Easter and Weight. . .

I cheated over Easter weekend.  (Who didn't, right?).  That said, my weight stayed steady so I'm not beating myself up (besides, what would be the point?).

I had a sugar shop mocha, but had no problem avoiding them today.  I guess the habit really is broken.   I had two small pieces of candy from inside the kids plastic eggs and a serving of cooked chocolate pudding with whip cream (I know). 

And I was SICK.  My body made a quick adjustment to this almost no grains/low carb world and those sugar filled treats made me feel horrid.  I won't be doing that again!

I didn't eat enough veggies or drink enough water today. . . funny since I was so incredibly thirsty over the weekend (probably because of my cheat foods).

Sunday night, I took the kids to the play and pizza place where they have gluten free pizza.  The girls loved their special treat, I was nauseated with one slice (and the slices are probably 1/3 of a normal pizza slice!).  I consider this a major improvement!  I don't want to eat garbage food and I like that my body is telling me not to.

I definitely have more energy, but am getting a mid afternoon slump following any sugar.  Tomorrow I am going to try my morning coffee with pure cream and stevia (I'm still using some coffee mate).  I'm hoping that removing the last vestige of sugar and crap will perk me up.  I am getting up at 5am and going to Curves for a work out every weekday morning (and some Saturdays, although not at 5am).  I'm also wearing a pedometer and moving as much as possible throughout the day.  I need to start making sure I'm in bed by 9 (that's hard!).

I feel like my cortisol levels are already falling and I know this will help with the weight and with the infertility. 

On another note, after a rest cycle (month off), I started back on the fertility drugs today.  UGH.  This could make the cravings more difficult to deal with.

3 Days and 7 lbs

Today is my third day of HCG + VLCD and I am down exactly 7lbs.  Talk about FAST.

I feel like crap... week, shaky, tired, headaches... only one other person I know who has done this protocol has had the same experience.  Everyone else is all "whaaaaaat, I feel fine!".  Not so for me, I barely have the energy to climb the stairs in my house.

That said, my friend who experienced similar yucky feeling said it passed in about a week each time she did the protocol.  I'm praying I don't have to do a second round... I'm not sure I could handle this part again!

By dinner time yesterday I was feeling pretty okay.  Come this morning though, I was back to barely being able to drag myself out of bed.  The weight loss is encouraging me to push through... but man, I really wanted a bowl of Cheerios this morning. 

Today's 500 calorie plan:

Breakfast- 4 strawberries sliced and sprinkled with stevia, Melba Toast
Lunch- 1 egg + 2 egg whites (only a rare protein choice on HCG), cucumber w/ salt
PM Snack- sliced apple (if I'm feeling really crazy, I'll sprinkle it with stevia and cinnamon)
Dinner- 100g shrimp, cabbage, chicken broth, Melba Toast (The cabbage/chicken soup last night filled me up and I felt satisfied, so we will go with the same cooked with shrimp).

I could be shooting myself in the foot with the choice of eggs for protein at lunch. I haven't heard anyone who has had eggs, the protocol says they should be a rare choice if used due to the high fat content of the yolk.

7 Weeks

And 21lbs down...

Granted... I'm picking up speed again because there's a lot of junk going on in my life right now and I'm not eating much... which I know isn't good...

But 21lbs... YAY!

Cleansing... AGAIN!

I'm at 16.1 lbs down... which is good, no it's GREAT.  But, it's now coming off SLOW.  And I'm impatient, remember? (I know I should be happy with another 1.1 lbs gone in this past week... heck, if I lose a pound a week, that's 52 lbs/year, right... and that rocks. But I want faster results, especially since I am working my butt off, literally!).

I'm doing circuit training 4-5x's week (my goal is 6, but who knows when that's going to actually be a reality) and trying to get walking/swimming/etc... in at least 3 days a week as well.  The good news... I'm already seeing body changes with 2 weeks of regular work outs under my belt... increased muscle tone... ability to get through the circuit easier while maintaining a fat burning cardio rate.

I've changed my diet (low carb, high protein)... in an attempt to hit another spurt of rapid loss... it doesn't seem to be working.

So, I decided to do a heavy cleanse/fast today.  Yuck, I know.

I'm doing Isagenix Cleanse for Life (4oz 4x/day) and lots of water.  The only food I get is... organic apple slices and a few almonds.  Yes, I'm starving.  Someone mentioned that I'll be enjoying headaches today as well... that'll be awesome, especially since I have one very unhappy toddler here today.

The point to this is to detox my body... especially since I've only been off the soda for a couple months (I did a gentle 14 day cleanse already) and I had some cheating going on last week. 

In other news, I spent a good part of yesterday verifying my Naturopathic coverage on our health insurance and booking my annual exam with our ND friend (who rocks, BTW).  I'm excited about this for a couple of reasons...

* No MD means no mention of the dreaded hysterectomy that I've been assured is in  my future
* No MD means not having to fight off (again) prescriptions for Metformin and HRT for PCOS
* No MD means natural thyroid and hormone therapy if needed instead of drugs to mask the problems

Here's an interesting thought... I've been 20-65ish pounds overweight for my entire adult life (since the flare of PCOS and subsequent hormone/fertility treatments).  Not one of my doctors has every addressed my weight as a health concern, because to them, I'm healthy... as in, my cholesterol, BP, sugars, etc... are all just fine.  The only times my weight has been discussed at all was during pregnancy because I was losing weight (also the only time in life my thyroid was over active). 

Even though my docs can say I'm healthy... blah blah blah... I know that I'm on the fast track to diabetes.  How do I know this (and my doctors should as well)?  My family history... EVERY.SINGLE.ADULT.WOMAN on my Mom's side has developed diabetes between late 30's-40's... and most of the men as well.  My father also has diabetes.  I also have PCOS which has been linked to insulin resistance.  I had a 9lb 7oz newborn (in a pregnancy where my blood sugar was not checked).  And the list goes on.

Optimum Health? I think not.

Weigh Loss and PCOS

I was diagnosed with PCOS way back at the age of 19.  I finally had a doctor who said, "let's see what's going on" instead of "you're young, we won't worry yet".   Even though I was young, having cycles only a few times a year wasn't normal.

As I ended my teen years and headed into early adulthood, I was planning to get married and knew that pregnancy wouldn't be easy for me.  By the time I was married at 20, we knew what was wrong and I was able to begin fertility treatments right after the wedding... a year later, I was pregnant.  I can't help but wonder how long it would have taken me to get pregnant if we hadn't been proactive...

Today, I would take a different route because I'm learning how to manage my PCOS naturally in order to find a healthy body balance.  I'm also 12 years older, which I think gives me a different perspective.  And since I've birthed three biological children and am the mother to a stepson as well, I'm no longer the young, desperate woman I was before children.  I've been reading blogs of women who are me, several years ago and so much wiser (maybe because of the blogosphere) than I was... that said, back then I didn't even own a home computer.

I knew going into this weight loss lifestyle, that it wouldn't be as easy for me as it is for some because of the PCOS.  But since I lost the first 14lbs quickly, I was hoping I'd been wrong.  Since the weight is just barely creeping off now it appears I wasn't incorrect.  *Bleh*.

What I'm learning about a healthy PCOS diet:

• Eat high protein to help regulate insulin in the body
• Remove added sugars, especially refined
• Replace white carbs with healthier whole grains
• Enjoy plenty of fruits and vegetables

I've already been doing these things for quite a while.  I honestly thought that giving up my soda habit (2-3 soda's a day, usually the 16oz bottles), would make a HUGE impact... I'm sure it will account for 20lbs or so over the course of this first year.  But, as we already know... I'M NOT PATIENT.  So, I'm praying for patience daily.

When I'm struck by a sweet tooth, I find that some fruit (especially strawberries with some whip sweetened with honey) works great!  If I do need to add sweetener to something, I'm using palm (coconut) sugar which has a GI of 35 or raw, local honey.

What I'm not doing... I slacked off on my food diary/journal.  I had this mentality that I had things down... but the weight isn't coming off so I must be missing something.

I am working out at least 4x's a week (30 minute circuit training).  My body feels it.

The good news...

We took the kids swimming yesterday, the suit I purchase for Spring Break (end of March this year) was FALLING OFF ME.

Four Weeks In...

Down 15.3lbs and 5 inches.



Doing my happy dance.


I'm looking into a training program tonight to kick things up a notch (or two!).

My Nourishing Breakfast

I'm finding that a good protein packed breakfast is better at carrying me through the day sans hunger and cravings.

My breakfasts of choice has been:

1 whole wheat english muffin + 2 tsp REAL pasture butter
1 egg from uncaged hens

or

1/2 cup oats
7 chopped almonds
local, raw, honey
2-3 TBS heavy cream

I'm convinced that the use of real, healthy fats (butter, whole milk, coconut oil, grassfed meat, free range eggs) is going a long way toward staving off my former cravings.

I still have to check in with my hunger frequently... asking myself, am I really hungry or is this emotional hunger?  Usually I can decide pretty quickly by paying attention to my body (belly growling? shaky?) and thinking about what's going on right now that might prompt me to want to eat (bored? sleepy? stressed?). 

Another thing I've found helpful is dish size... I use saucer size plates instead of the big dinner plates and the smaller cereal bowls (kids bowls, actually).  This way, my dishes are helping to control my portions.

I'm changing my whole relationship with food and eating.  I'm learning why I eat the way I do and how to make the change to a healthier eating lifestyle.

I am still enjoying one cup of my sweet flavored coffee each morning... I know those 160 calories/6grams of fat will serve me better in a more nourishing food but I haven't been able to let go, yet.  Starting tomorrow, I'm going down to half the sweet cream and I'll keep reducing it til I'm only enjoying coffee on rare occasions.

Three Weeks IN...

Yesterday marked exactly three weeks on this weight loss journey.

I'm down 11.4 lbs.

My official weigh in is Saturday morning... so we shall see what their scale says!  I'll be 3 weeks, 2 days in while the other ladies will be exactly 4 weeks in.  I still think I'll be winning. :)

I'm truly not craving sweets or soda.  I'm still amazed by this.  I'm also finding that I'm less hungry (at first I felt like I was starving).  I'm nearly 100% convinced that my thyroid is wacky... I've had symptoms for quite some time... weight gain + mega sleepiness are the biggest offenders.

Cheater, Cheater... Dieting in a Fast Food World

Okay, no yelling.  I'm quite aware that fast food goes against good nutrition and optimum health.  I know, really.  But it was one of THOSE days.  You know what I'm talking about.
Today started out with Mommy needing to be in two places at once, doesn't work, you know?  Kelsey(5) and Kenzie(8) had dance recital pictures are 9am... Kaylee(9) and Kenzie also had First Communion Retreat beginning at 9am.  Thankfully, the two locations were a block from one another.  So, I dropped Kaylee off at the church and buzzed over to the dance studio.  Problem was, I didn't even get breakfast!  I woke up two hours before we needed to leave the house... began getting kids up, set oats to cooking for breakfast and started on the whole hair in buns, costumes on, cleaning up the house, morning ordeal. 

My children WHERE NOT cooperating.  I don't know what the deal was this morning...

Long story short, we loaded up in the car, with not enough time to spare (I had to stop at the grocery for fruit and veggies to take for luncheon potluck before 9am drop offs!). 

Then I realized, dang it, no breakfast for Mommy. The girls ate and the rest of the oats were still sitting on the stove top.

Well, I lasted until 10am, photos were done, girls were changed and we had joined my older daughter at the church.  I couldn't take the hunger anymore!

So, I did what any American would do... I ran to MCDONALD's.

Breakfast consisted of 1 english muffin + egg (I paid $1.94 for a sausage mcmuffin w/ egg and left the sausage and cheese off, funny how a no egg muffin would have only been $1.00) ~240 calories/9grams fat.

Once the lunch potluck rolled around, I was busy running around setting up food and obtaining proper serving utensils and making sure my celiac girl had safe foods to eat... by the time I made it to the food line, it was pretty depleted.  I had a 1" section of turkey sandwich and some fresh fruit (out of season and not tasty) and a few veggies. 

4PM found us at the bowling alley for a Bday party (in between, we ran shopping for a gift, then home to clean the floors and start laundry).  I was STARVING.  So, we ran back to MCDONALD's (hey, that's all our town has).  This time I had a plain hamburger and a parfait~ 410 calories, 11grams fat.

After the bowling party, I ran back home to grab a few forgotten items.  Then I headed out to drop the girls off (30 minutes away) for a weekend visit. 

I finally arrived back home at 7:30 PM.  Hubs was ready to walk out the door, he needed to make keys and I needed some groceries. 

We finished grocery shopping at 9PM. Hubs was starving.  I was so-so.  We stopped at Burger King, because it was next door to the grocery store we were at, one town over.  I ordered a tendergrill chicken salad with light Italian dressing and water.  The salad was frozen.  I kid you not.  I received conflicting dietary information.  The salad container stated 160 calories and 4 grams fat.  The dressing stated 120 calories and 11 grams fat (in 2 ounces, I only used 1/4th).  The chicken didn't have nutrition info on the package.  Our tray paper showed my salad (with the light Italian dressing)+ apple fries + water for 400 calories.  The website stated just my salad had 300 calories and 10 grams of fat.  Since I used 1/4th of the dressing, I'll add 30 calories and 3 grams of fat for a total of 330 calories, 13 grams fat.

Daily total= 980calories / 33 grams fat.  So, even with my tiny snacks at church, I was WELL under my daily goal.  However, it's 11PM and my belly is growling because I didn't eat my normal 6 meals today.  I won't be snacking before bed though.

*Tomorrow I'm back to healthy foods
**I don't recommend eating as I have today... it's not healthy.