Giving Up

Ok, not in that sense (don’t freak!), but I’m giving up on a love that’s spanned years.

Pop has always been such a crutch that I crave constantly, but I’m done letting it rule me. At least for now. :(

Pop was the first thing I gave up when I first started the plan long, long ago. I had such great success with it, was able to regain focus and start the day, sans caffeine. It was a great feeling!

But let me give you a little insight: Pop has been the one thing I’ve stuck with for most of my adult life.. It’s something that once I pick it back up, I fall right into the bad habit and can’t stop. I love Diet Coke, and I know deep in my heart giving it up isn’t going to be easy.

Today I’ve already gone through 10 cups of water (about 5 bottles). I’ve been drinking it like a fish. When I first gave up pop, I used to flavor my water with fresh fruit (lemon or frozen berries), or the Crystal Light or Kool-Aid packets, etc. It gave me a bit of a change up from just plain, old water, which can get a bit boring, and if you let it, can make you stray.

But as some friends recently pointed out, pop isn’t good for you, even if it’s the calorie-free diet variety. It contains High Fructose Corn Syrup (the jury’s still out on that), Aspartame (again, research still being done), as well as sodium, which we all know too much of can lead to a variety of heart related issues, just to touch on the surface.

If you think about it: depending on who you ask, the human body contains anywhere from 65-90% water. Clearly it’s obvious you want to replace what you use with water, not sugar filled soda.

Not only is in an unhealthy habit for me, it’s something that will help me out in the long run. My husband used to get his day started with 4 Mountain Dews. It seemed we bought it by the pallet each week. I was never much of a fan of Mountain Dew, but since it was in the house, I drank it. One year though, he challenged himself by giving up pop for Lent. (We’re not Catholic, but it gave him some sort of timeline/span for him to be good.) He did it, and then some! I can’t begin to explain to you how dependent he was on his Mountain Dew, but I am so proud of him! He still opts for water, bottled or tap, or mostly tea (which half the time it’s sweet, not a great idea…). It’s helped him out so much!

But I want to be like him. I want to give it up, even though I’m a little late for Lent. (Easter, after all, is next weekend.) But I want to be healthy. For. Life. Giving up something to better my health, and myself, shouldn’t just be limited to a certain time of year.

So here’s to a new journey, I hope, pop-free!

(I can already see the McDonald’s Large Diet Coke running after me in the drive way.) :’(

The Gain

There is nothing more disheartening, nothing more of a blow to your motivation and self-esteem than a weight gain, and I am experiencing that right now. This isn't my first rodeo, but it still sucks.

I weighed in last week at 180.6. This week? 183.4. I thought I was on the right track by losing (finally) and was hoping to hit the 170's again soon. No go, apparently; my body thought differently.

I can sit here and fill this blog with excuses, (I know the possible reason) but I can't let that damage me and knock me even further off track. I cheated. I cheat a lot. (Confession time.)

It stinks because I'm going the opposite way than I want to be. I hit 175 at my lowest weight, and I've wanted to get back there and maintain it ever since I gained to about 185+. The whole goal is to get to 150, if I can. I'm losing hope, not weight.

I know each week I may maintain or even gain, and that I can't be perfect. Even those who have shed more than me will tell you you can't always be perfect. And to help curb cravings, you have to have an iron clad will to want to beat them.

Food temptations are everywhere. The birthday cake at a friend's party, the office cookies or cupcakes that always seem to be sat down right behind you, the ice cream shop down the street, vending machines, or the simple "going out" meal. All are temptations to blow it. But if you have the right tools and research, as well as determination, and are able to "just say no," you're well on your way!

But you also have to pick yourself back up when it's not the best of times. That's where I come back in. I have a huge problem with just saying no. I think, "one won't hurt." (Ever hear that from friends too? Yeah, me too.) But one can add up if you do not track it or count it, and I cheat, a lot. It's where the majority of my problems gaining come in. But for both you and I, you have to make sure you have a positive mind about this!

A Weight Watcher Leader once told me, "This is not where you fail or jump off. It's feedback from your body. You have not failed."

Just because one week isn't the greatest or "perfect," you have to recover. My Oma asked me when I first started the plan, "You do realize this is for life, not just temporary?"

So if you're like me, this isn't  temporary. This is for life, and if you need a little motivation, think of it this way: You didn't gain overnight, so it won't come off overnight. It's ok if you stumble a week or two. It isn't the greatest, but you must pick yourself back up!

Stay positive, it's feedback. For. Life. :)

Back To Basics

Ugh. The basics.

A Twitter friend of mine always tells me if something isn’t working in hockey, go “back to the basics.” I’ve somewhat adapted/implemented that with my weight loss program.

I knew my former program wasn’t working anymore, so with the help and recommendations of friends, I did just that. I knew that on the old plan that I started with, calories were counted along with fat and fiber. I could guess just by looking at a nutrition label about how many daily points it’d be, within 1 or 2. After the plan was changed/morphed, the 70+ lb loss came to a screeching halt. After taking “time off,” gaining, getting frustrated, losing some to gain more and so on, I decided to go back to the basics.

I knew the “new” plan wasn’t working, at least for me. I recognized that fact. I’ve had many friends it’s helped tremendously with great success, but it just didn’t work for me any longer.. The “new” plan took calories out of the equation, and mixed carbs and protein in. Let’s be honest, I’m a Carb Queen. I can’t NOT live without breads, pastas, etc. It’s just not me. I was always told that you can have what you want, as long as it is in moderation! (There’s that ‘M’ word again. Dun, dun, dunnnnnn…..)

So back to the basics I went. I have since started a new plan as described before, which primarily counts calories, and only calories, and so far I’ve had good luck. I say so far, as I’m still battling with motivation. I still have the weeks where I just feel like eating everything in sight and then some. But the weather has helped tremendously, I’ll definitely admit it! It’s been an unusually warm winter, and an early Summer (not Spring!), so with that I’ve been getting out and riding my bike and running again. I started this past Saturday with 8 miles, 4 with a tailwind, 4 with a fight home. Last night I made it 10, but I hope to keep improving as I go, as well as build muscle (shorty short weather in around the corner, afterall!). I can’t think my Twitter friend enough, as he has helped me more than he probably knows by applying the “Back to Basics” thinking to many aspects of my life, including my weight loss journey, and it seems to be working.

Thanks, friend! :)