I'm back!

Its official!  My stinkin' plantar fasciitis is on the mend!  Yes it's true.  The saga of my aching feet is nearing its end!  After 2 months of therapy I can say that I am finally having pain free days!

The true test?  Can I exercise on it?

Yes!

A fun session of zumba - where I was the most mindful of "form" ever  - does that even exist in Zumba (???)  and I dreaded what the morning would bring.

But hooray for me!  Soreness - but no pain!!!!

I am BACK!

Yes, if you're thinking about now that you should warn me about not going overboard right out of the gates, then you DO know me!

I am desperate for an intense workout. 
Because I LOVE how I feel afterward.
But I WILL start from the beginning again. 
Slow and steady wins the race.

I admit I really let the whole situation get the best of me. 
I was not kind to myself.
So time to 'fess up, so I can move on!

• I confess - there are days I have consumed obscene amounts of calories.  Myfitness pal, I know it doesn't seem like we're friends right now.  But we will be besties again.
• I confess - that I have not been doing exercise, not even the kind I can.  Strength work is not my fav.  Sad I know. You'll be glad to know I followed my Zumba experiment with a strength circuit. Yes!
• I confess - I have consumed more than my share of Halloween candy.  Those mini chocolate bars just don't seem like they should count! Warning co workers - its all coming your way.
• I confess - I realized last night that I ordered a full 5 buckets of cookie dough.  5!! That is one BUCKET for each household member.  Darn school fundraisers!  Cute kiddies - stop knocking on my door! Oh..and guess what everyone is getting for Chriiiistmas this year? ;) heh heh heh

SOMEONE SAVE ME FROM MYSELF!

Ahh.  That's good.  Now that I've confessed I can get back to  being good to myself.  No more cursing my feet even though they betrayed me. No feeling sorry for myself!

Injuries happen! 
It's not the END. 
It's just part of the journey.
I'm half way there.
I've come so far!

Source: fit.triggercrazy.com via Becky on Pinterest

Focusing on #1 and #3.  I want it.  Time to step forward.

As for #2 - sometimes we have to ask ourselves - aren't you worth it? 
The answer is always no until you do.

So.

How are you doing?

Forks or Tortilla Chips

My Forks over Knives Cookbook arrived on my Kindle a few days before the labor day holiday. As we traveled about I was able to peruse it while the kids snoozed in the van.

Ah, the simply joys. 

If you haven't already seen the documentary, I suggest you do!  The entire theme is simplicity!

As we have transitioned between summer and the school year, that is certainly all that has been on my mind.  Our world can get hectic, busy and overwhelming in a flash.  That usually leads to tired and stressed out kids and parents, and inevitably bad food choices in our haste.

As with every new school year, I'm determined to keep our schedules simple, and our food too!

Plus it's football season!!!!!  We are ALWAYS ready for some football in this town.  That in itself can present a whole new world of temptations and obstacles in Titletown, where the daily eats suddenly becomes all things meat, cheese, fried and beer - all in support of our Packers of course!!

So I was tickled to find a simple, healthy, game friendly food in my new cookbook featuring EDAMAME!  Just what I needed for my next Meatless Monday A-Z!
 

Don't you just love when everything false in place?

So first things first - what is Edamame? Here is what wiki said: Edamame is a green vegetable more commonly known as a soybean, harvested at the peak of ripening. 

Ahh...good simple.

 

 Some more simple ingredients. Excuse the fake lime.  It's handy in a pinch.

 

 

 Taken for a spin.

 

 

Then boiled edamame, cooked for 5 minutes get a whirl too.

 

Put it all together, and get your fork ready. 

 

Or some chips. 

 

I prefer tortilla chips as my eating utensil of choice.  Or tortillas...its a latin thing.

 

Because now you have Edamamemole! Edamamole? Edahuh? ....well you get it. A bowl full of yum is what we have!

 

Need a closer look?

 

One last end of summer deck party? Perfect.

Healthy tailgate potluck option?  Why yes thank you, this will do nicely.

 

This stuff is good.  It is as I-can't-stop-eating-this-stuff good as the full fat avocado version. 

 

The real test?  The hubster.  Would he like it?

 

Answer:  He loved it! Success!

 

This was the up and up version right out of the cookbook.  Shocking I know, from the master at straying from every recipe I've ever attempted!
_________________________________________________________________________________
  



  Not-So-Fat Guacamole

Makes 2 cups

1 c shelled edamame
1 c broccoli florets (yes, that's right. this is hard core green eating)
zest of 1 lime and juice of 2 limes (or 2 tbsp here)
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 small red onion, peeled and diced small
1/2 c finely chopped cilantro
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced (about 1 tsp)
Salt to taste
1 pinch of cayenne pepper, or to taste.

Boil edamame in medium saucepan, add water and boil 5 minutes.  Drain and rinse until cool.
Stream broccoli for about 8 minutes.  Drain and rinse until cooled.
Add edamame and broccoli to food processor and puree until smooth and creamy.  Add water if needed to achieve creamy texture.
Add pureed mixture to bowl and add remaining ingredients. 
Mix well,  chill until ready to serve.
_________________________________________________________________________________

Other options I have seen remove the broccoli and add 1/4 - 1/2 avocado if it just seems like too much of a shame not to include it.

For guiltier-free ....or guilt-freeER? ...snacking, I like you just the way you are edamamemole, edamole, ..uh...ed.

Forks over knives to heavy for you?  There's also a little documentary on the Engine 2 Kitchen Rescue which I actually got hubby to watch with me.  I think he was convinced, seeing as this big fire fighter, still seemed manly eating this green food.





But if you're ready for the full story, watch Forks over Knives. It could change the way you eat ...for the better.



Both are available on netflix!

So you tell me now. 

What healthy eats do you put out for the gang during football season?

Bootcamp ...why did it have to end?!

Every night this week, I have had the feeling that something is missing.  Ever have that?  There is some void and you can't quite put your finger on it?

Is it my keys? 
My purse? 
Did I forget to pay a bill?
My kids???!!

Thankfully, none of the above.

 

It's been a week since the completion of the 12 week Fitmixer Bootcamp. And I still can't believe it's over.

No daily workouts in my inbox each day?
No weekly video's?
No homework?!

It seemed so wrong, not to be doing 100 burpees while I watched the Olympics.  Shouldn't I be doing a Tabata routine about now?  What about those mountain climbers? I should just drop and do a few while I wait for the water to boil for this pasta... And I DID, every time, because it just seemed wrong not to.

What the../?!!!!

I guess if it takes 21 days to form a habit, then 12 weeks will change your lifestyle!

When I started this journey, I didn't really know what to expect.  There are "other" bootcamps out there that quite frankly scare the crap out of me.  This one was no exception. 

I worked harder than I have ever worked in my whole life.
I was SO sore, EVERY DAY!
I can't count the number of times that I felt pain in a spot and said, "oh, there's a MUSCLE, there?"
I often couldn't even breath. 
I often couldn't finish a set through, especially in the beginning, it must have taken me 3x's the estimated time to do them!

The results?

• By the end of it I doubled the number of plyometric lunges and push ups that I could do in a minute.  I was able to hold a wall sit for 2.5 minutes! When I started I was at 42 seconds (and that took herculean, not pretty at all, effort!).
• I lost 2 inches across the chest, and 3 inches in both my waist and hips!  And although I didn't take measurements of my legs or thighs, I think that was where I saw the most slimming and toning (thanks squat jumps!)  Sorry, not brave enough to post photos yet, but the differences are obvious! (you'll just have to take it from me :)
• I lost 10 lbs.
• But best of all?  YES, I was able to kick my OBESE BMI!

I feel so much stronger today than 12 weeks ago - not only physically, but mentally and emotionally too.  On this long road of mine, it was the perfect midway point boost that I needed to continue my journey.  I learned so many much needed lessons on fitness and diet, and received immeasurable emotional and mental support, and was able to deal with things that I didn't realize where hindering my progress!

In a nutshell, those fitmixer ladies are AMAZING.

So there it is, the end.  So awesome! Why did it have to end?!!!

But it can begin for you!

If you are interested in trying the bootcamp, the information is below.  And if you decide to sign up, tell them I sent you!

The next Boot Camp starts September 10, 2012! Here's what's included in your registration:

• $154.45 worth of fitmixer® product (at retail value):

• One (1) six-pound bag of chocolate or vanilla fitmixer® slim®
• One (1) six-pound bag of chocolate or vanilla fitmixer® protein®
• One (1) one-pound bottle of fruit punch fitmixer® amino®
• One (1) one-pound bottle of grape fitmixer® amino®
• One (1) fitmixer® Boot Camp shaker bottle
• A personalized nutrition plan created by our Registered Dietitian
• 40 daily workouts created by a certified group fitness trainer
• Eight (8) weekly webcasts lead by our Registered Dietitian and Fitness Expert
• Lessons on healthy eating, healthy living, physical fitness, and mental fitness that will last you a lifetime
• Support from fellow Boot Camp participants through fitmixer.com and the private fitmixer® Boot Camp Facebook Group
• Direct contact with our Registered Dietician, Fitness Expert, and fitmixer® staff
• Access to write blogs and leave comments on the fitmixer® website

The Nitty Gritty

So how do you do it?  That is always the question I get.  The answer rarely satisfies. 

No one wants to hear: there's no formula, just good old fashioned healthy eating and physical activity.  And honestly, what works for one person doesn't always work for another. 

But for what it's worth, here is my list.  What has worked for me.  I have tried other things before and even during.  And I find that the following is my "formula" if you will.  Most of is probably common sense for you.  For me, it took me a bit to put these things together until I had my epiphany:

• Have a Plan.  Take the time to set some guidelines.  Be specific. Are you cutting out processed foods? Are you going to eat "X" calories each day.  Are you eating 2 cups of vegetables every day? Having a basic plan helps stay on track when the unexpected occurs.
• Get Physical.   Be brave. Walk into that gym.  I was so afraid that I would stick out, the lone out of shape and overweight person in a room of extreme fitnessista's.   Truth? Not even close!  No one cared about me! And there were all shapes and sizes in those classes.  I have tried so many new things: Zumba, Cardio Kickboxing, Piloxing, Bootcamp and returned to a few favorites like Hiking and Cycling.  Variety has been key to keeping me on track.
• Get in the Know.  I keep health and fitness forefront.  The more you know the harder it is to go back to unhealthy living.  Blogs, books, documentaries, they've all helped me to learn that not all food is created equal.  In fact, some food can barely be called food!  I turned to labels, nutrition stats and ingredient lists and decided that I needed to know what was in my food before I blindly inhaled it.  Establishing some food morals helped me to get my priorities straight.
• LOVE your food.  I use to think despising food was the key to losing weight.  I LOVE food.  I love eating food.  But all the skinny chicks seem to snub food.  "I'm not hungry" was a phrase I rarely have said.  But now I've learned I can LOVE my food.  I just don't waste my time with food that I don't LOVE!  Food that gives me the most bang for my calories - tastes great, high in nutrients, fresh, pleasing to the eye and palate - THAT'S food worth loving!  If it's going to cross my lips it better reeeally be worth it.   Clean your plate? Not if it doesn't taste good. Listen to me:  It's OKAY to push away a plate of crappy food.  I KNOW what your momma said.  Do it anyway!
• EAT MORE!  I can't finish this post without a shout out to the book that catapulted my weight loss.  Eat to live!  After trying calorie counting, weight watchers, Atkins, cabbage soup diet - you name it -  I didn't have any real lasting success until I read this book.  Primarily a plant-based diet, with no calorie counting, good food, and consistent weight loss without feeling deprived.  Here's the secret:  When you eat nutrient dense food, you can eat MORE! And who doesn't want to do that AND lose weight?  Seriously! It literally changed my life. 

So that's it.  That's the practical part of my journey - the nitty gritty, the old how to.  No, not quick, not easy.  It's taken some real investment in time, effort and commitment.

But today? It's just my normal.

What new normals have you worked into your health/fitness journey?

50 little things

CONGRADULATIONS TO ME!

 

It's been a busy week, but I couldn't let it pass without a shout out to....ME! On Monday the scale was kind and told me that I had finally achieved a 50 LB weight loss!!!



My weight loss hasn't come easy. It has come by addressing the things that caused the weight loss - physical, mental, emotional and practical issues that have taken trial and error, learning and focusing and re-focusing.



As the old hymn says, I wouldn't give 'nothing for my journey. It has made my transformation thus far one that is permanent. It's definitely the lifestyle change versus diet that you hear and read so much about now.



I'll reflect on all of those areas in the days to come. My hope is that it helps that person who is contemplating their own journey and wondering if they can.

To you I say: YOU can.

But today, 50 little things that have changed since I first started my weight loss journey that aren't so much about the pounds, and give me plenty to celebrate this week.



1. My shadow! My silhouette has changed. I have a WAIST again! It's a whole new me. And I'm loving it.



2. I look in mirrors now! Which means I have been able to address other neglected things. Like, when did I get grey hair?? :) I had a talent. I could look at my face in a full length mirror and not see the rest of me, and I could also glance at a mirror without letting my brain see that I was seriously overweight.



3. I can cross my legs! At both the ankle and the knee!



4. I use to have insulin resistance marks on the sides of my neck (dark stains in the skin) GONE!



5. I can wrap a towel around me without the annoying/embarrassing gap I use to have when I tried.



6. Better? Hubby can wrap his arms around me and touch his elbows! He hasn't been able to do that since, oh ....maybe our honeymoon?



7. I don't feel embarrassed or guilty eating in public.



8. I take pictures again! There are whole years where you canNOT find a single picture of me in our family albums. So sad!



9. I use to be HOT all the time, even in a Wisconsin winter I could head out with flip flops and a sweater. A layer of insulation does that for you. Now? Not so much. For the first time I get cold in an air conditioned room in the summer! Wha?!



10. I go outside as much as possible. I use to spend WAY to much time indoors!



11. I'm more social. When I gained weight I avoided old friends out of embarrassment, and I wouldn't go to my hubby's work or kids school field trips. I felt like I would embarrass them. NOT any more!



12. Free hugs! I enjoy hugging people again. I use to avoid it because I didn't want any one to feel my fat rolls. Even from hubby!



13. I enjoy shopping again! I don't have to shop based on what will fit. Instead I get to pick clothes based on what I think is cute!



14. I can wear shoes with heels again! My feet actually shrunk too! Add 50 pounds to this 5'3" frame and my only choice was flats with good support. Yes, think orthopedic wear. No longer necessary!



15. My sciatica pain is gone! Too much weight on my short frame meant I blew out two discs, lost feeling in my right leg and foot, and was basically in constant pain. Not anymore! Its amazing how GREAT living pain free can be.



16. I eat breakfast. EVERY day. And enjoy it! AND feel good! Before losing weight. I skipped it. EVERY day. And every day I paid for it by getting over hungry and eating things that I just felt bad about afterward. Done!



17. I also eat YUMMY VEGGIES. EVERY day!! And I like them. 50 lbs ago - nope, no way, never. Only veggie I ever ate was corn - and it was loaded with butter and sometimes mayo - yes, mayo.



18. I can borrow friends clothes? There were times we would have an impromptu stay over with friends, and I always had to run out to buy clothes. I knew I didn't fit into anything they offered to lend to me. Even getting chilly at a bonfire meant I just stayed cold, I couldn't even borrow a sweater without stretching it out!



19. My frequent chest pain and indigestion is gone.



20. I weigh LESS than my hubby! That happened a while ago, but it just gets better and better now :0))



21. I drink water. I'm still not great at it. But it's pretty awful that I went weeks and weeks without consuming a single glass of water in the past. Talk about damages!



22. My hair and skin is in its best condition since high school.

23. I am setting new goals every day. Things I never would have contemplating carrying 50 extra pounds.



24. I wake up happy and excited about my days, instead of tired and dreading them.



25. I can feel a 2-3 lb change in my weight! Amazingly I would lose/gain 10 lbs and not even know it. I was SO out of touch with my own body!



26. I can buy cute workout clothes versus big baggy sweats!



27. I have developed food morals and a cleaner palate.



28. I inspire people! That is SO awesome!



29. Co-workers, friends and family ask my advice on food and fitness. Who AM I now? :)



30. I save SO much money eating at home, and enjoy it!



31. I use to be the family baker. Any potluck and I was known for some ooey gooey, SUPER SWEET, awesome dessert. I would get requests. Now? I am known for my awesome SALADS!



32. I can see the start of ab muscles! (thanks bootcamp!)



33. My legs have MUSCLES again!



34. I buy cute pajamas now! (bye bye gigantic flannel pj's - sniff sniff - this by the way has made hubby VERY happy)



35. My AIC is perfect (and am working to get OFF my meds!)



36. My cholesterol is down!



37. My hand and feet use to go numb randomly. Don't know why. Slimmer arms and legs seems to be the answer. No longer have numbness!



38. I CRAVE greens! Like I HAVE to have it EVERY day or I get crazy anxious. I will run out for a salad now like I use to run out for fast food 50 lbs ago.



39. My BMI is on a serious decline.



40. Chaffing. Done - that is all.



41. Internal plumbing - A-OK! That is all.



42. I use to wear frumpy skirts all the time. In my mind it hid a multitude of evils. Mainly my belly and thighs. Now I have some stylish shorts and capris in my closet. Jeans have yet to make it.



43. My treadmill is no longer a clothes hanger!



44. I am much more adventurous. We plan road trips around physical activities and not eating destinations.



45. I can carry my 4 year old son! Hubby always had to carry the kids once they were close to 1 year. I couldn't do it! Last week we went hiking and I carried my little guy on my back for the last half of our hike when he got tired!



46. I was always tired! I never ran around with my kids, played with them outside or did ANYTHING active with them. We are now on the GO all the time. I actually have to slow down for THEM now! My daughter actually asked me why we don't do crafts and baking at the table like we use to do ALL the time. Cause we are active now! We do family zumba, biking, hiking, swimming. LOVE being active with my kids.



47. There is a lot more room between me and the steering wheel of the car. I was always afraid of what would happen if my air bag ever went off because the steering wheel at one point was maybe an inch from my belly.



48. Chairs are no longer a source of anxiety, especially airline seats! I was sure I would break a chair or outgrow an airline seat one day and I hated it! NOT a problem anymore.



49. I don't need the BIG gown at the doctors office anymore!



50. I don't WALK THAT WAY anymore. You know it, the waddle, with the arms at an awkward unnatural dangle at the sides. I not only walk 'normal' again, I can RUN. Woot!!





Have you lost a lot of weight recently? What was your favorite milestone?

Traveling Fit

We have some catching up to do!

I have been UBER busy with the kids, and their summer activities. We have the girlies set up for a summer day camp which they are already loving. But that meant a change to ALL of our schedules, as well as a start up of their summer sports and activities. 

My kiddies are active ones! It's something I really purpose for them. I pretty much grew up in a closed up house (city kid), watched too many movies and played video games. I am probably the first of that generation of kids. Don't get me wrong, I definitely was somewhat active back then - tennis, bike-riding, walks by the lake - were all favorites but not truly an integral part of my lifestyle.  About the time I went to college, somewhere, SOMEthing went wrong for me to have gained SOOO much weight, right?

Fitmixer bootcamp - going strong.  I have to stay I am LOVING the workouts.  Okay, not so much when I am actually doing them - like the 3rd rep I am in despise mode - but afterwards - woohoo!  Feels so awesome.  Body has been continuously sore for the past 5 weeks.  LOVE that hurt! To date the LBS are down 6.8!  Its great, but honestly I was hoping for a full 10 at this point and I only have myself to blame.

cauliflower crust pizza. a not so guilty pleasure a la janetha

I am having food issues.  I always do. Period.  But especially when working out consistently.  I just get HUNGRY, or too busy (i.e. lazy?) to keep up with my food planning and logging.  And summer has always been a KILLER for my weight loss.  On the go, lots of cook outs and get togethers, and inconsistent eating schedules are all obstacles for this girl.

On the upside?  Sooo many people commenting about how good I look, so I know that even if the poundage isn't moving, my body IS CHANGING!  Working out the other day I noticed that my legs are looking slimmer, just in time for shorts and skirts season!  Best compliment? My chiropractor mentioned it at my last visit! I see him about once a month and his words when he walked in the room were:  "Now YOU have lost weight! What are you doing?" 

Winning!

Big on my list this week?  Florida Vacation!

I've been excited and nervous about this since starting the bootcamp.  It was on my list of reasons why I shouldn't try to do the bootcamp this summer.  Vacations are hard, but when you have family at the destination that likes to show their love by feeding you and cook EXTREMELY awesome, puerto rican, WILL make you chubby food that you just CAN'T pass up, AND you will be going to theme parks with crazy awful, yummy, so tempting JUNK food.  Ugh- it's a land mine.

And how do we start this trip?  On the ROAD of course!  Looong Wisconsin to Florida drive.  Gas stations, fast food - and you know all about fatigue eating!  

BUT. HOWEVER. NEVERTHELESS. AT ANY RATE.  IN SPITE OF ALL THAT.

Here is what I plan to do to stay on track:

1.  Pack a cooler.My plan is to have healthy fruits, veggies, yogurts, granola on hand for some healthy snacking.
2.  Pack workout clothes!  This is a first for me! I have NEVER planned to workout on a trip. I have never WANTED to!  On days we are not walking endlessly at amusement parks I plan to do my bootcamp workouts. I am so glad that I don't need any equipment to keep up with this one.  I will have my kindle fire along to quickly log in for the daily workouts, and will take along some of the note cards where I would sum up past workouts - just in case. Prepared!
3.  Plan for indulgences.  I know the day we see my family I WILL eat some not so great, but oh so yummy things.  I plan on eating ONE meal of such items, making the best choices I can and eating that one or two things that I can't resist as my treats.  At the parks, I plan on having one treat per park, and sticking to my food plan the rest of the day which would mean that I COULD stay in my calorie range. ( i think I can, I think I can...)
4.  Drink lots of water!  If I can stay hydrated I will avoid food temptations and help my body clear out any of those indulgences.
5.  Rest!  I will strive to get a good night's sleep every night, and take time to actually RELAX by the pool!
6.  Be kind to myself!  I will not compare myself to bikini clad women.  I will not focus on the weight I need to lose, but what I have lost.  I will forgive myself if I do not adhere to any of the above, and just try to be better the next meal and the next day.
7.  Focus on doing stuff!  Sometimes vacations can just be an excuse to overindulge.  My life has changed! I am a different person, and this vacation is going to be a reflection of the active and healthy person I have become.  I am looking forward to being on the move with my active family!

So what do you all do to stay fit and healthy on your vacations?

Eat Well. Eat Clean. Eat to Live

Dr. Oz  featured Dr. Fuhrman's Eat to Live program this week, which coincidentally is how I lost 45 lbs all on my own!  I really can't speak enough about it.  It is essentially changed the way I eat (key: lifestyle, not diet) and I think it saved my life as it sent me down the road of recovery at a critical time.

Shortly after joining spark people, a member introduced me to the book. I was amazed at the results she was having.  After reading the book, I was convinced that I had to try it.

So want the basics? Here they are:


NUTRITION

Basically the book centers around the idea of eating foods that are high in nutrients.  I was watching a documentary where Dr. Gerson of the Gerson Institute, said that obesity is simply the result of hunger.  I thought that was an obvious statement, but she went on to explain that our bodies are not being fed the proper nutrients, due to eating diets of highly processed foods with little to no nutrients left in them, so our bodies flag us that we need more nutrients by feeling hunger.  Feed it nutrients, and the cravings stop.

So true.  I was obese, and malnutrioned! I didn't know that was possible. Yet, when I got sick a few years back, that is exactly why I was sick - I had lost all core nutrients and minerals in my body.  The doctors gave me intense supplements.  I'm talking liquid iron (awful stuff!) and large doses of other pills.  I understand now, they were trying to save my life. Your body literally SHUTS DOWN when you don't have these stores, and I was in bad shape.  But they didn't once talk about nutrition to me!  Everything I learned about restoring and helping my body heal itself came from one person sharing their experience with ETL.  Thank you!!!!!

NO COUNTING CALORIES

There is no requirement to count calories or monitor portion size.  If you eat high nutrient, low calorie foods, its difficult to eat high calories.  Trust me it's true!  I, being an accountant, would track my calories.  I would eat LARGE portions of food, track them, and find that I would barely skim 1200 calories. Awesome! My concern? Getting ENOUGH calories!  I was so use to the feeling of deprivation on diets that at first I couldn't believe I could eat this way and still lose weight.  So I would try to limit my portions, and I would track my calories.  I found out it was true! I had to eat HUGE amounts of these foods to exceed my recommended calories. 

SALAD IS THE MAIN DISH

So do you have to eat salad every day?  Well yes. But that's not all. 

• Raw vegetables - unlimited
• Cooked vegetables  (your goal is to eat 1 pound of raw and 1 pound of cooked veggies daily)
• Beans, bean sprouts and tofu – 1 cup daily at least and more if desired
• Fruits – at least 4 servings daily
• Starchy vegetables/whole grains are limited to one cup daily.
• Raw nuts – 1 oz max per day
• Avocado – 2 oz max per day
• Ground flaxseed – 1 tablespoon per day

OFF-LIMITS:

• dairy products
• animal products
• between meal snacks
• fruit juice, dried fruits
• salt, sugar

What does the typical day look like?  Think simple:
Breakfast - Fruit/Grain (fruit bowl/smoothies/oatmeal)
Lunch - Salad/Fruit (unlimited variations)
Dinner - Vegetables/Beans (stir fry's, chili, curries)

Now mind you, this is the 6 week plan for weight loss.  You can restart the 6 week program until you reach a healthy weight.  After that you follow a 90/10 or 80/20 plan - whatever works best for you, meaning for the majority of the time you eat this way and 10-20% of the time you eat off limit items as you wish.  You don't HAVE to follow any plan after the 6 weeks and have reached your goal, but most people on ETL do end up eating this way long term.

Actually, as I was hearing and reading about this all over, and went back to my sparkpeople page I realize how I've wandered away from the 6 week plans.  I am NOT done with my weight loss journey and I need to refocus.

Know what else though?  After the work of learning to cook with these high nutrient foods and changing up my pantry, it is very easy. And even though I haven't done the 6 week program in a while, I do follow about an 80/20 plan - and I have been able to maintain my weight loss for longer than I have ever been able to in my whole adult life.

And best of all?  I feel great. I use to put on and drop 10 pounds without even feeling it. But I am now in tune with my body for the first time. I can read when my body is signaling for nutrients ( I crave salads!), when I need more calories (beans/fruits/seeds) and I feel AWFUL when I eat too much of the items in the "rarely" category. 

If you're struggling with diets and programs, tracking and health consequences - I would suggest you try it out!

If you're interested, every few months the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine sponsors a 21 day vegan kickstart where they provide information and recipes to get you started.  It doesn't mean you have to become vegan or vegetarian.  But it will help you learn how to cook with those foods from the 90% category so that you can get started and have success.





Good luck! And if you have any questions about any of this or my experience on the plan, please feel free to ask in the comments or email me!

Transparency Tuesday: Frustrations!

Weight loss journeys are littered with frustrations.  As I challenge myself, and raise expectations, it gets even more difficult, especially when old habits die hard.

What are my recent frustrations?

1.  Doesn't this look delish?  

It SO was.  I'm also positive it blew my calories for the day out of the water.  But at that point I was too afraid to look. 

It's what happens when we try a new restaurant and I "think" I'm making better choices.  It's a portabello mushroom sandwich with hummus, according to the menu.  Unfortunately I either missed, or they didn't specify that the mushrooms would be breaded and fried.

Did I mention it was REALLY good?

2.  That leads me to my second frustration.

Oh it's a lovely score from my first whole foods trip.  It's not terrible by itself, although I bit high in calories.  Unfortunately, it is not the best choice for me as it has also been accompanied by some hearty bread.  Calories are not created equal, especially when you're insulin resistant.  (Reminder to self: Stop it, you are working too hard in this boot camp to sabotage yourself)

3.  High carbs mean I am not getting in my bootcamp ratio of 50% carbs/30%protein/20%fat.  Which means virtually no movement on the scale in week 2.  Bummer.

4.  I have to admit, I get frustrated at least once in each days set of exercises.  There are some things I cannot do, especially where upper body strength is required.  I've always known I am weak in that area.  But these workouts are making me face that weakness and it can be FRUSTRATING.  Case in point? Friday's Bootcamp army crawls   WARNING: Word to the naive: Don't do this on carpet.  OUCH! That is all.

5.  Over sized workout gear.  Have you ever tried to do Burpees in capris that now fit more like high water pants in a waist size two notches too big?   I wouldn't wish it on anyone.  But if it happens to you, this song might start playing in your head as you add the "pull your pants up" and "adjust your giant shirt that is wrapping around your body" moves to the repertoire.



Well, it will now ;)

#5 has been a long time coming.  It is a welcome reward of losing weight.  I really put it off because I know I have a way to go, and don't want to invest in clothes that I'm going to shrink out of.

This weekend I headed out to the outlet stores to try on (gasp!) some new work out gear.  The gasp is because I usually just grabbed whatever item was the largest and cheapest on the clearance rack.  You know, the stuff you think is covering your lady, and not so lady like, lumps and bumps?Whatever.  It wasn't going to look good, and I knew it wouldn't fall off. 

But do you know they make workout wear for each specific type of movement you could do?  Wow! Plethora of options.  It was actually fun - and very educational.

I found a motivational shirt and some shorts, and am going to cross my fingers for the rest, because both Running with Sass and Runs for Cookies have entered the Under Armour What's Beautiful Challenge to win $500 in new gear and I get a sweepstakes entry in exchange for telling you about it in this blog post!  You can check out the Under Armour What’s Beautiful site, and even sign up yourself.

Meanwhile, I'll just wear this shirt I picked up this weekend to remind myself that I can overcome these frustrations if I tell myself to:

You can't touch this!

I did it!  Completed the first week of the fitmixer bootcamp. It's been great. 

My "I'm GOING to finish this WORKout" face

Challenging? Yes.
Time-consuming? Yes.
Worth it?  YES!

On Friday I headed over to my favorite after work zumba class at the Y.  It's usually a fun way to dis-engage from work preoccupations and usually a good buffer for what is usually fun FOOD night in our house.  This week I thought it would be a fun way to end a week that has been brutal to my muscles. 

When I arrived, I saw a note on the door:

ZUMBA PARTY

2 hours of zumba

4 instructors!!!!

Sweet!  I've always wanted to try to make it to one of these. Now, I knew my muscles were sore.  But as we did some of those moves, especially the ab moves, WOW, it was like my stomach and sides were on FIRE.  Zumba FUEGO!  Squat moves, arm work - about an hour into it - every inch of me felt like lead. 

I was EXHAUSTED by the time it was done.  I could not have zumba'd a moment longer.  What an end to an intense week!  It was still AMAZINGLY fun as always.  Those zumba instructors are plain awesome and so energetic. 

At one point they did a zumba routine to Hammer time.  Too funny!  And we actually "broke it down."  This is were the room was split.  You could see all of us more experienced ladies working the move and getting a big kick out of it. 

The younger girls, were bewildered, fumbling, but still very genuinely amused with all of us who knew the move (or who thought we knew the move.)  If you are too young to have any idea what I'm talking about, here he is: MC Hammer, for your viewing pleasure:

In other news, I celebrated a birthday!!  Yes.  I started the boot camp the week of my birthday, Getting older is DEFINITELY a great motivator to get healthier. 

So is birthday cake.

If you're wondering, I DID have a slice, and it did NOT fit in my calorie plan.  The end. 

Besides said cake and frosting, the hubs bought me a Kindle Fire (yay for my guy!). 

I am loving it!  I  don't have to wait in line with him and the kids now just to get a turn on the computer and log my food on myfitnesspal, watch the boot camp video, check my email, or read your blogs, not to mention how it will save space on books.  My extensive library currently needs more room than any of the children

Anyone else have a kindle? 

What features do you like the most?  

Any must have apps I need to download?

Hope you're all enjoying your Saturday!

Protein Puzzle

There is a lot to figure out the past few days for the fitmixer bootcamp.   It's been a challenge. Like putting together a puzzle.  I like puzzles. Good thing, cause I might have given up already. 

Let's talk meal plan.  So here are the goals I was given by the registered dietitian:

Calories: 1200-1300

Carbohydrates:  150 grams

Protein:  90 grams

Fat: 27 grams

Calories are no surprise for me.  It's consistent with every other plan and weight loss tool I've used.  Carbs are in line too.  Protein on the other hand is much higher than what I have been eating.  I've been in the range of 45-60g eating a plant based diet.  So I've had to work at getting to that mark. 

I decided to plan my meals as usual, then see what I need to add to ramp up the protein.  My go to meal is a veggie bowl.  This particular one was:

1/2c brown rice

1/2c broccoli

1/2c chickpea salsa

Usually I would stop there, but that only got me to 11 grams of protein.  Goal for dinner is 20 grams.  What to add?  I would have loved to add more chickpeas, but alas I had to keep it to 350 cal's too.  Since the chickpea salsa had a Mediterranean flare, I took a peek at the protein in some fat free feta cheese crumbles: 8 grams in 1/4c and only 40 cals in a serving.  CHEESE! Perfect!  Cheese completely makes a meal seem indulgent.  And here is what I ended up with:

I could have completely loaded up on more broccoli to get the additional 8 grams I had with the cheese.  Usually in trying to get volume in my meals I would have.  But 6 meals a day in this plan has been working well at keeping cravings at bay.  It feels like I'm constantly having to jump up to grab the next round of food.

People always ask me if I get enough protein.  And the answer has been yes.  And with awesome products like fitmixer protein drinks, I can ramp up on protein when I am working out bootcamp style.

There is plenty of protein in vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, with soy and legumes coming in as the heavy hitters in protein for vegetarians.  Soybeans weigh in at 29g of protein - completely keeping up with 3.5oz of chicken breast which has 30g, and lentils come in at 18g per serving, most legumes come up in the teens.

Check out sparkpeople.com which has a great article for more plant based protein sources.

And speaking about those workouts.  Wow!  New terms on day 2 and 3:  Isometrics and Tabata.  It is a test in patience, and an investment of time for me!  Not only am I learning what these are, I have to take time to watch the videos a few times and practice the motions as these are totally new to me and I have to really watch and work on form.

Nevertheless, I know it's only the first week, so I am taking the time to do it, and am DEFINITELY getting good workouts.  I know because I am becoming AWARE of muscles in my body that I didn't know EXISTED before this week.

AND I am soooo tired! 

Anyone else a newbie at all of this?  How are you doing Week 1?

Boot Camp!

I am so excited! After lots of deliberation, I worked up the courage to sign up for the fitmixer.com boot camp. Seriously, I had oldlazyme and newhealthyme on each shoulder arguing it out.

Here were oldlazyme's points:

• Summertime means cookout and day trip time! So many yummy, social opportunities to eat!
• I'm going on vacation in June and will be stopping off to see family who are INFAMOUS for awesome cooking.
• Schedules are all over the place in summer - can you really stick to it?
• What if you can't do the workouts? I mean, this looks hardcore.
• What's the rush to finish losing weight? Take your tiiiiiiiime.

Here is newhealthyme's rebuttal:

• Ummmm...DUH! Thank you for pointing out exactly why we need to do this!
• Summertime is full of food traps and over-indulgence opportunities.
• You are going on vacation! We need to look GOOD!
• You DO NOT do well without accountability.
• You probably CAN'T do the workouts. Wouldn't it be awesome to finally say YOU CAN at the end of it?
• It IS TIME to finish losing the weight. What are you WAITING for??!!

May 14th it begins. I'm nervously excited. Lets do it!!!!