Weigh In Wednesday!

Oh  how I wish I were at that number!!! Seriously, at the suggestion of one of my favorite bloggers, I am moving this to Wednesdays!

So, as of this morning I am down 32 pounds. I have been going up and down the same 2-3 pounds the past couple of weeks, and I am ok with that as it is all a part of this journey. I got back on the wagon full force on Monday, and am turning my focus to that all important 35!!! Wish me luck!!!

Carb cycling

Since beginning this journey six months ago, I have struggled with the concept of carbs. Aren't we taught that carbs give us energy? They have fewer calories. And think back to the food pyramid we learned in elementary school-

grains were at the bottom in plentiful amounts. Even the new plate that has been designed by the USDA has a substantial portion devoted to carbs:

I have been doing a lot of reading and research on this. Think about it. The high carb, low fat diet guideline came about in the 80's. If we are all following it, why aren't we stick thin??? Why such the obesity epidemic? What about those of us with insulin resistance?

Don't get me wrong, I am not saying we should throw out all carbs because not all sources are bad ones. I am saying though, that we need to investigate the KINDS of carbs we are eating as well as the source. I have pretty much ditched bread. I just tend to think that wheat has become overly processed and isn't really all that healthy.

As of this week, I have decided to try carb cycling. It is a concept where on cardio days, you eat low to no carb forcing your body to use it's fat stores for energy, and then on strength building days, you eat moderate or high carbs to feed your muscles. It is a pretty fascinating topic. As I learn more, I will share. So far this week, it is going well. I am on a steady slide down (what happened to not weighing daily? Hello, my name is Therese and I am addicted to my fitbit scale).

What are your thoughts on carbs? I'd love you to join in on the discussion.

Fitness Recap

Well, last week was an OK week for fitness. We only did 7.33 miles total, but we challenged ourselves a couple of times (more hilly terrain, picking up the pace, etc). We had an awesome start to the week, and then both DH and I kind of petered out.

I have a couple of issues going on. I believe they are arthritis related. We have a strong family history on my mom's side, and I believe that I am starting to feel the effects of it. My general doctor suspected as much as few years back, but kind of waved it off because I am young, and because of my weight. I do better when I move more, and no doubt the weight I have lost helps, but I am having pain in more than just my hip now. I have tingling in my neck and pain in my hands and shoulders. So, I am going to the chiropractor later today.

Praying for relief when I go today. If you could spare a prayer for me, I would appreciate it.

Friday Weigh In

 

(Yes, this is the scale I own. No that is not my weight! :D)

So in creating my plan, I decided that Friday's will be my weigh-in update. And no, I am not posting the number (I may eventually, but I am not ready to go there yet!). Yesterday, was the 6 month anniversary of this journey of mine. On the 26th, I celebrate another anniversary. Six months ago on January 26, I ordered my supplements for the first time. Little did I know how much this would impact my life. In six months, I have lost 33 31 pounds (darn hormones!). I couldn't be happier with the choices I am making.

So, onto the weigh update. Yes, it looks like I am up a bit, at least since 2 days ago. When I compare last Friday to this Friday, however, which are my "official" weigh days, I am actually down .6 pounds. I have to say that I am doing this slowly which is OK. The pounds didn't come on in a day, and they won't come off in a day. I am making healthful choices to last me a lifetime.

My goal for this week, is not to weigh until next Friday. I don't know if I can do it, but I know full well what the ups and downs of weighing can do. So for the next week, I am going to focus on my eating plan, my exercise and taking my supplements. Anyone wonder why Friday is my weigh day? I prefer to weigh BEFORE the weekend particularly if I have any activities coming up.

So, when do you weigh?

Growing, growing, growing!!!

Thank you to those of you who have popped by for a visit! I hope you will stay a while. I have also set up a facebook page, so please like me there for other updates, tips and promos.


You can find it here.  When my facebook page gets to 100 likes, it will be time for a giveaway!

Fitness Recap

I have decided that on Mondays, I will be doing an exercise recap of the week before. Exercise is such a critical part of this lifestyle, and I need to give it the respect it deserves. I am a walker, and that part of the journey actually began in 2011. At that time, I used to think that perhaps I would be a runner someday. The reality is (at least for now) that I have no desire to run. I have some arthritis and I need to be kind to my joints.

Walking has proven to be a great outlet, and this summer, DH and I have really worked on getting out 4-5 times a week. In the beginning, I walked a 17-18 minute mile. I am now down to a 15-16 minute mile. DH is good a pushing me to go faster. Last night, we did 3 1/2 miles, and it was awesome! Total miles for last week: 11.49.

We are also trying to incorporate some core work into our routine. We began something called the Dirty 30, although right now we are only doing 10 reps of each: walking lunges, knee high step ups, door squats and weighted bends. Last night, we decided that we need to do these separate from the walk because the muscle exhaustion we get from it slows down our walk, as well as shortens it. We have also added crunches. I am hoping to begin building these into more of a regular routine.

My goals for the week are as follows:
1. Walk 5 times this week for a minimum 2 miles
2. Build strengthening exercises into my day first thing in the morning
3. Reach 10,000 steps on my fitbit 4 days this week.

What are your fitness goals this week?

NSV Sunday

OK-it is Sunday, and on Sundays I am going to take time to focus on the NSV's I discovered during the week. I think this is an important part of this journey as sometimes it can be more telling than the number on the scale.

This week, I noticed:
1. The ability to walk farther than I have before. Tonight, DH and I did 3.5 miles. We also walked a 15.35 minute mile which shaved about 2 minutes off of our time recently!

2. DH has commented on a couple of things. He notices that he can more fully wrap his arms around me (YAY!) and he is noticing definition in my derriere (LOL!). Love that!

3. My clothing is really hanging on me. I suppose that is to be expected-especially when I wear a size 22 and I am really in a 16. I ordered a couple of skirts this week for an upcoming trip to Baltimore for work. Kind of excited to see my co-workers since I have not been in the same room with them since September.

Want to join me? Comment in this post or write about it on your blog and leave the link in the comments section of the post.

A Plan!

Wow! This has been quite the week. I can hardly believe it is actually July and half the year has gone. Where did it go??? The kids have been home almost a month, and while I am not ready by any means for summer to be over, I always feel like we are in a downward slide after the Fourth.

This month has started with me feeling inspired. My team that I work with in terms of the supplements I take is absolutely amazing! In the final hours of June, we really encouraged each other to finish strong both personally and professionally. It left me feeling absolutely loved, encouraged and, again, inspired!

So, Monday started a new month. Last week, I joined in a group on an 8 day challenge. I lost 3-4 pounds which was awesome! We finished on Thursday, and rolled into a very busy weekend. I made healthy choices all around, but as can happen when I am in a position to have to eat out or attend something where I can't choose the food, I took in too much sodium and did not drink enough water. Result? I was up those 3-4 pounds. Monday I was discouraged but determined. I followed plan and drank a ton of water (not my strong suit!), and was down 2 of those pounds today. I kind of expect the rest to be gone tomorrow. It is the natural ups and downs of weight loss, and I need to expect that.

So, the plan? I feel like I have been winging it for a while. I follow plan because I know it works, but I also get very confused sometimes as to choices. I also feel like I need to put more energy into the business side of the supplements. I know they work, and I totally believe in them and that is why I share them, but to date, I have been reticent to make a plan. My mentor has encouraged me to make a plan as has my accountability group.

I spent some time on Monday etching out my plan. Stay tuned...