I Need a Cheerleader!

I am starting a new diet, one I am making up as I go along. The original diet I had in mind was Nutrisystem but I cannot afford it. Now I am simply being more mindful of what I eat and making healthier choices.

I started with a few days of a simple detox, a glass of 100% cranberry juice and a shot of apple cider vinegar...I am also taking vitamins that I believe are both for my physical and mental health. I learned tonight that I am using way too much ACV, so I figured that was just the test run and now I'll reduce how much I'm using when I use it.

Today was day one of my diet. For breakfast, I had a cliff bar, cheese and an apple for morning snack, a lean cuisine and a salad for lunch, yogurt for afternoon snack, and then a big salad, a heaping portion of raw broccoli, and a lean cuisine for dinner...followed with one hershey's kiss and a smallish bowl of ice cream for dessert.

So that's the plan...so far. I have to take baby steps to get into a routine. I'm used to skipping breakfast and even lunch and then gorging through several servings of dinner and then snacking all night. Plus alcohol, which I've now cut out as well. I am also cutting back on caffeine and switching to tea but not entirely cutting everything out yet. But so far I want my goal to be three meals plus three or four small portioned snacks throughout the day and more tea, no alcohol.

My first weigh-in was 203.6. My goal is to check in every Sunday. I know this may sound crazy but right now, for the next two weeks of the new diet, exercise is encouraged but not mandatory. I have a habit of overloading myself and then giving everything up when I become overwhelmed, so that is why I am starting slow...detox for a few days...wean off the caffeine and alcohol...try the diet for a few days...then exercise...and so on.

I could use a cheerleader or more! I could use the encouragement and a place to share my excitement and/or woes. Thank you!

Sounds good! I see my gp in 5 weeks for a weigh in, so i am trying to do something too. Last week i roasted mass quantities of zucchini and carrots (separately). My advice is, dont eat more than 1 cereal bowl of zucchini at once, even tho it seems like you can!

Thank you

Woot woot! You can do this! Excited to see your progress. I believe in you!

Thank you Sad Girl!

Today was a good day. I feel the super potent B-12 vitamins are helping my mood along with the healthy eating. I don't feel as bloated nor does my stomach feel like it's over-stretching.

Today was a big milestone for me...I went sans energy drink! I had two cups of coffee in the morning, an iced chai tea latte, and then a plain iced black tea with sweetener. It's still a lot, but I could drink all that and more on top of an energy drink or two. And I didn't feel like I had a "crash" or feel the need for more caffeine. Progress.

Today I had an oatmeal for breakfast, a cup of grapes and cheese for my morning snack, a lean cuisine for lunch (I forgot to bring a salad), a really yummy caramel apple pie flavored greek yogurt for my afternoon snack, a big salad with added broccoli, lean cuisine, and a heaping portion of raw broccoli for dinner, and finally for dessert I'm about to have five cookies.

I'm really excited about this new prepared snack I found at the grocery store: grapes, carrots, cheese, and pretzels...mmm!

Tomorrow I'm planning on going for a long walk from my cat's foster mom's house to the burned down house...I saw pictures today and there's nothing there, just dirt and a driveway.

I've walked 6.5 miles the past two days!!! WOOOOOOHOOOO!!!!!

3.5 miles today and 3 miles yesterday.

After my first weigh-in I gained exactly 4 pounds and my eyes boggled! I felt really crummy about myself because not only did I gain weight but it put me at the highest weight I've ever been. WTFH!?!?

So I whimpered about it to my Papa and he said, "Hm, let's take a look at what you're eating." So long story short, even though everything I ate was 100% healthy, I was eating more calories than I could burn off! But I did get compliments from Mamma about how my stomach was shrinking which is both true and what Papa said was "the first sign of weight loss". So I did some tweaking and now I've reduced my intake to 1500 calories AND now I am pushing to exercise as well. I'm no runner but I do love walking and hiking, so yesterday after work I headed over to the park and went on a 3 mile hike on a trail with some decent leg-burning hills, and then today I walked the track which is only a couple minutes walk from my house. How amazing is it that I have a track I can walk to!?

Oh, btw, I need running shoes because walking for an hour in a half in Vans is NOT cutting it! Ow! Ow! Ow! OW! My feet are very sore and blistery...but I do feel sooo good about what I am eating and that I am making an effort to at least get a good walk in.

Oh yeah definitely get you some good shoes. And see about joining the Golden Gate Race Walkers. I walked with them in 1980 and got pretty fit. Arent the summer olympics coming back to LA soon? In 84, ggrw folks got to volunteer at the olympics, like for the opening ceremonies parade. Par-tay!

Today was a triumphant one!

Last night after that vigorous walk that made me so tired and achy I limped my way to JC Penny's and put my faith into "trail runner" shoes that were only $32.58! "Trail runners" are running shoes I can go hiking in which is perfect for the park I go to! It's a definite motivator to keep on keeping on and OH I'm just SO excited about them! And they are sooooooo cute! Predominantly grey and orange. I was totally on a leap of faith with how blistery and sore my feet were, but today they were so comfy and fit and worked out great.

Soooo after that exhausting walk last night I thought oh the heck no there is no freaking way in any infinite universe would I EVER even THINK about doing any sort of exercising first thing in the morning. As in the Princess Bride...INCONCEIVABLE! But you know what, I woke up so full of energy that I had to force myself to down one cup of coffee before putting on my new trail runners and hittin' the track! I only had enough time for 45 minutes of exercise but I was able to get in 6 laps around the track and came home with a grand total of 2 miles. I worked two jobs today and in between shifts I managed another 1.2 miles in 25 minutes and I was HUFFING IT! My legs were burning but I felt great.

So 3.2 miles today and 9.7 miles the past 3 days!

While I was at my first job, I googled all the nutritional stuff I have been eating and came up with some ideas for meals I can eat as well and I am very pleased with what I am putting into my body and learned a few new things about the benefits of the vitamins and nutrients I am putting into my body. I'm learning a lot and it makes me feel really good about the good choices I am making.

Yay me!

Thats a 5k every day! Thats fantastic!

I read those articles about "12 of the best foods" and "8 of the highest nutrition" blah blah blah and i usually hit every one EXCEPT olive oil - i use grapeseed or walnut or avocado or sesame; chia seeds - i think theyre just gross! And eggs - my dr says whites only for me. But otherwise i eat berries, greek yogurt, oatmeal, greens, fish, nuts, fruit - then yeah i also eat off-stuff, but the majority is good stuff. It makes a difference.

Thank you Miss Una! I'm definitely sluggish today but I have the next two days free and I'm planning on getting a big workout in!

I recently read something that said to NOT plan your day off, but to take it when you are too tired. Thats what i try to follow. I dont want to not exercise if i do have the energy. Like i reeeeally dont need an excuse not to exercise! That seems to be working better for me.

I told my t today, "i seem to be building up more - uh, whats the opposite of inertia?" He goes, "momentum." Im like, its not a good sign that i couldnt think of the word!

Can you clarify a little more? I'm a bit confused by what you mean.

Guess who just walked--and jogged--FIVE MILES today!? The blue dots are the number of laps around the track I did (4.5mi) and the half mile is to and from the track. After seeing my hand Mamma gave me a counter that fits on my finger! She said she bought it years ago and never used it...and it still works! Yay! I am so happy with my progress but I definitely feel the burn!

My besties and I hit the trail at the local county park and walked 4 miles! We all felt great...sorta...K and I are regular hikers but the other two girls not so much...but we all did it and we all felt pretty good about ourselves!

So the grand total for this week for me is 21.2 miles!

LiteraryLark,
So glad you are walking! I have been walking an hour a day for the past 2 years. After you do this regularly for a while, you will start looking forward to it. You know how their are people who lose weight but then it comes back again? I think this is much less likely to happen when we are exercising regularly. My weight has gone up and down my entire life but it is much more stable when I am exercising regulary. And I am sure you know about many of the health benefits like even if you are overweight it makes you less likely to develop Type 2 Diabetes and it keeps your blood pressure down. I think walking can fuel your creativity because, on a very long walk, you can get yourself into a "meditative state" in which you sometimes remember important things, think of a solution to a problem, or if you are a writer, come up with more material. It will become more and more enjoyable if you do it regularly. So glad you are walking now!!!

Thank you Hoping Trying!

This is the end of week two and tomorrow the beginning of week three. To recap the past two weeks, week one I ate 100% healthy but more calories I could burn, no walking, gained four pounds.

This week I walked 21.2 miles, ate 100% healthy within the correct calories count, but I am overwhelmed and worried because I got careless on girl's night last night and ate about 1500 calories with dinner (garlic bread and pizza), drinks (a glass of a tbsp of grenadine and a shot of malibu with diet 7up is 105 calories) and snacks.

I feel that craziness completely ruined my progress and I feel so terrible about it. I know it's a big set-back, but I also know that no matter what the scales says I should be really proud of myself for what I have accomplished the past two weeks. What I ate and the amount I ate at girl's night was basically what I used to consume at almost every meal every single day with no exercise and a daily consumption 3-5+ alcohlic drinks/shots. So in two weeks I've made some vast improvements in what I am consuming and what I am burning off. But still...I do obsess with the mirror and I am dreading the scale tomorrow. Wish me luck!

Have you tried a nutritionist. Even if insurance does not cover it perhaps you could afford 1 or 2 sessions. They will give you exactly how much to eat and what to pick from what food groups. I see a nutritionist and it I know exactly what I can eat at each meal and at the end of the day I check to see if I have not eaten something like I am missing a serving of diary or a serving of fruit or I did not eat at least 2 cups of veggies. I have a list of portion sizes for each.

I lost an even SIX POUNDS this week! WOO HOOOOOO!

dude!