that satisfy my carb longings without getting the carb overload.  I'm thinking legal pancakes soon. . .

Where has Average Girl Been?

MIA. . .

Soooo much has happened over the last year and a half.  I remarried in December of 2010.  I started gaining weight because we eat out too much and I've gotten re-addicted to my sugar filled coffee shop coffees.

My guess is that I've regained most (if not all) of what I previously lost. . . and I know this is completely my fault for not sticking to what I know works.  We shall blame it on the new marriage... and the fertility drugs.  Oh, yeah... did I forget to mention that?  We've spent the last 15 months actively pursuing pregnancy with ZERO luck.  So, there is that.

Then there is the whole Celiac issue. . . I've been gluten free for a year now. . . and even though I can't grab a donut or a PBJ sandwich, I've continued to gain weight.  My thought was that maybe I entered starvation mode when I took an entire food group out.  Who knows, really. 

I keep saying I'm going to take the pounds back off. . . then Dutch Bros sneaks back in with a delicious sugary mocha. . . (and 400+calories/day!).  I tried Medifast. . . that lasted four days.  I was SICK.  It is obvious to me, with these low low calorie plans, I get too ill to continue.  I need enough calories of the right foods to sustain me.

So. . . I'm back on my 1200-1600 calorie plan starting with my first meal in the morning (it's almost bedtime now).  I will journal every morsel that goes in my mouth and I will only consume calorie free beverages (with the exception of fresh juice made at home, once a day).  I will avoid Dutch Bros like the plague.  I will not give in to my chocolate cravings (which have returned since I'm eating sugar again).   And the big clincher is. . . I will eat every 2-3 hours throughout the day.  These meals will be a combination of clean foods and a good combination of lean proteins, healthy fats, & complex carbs in addition to lots of fresh veggies (and fruits).

If I discover that this fertility cycle has failed (meaning the monthly visitor), then I will start back on Alli for two weeks (until ovulation) to help kick start things.  I find that I cannot take Alli for more than a couple weeks anyway or I get side effects even on the proper diet.

Guess I better update the weight loss clicker. . .  sigh. . . I loved watching it tick away.