I have finally thrown down the gauntlet around here. After getting flack for the umpteenth time for having borderline blood pressure issues (see the past 4 years doc), along with one too many portraits with a double chin, I made a decision. Weight is getting cut back if I have to carve every bit of sugar and toxins out of my diet to do it.
Twin did it. She lost nearly 50 pounds and has maintained it for a year. A YEAR.
Damn Twin. I am SOOO proud of her. Every time I've hear myself bitch and moan about my lack of desire/want/drive/ability to do what she did I have to slap my own face. Twin did it. Her life is self admittedly far busier than mine, and she's a mom of two boys doing a full time job as well as custody sharing. What's my excuse? That's right ... a little bit of bullshit.
Twin's plan. The BeachBody diet combined with the daily bits of exercise and the weight sort of fell off. I tease her and call her SkinnyTwin but she swears by two solid points (1) follow Michi's Ladder (eat food) and (2) workout. And damn if it didn't all fall off within 6 months. She didn't starve herself and she didn't do more than 50 minutes of workouts a day and they weren't always 7 days/week either. She ate real burgers, avoiding the fries, and drank water like a crazy person.
So. I'm doing it. I'm 2 weeks into it. 10 days ago the scale said (cough) 207 at the doctor's office. This morning it said 200.1. It better keep dropping. I'm on a very determined mission to have drastic changes in 30, 60 and 90 days.
The plan: The beachbody dietary lifestyle combined with lower sodium and daily exercise. Essentially eat 5 small meals a day, beginning with breakfast within an hour of waking up, from the 'outer edges' of the grocery store. Fruits, produce, lean meats, lower salt, no soda's, minimal fruit juices and Stevia in lieu of sugar. I've cut out processed foods and greatly limited all basic carbs in my diet, with minimal complex carbs. It's Tiers 1 and 2 foods and morning workouts. As the weather gets better there is going to be some afternoon workouts to boot.
I won't lie. It was frustrating to bust my ass over and over doing madness like THIS and not lose weight. I may have become super-ripped but I wasn't losing weight because I justified my crap eating, monster-italian-sodas and desk job sedetarian life with I Am Doing CrossFit! After a little life distraction and coming down with the horrid HepAof2009 the gym kind of fell by the wayside. I still can't believe I fell off the workout wagon nearly 2.5 years ago.
One thing has remained true over the last 11 years of marriage, when I'm working out I feel so much stronger! So back to it I go. This time with a purpose. There will be a change, come hell or high water to do it.
Encouraging website suggestions for those diving into the same adventure.
- Michi's Ladder
- Roni's Weigh In (Twin & I's favorite)
- The Picky Eater
- Kath Eats Real Food
- Skinny Taste
** The last 3 I just found. Tastes may vary.
I will continue to post more healthy eating blog recommendations as I come across them.
