Paleo week 1 review

Last week's weight:154.8
This week's weight: 149.6
Weight change: -5.2

It took a few days to adjust my thinking, but after the initial adjustment phase into eating paleo, thing got easier. I didn't have to think so much. It also brought to light for me how much I was grazing. I'd grab a slice of cheese, a handful of goldfish or animal crackers while I was getting something for the kids. All those little calories add up though. It's almost like I thought if it wasn't on a plate or it wasn't on MY plate, it didn't count (silly I know).
I had two major things to deal with this week: 1) Family BBQ, 2) Date Night. Happy to report I handled both. I brought a yummy fruit salad and fresh toasted coconut to the BBQ plus chowed on the tritip and enjoyed myself. Date night was a little more difficult. It was a benefit dinner so I had to eat what was being served. Plus I had to get hubby to understand that I wasn't going to drink this time. Thankfully there was a big salad (which I ate with some lime juice, just how I like it) and green beans. The chicken had some sort of mushroom cream sauce but I picked one with the least amount of sauce and called it good. Sometimes you just gotta do the best with what you have available. Were these 2 meals perfect paleo? Nope. Am I okay with how I handled them and the foods I ate? Absolutley.
Since I've gotten the eating thing pretty dialed in, this week I'm moving on to exercise routine. I got a new toy this weekend.... my Mama Wants Her Body Back workout collection.
I'm a bit of a sucker for new exercise DVD's. This set appealed to me because it's designed for moms. I'll let you know what I think after week 1. I found the lecture DVD that's included to be
very appropriate and helpful.
Here's to a great week! Hope yours is fantastic too!

Bye-bye blankie...

Some things have been rattling around in my brain. I've been thinking and analyzing why I have a difficult time getting to goal, why the number on the scale has freaked me out in the past and sent me into binge/gain mode. What's my payoff? I firmly believe we don't do things or act certain ways without one. For me personally, it's partly about security. It's uncomfortable for me to be thin. Seriously. I have major insecurities and body image problems. When I lose weight people comment and complement and that makes me VERY uncomfortable. I've always had a large chest, from the time I started developing, and when I lose weight my waist gets smaller and the hour glass shape emerges. Men notice. Again, a huge source of discomfort. I can remember a few instances during my adolescence, getting looks or comments from guys and just feeling dirty. A friend of my brother's once sent me inappropriate letters, during church. Another time, some guys hung out their car windows as I was crossing the street and I was told that it was because of what I was wearing (which wasn't provocative btw). Negative attention was my fault (not the creepy guys').
So weight became an unconscious security blanket. The focus came off what I looked like. Then I'd reach a certain point, get fed up and lose weight. Till I got to about 160ish. Then the weight loss would stall or get very, very difficult because that's when I'd start getting my shape back. And then the weight would creep back. I binge. I take comfort in food. I soothe discomforts with it. This is my payoff. Security. But it's really not. It's just a way to hide.
Obviously this is just a piece of my puzzle, but it's a big piece for me. I don't want to regain the weight again and I need to look at the things I am doing to keep myself from getting to where I want to be. I need to make the choices that will get me the results I want. I want to feel confident and good about myself and how I look. I'm not saying I'm gorgeous or anything but I know I didn't fall out of the ugly tree either. I want to leave the security blanket behind, once and for all.
It's easier not to think of the underlying issues. It's easier to eat crap and not care. That's not what I want for myself though. I am consciously choosing to make the changes and do what's best for me, not just what's easy....
My request to you now is to dig deep and think of your own personal payoffs. Do some analyzing of your own. What's holding you back? You don't have to put it out there for world, but think about it.

30 days of paleo

Hi guys! So I've been a bit busy lately. Had to take the baby to the ER last week, she got a tummy bug which led to decrease in food/nursing which led to mild dehydration. Dealing with a sick child is never fun, but when they're small it's even worse. It took some IV fluids and a few days to perk her up, but her appetite has returned so we're back in business. My own food intake was kind of all over the place as I tend to overdo it when I'm tired, stressed or PMSing. I was all three at once...yay! NOT!!!
Anyway, this mornings' weight: 154.6. Not bad considering some of my poor choices lately. So, I'm brushing it off and moving on. I don't know if I've mentioned it, but I've been playing around with a "Paleo" type diet for a while but haven't fully committed. No time like the present though. I feel better when I eat this way so I've decided to go full Paleo for 30 days. Today is day 2 for me. If you're wondering, "What the heck's paleo???", I'll give you a nutshell... mostly lean proteins, fruit (in moderation), veggies, tubers & good fats (coconut, avocados, olive oil, nuts etc). No grains, dairy or legumes. The theory is based off how our Paleolithic ancestors ate. I don't have to weigh, measure or count calories. I eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm full. There's lots of info out there, if you want more just google "paleo diet" or "paleo solution".
Currently I'm reading Everyday Paleo by Sarah Fragoso.
If you're interested in paleo, this is a good source as it has lots of recipes. I'm really excited to try some of them. Be sure, if I find one I really like I'll definitely share ☺
So that's where I am. Still plugging along, focusing on eating well and being active...one day at a time.
I'm curious, have you heard of paleo? Tried it? Are you interested?

Shifting directions...

So, yeah, that 30 day Challenge I told you about....I'm redefining my personal parameters. Day 1 of the workout I realized that I couldn't hang. Last time through when I got to week 3 of Ripped I started noticing pain in my left hip flexor so I quit doing it to give my body time to heal. Unfortunately, it's not fully healed. As soon as I started doing some of the lunges and squats, the pain flared up. Not as bad as it was, but it's there. Grrrrr!
So, what's the alternative? Well, I decided that my personal challenge would be to exercise every day in September. Even if it's just power walking, I'm going to move every day. And, it has to actually be exercise...not just walking my kid to school in flip flops lol. I'll also be concentrating on body weight exercises like push ups, stretching things out with pilates and yoga and working with my dumbbells 3x a week.
As promised, I took an updated progress picture. I had to go with black and white this time to cover some of the lack of makeup and my major tan lines ☺
Food has been out of control for about a week so the scale is not my friend and it's causing me to go to a bad head space. I'm working on reigning it in. I've got to do some research on natural remedies to help regulate my hormones as I think this is a key component for me.
I think I've shared this before, but this weeks' motto is: "Do, or do not, there is no try"- Yoda
Have a great week peoples...

Join the 30 day Challenge!

Maybe against better judgement I joined M from ...my magic bean... in her 30 day Challenge. Essentially it involves doing this...every day in the month of September. Yup, 30 days straight of Ripped. Oh boy. It's actually a good thing though, because I've been struggling to keep it together the last few days (food-wise) and having a fitness goal usually helps me focus. So, if you wanna join in feel free. Or, pick something else and do it for the next 30 days.
Really, it's not that hard to do anything for 30 days, it just takes commitment. So, I'm committing. "Before" pictures are coming. I've got a lot going today (it's my 3 yr old's birthday) but I promise to take them. Happy Friday!!