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Weight Loss update!

3/5/2012

Original Poat July 22, 2011
As you know if you have been following my blogs I have been following the17-day diet. I am not going to go into great detail during today’s blog of the diets particulars but if you are interested in reading more about this particular eating plan just scroll back through my earlier posts where you can read more on this wonderful diet. Actually I prefer to refer to it as lifestyle instead of diet as I feel that “diets” are temporary in both the way of eating and the results they offer. I will say that after following the program through the first set of three cycles I elected to start back on cycle one with plans of doing all three cycles yet again. I made it through a second set of cycle one as well as five days of cycle two before deciding to skip to cycle three where I have more eating options. I found that not only did I feel better on cycle three but that my weight loss has continued. Also, while I am now eating out on occasion I am careful about my selections and make every attempt to make sure that my choices are within the realm of what the diet allows and I am being very careful to not eat carbs or fruit after two p.m. per instructions in the book. I also continue to incorporate exercise into my daily routine.

The biggest thing I think I have gotten from reading the book is knowledge of proper portion size. I have been on one diet or another since I was about fourteen years old and yet this is the first time I have paid any attention to portion size or eating in moderation. I am not sure if it was not discussed in the previous fad diets I’ve attempted or if I myself was not paying attention.

I used to blame all of my weight issues on a multitude of things. I have hypothyroidism. I am not as young as I once was. I only have one ovary. I am in pre-menopause. I had lots of excuses. I have always exercised (except on a couple of occasions where my body would not physically allow it) and could not understand why, with all the exercise, I did I could not lose weight or if I did, why I could not keep it off, so I blamed all of the things I just mentioned but now I feel as though I have had this epiphany. It took me many years but I am now able to say that the reason I am over weight is because I like to eat. I like food and I have never watched my portion sizes. All the exercise in the world is not going to help if I eat too much at every meal and then go back for the sweet desert I tended to crave after every meal. I could not figure out why I was so full that I could not breathe yet I still felt hungry. This book, this wonderful little $13 purchase, has totally opened my eyes and given me the answers I was seeking. I am not saying I have never heard about portion sizes in the past. I did, but for some reason I was not ready to absorb the knowledge until now. Was it just that I was not ready before or was it because the author, Dr. Mike, explained it in such a way that I finally got it? I do not know but the key is that I do indeed finally get it. It is working and I am losing weight.

Don returned home this week and I am pleased to say that he noticed my weight loss. I guess it would have been hard not to notice as I am officially down thirty one pounds. He keeps telling me I look and feel skinny. I keep telling him while I am skinnier I am not “skinny”. Still, I have to admit, I love the compliments. I am very aware of my weight, a number which I am still not ready to divulge here on this public blog, as I step on the scale every morning. While I do keep tract of the number I do not feel as if I am a slave to the scale as I only weigh myself once a day. I also realize that it is normal to fluctuate slightly on a day to day basis so I do not freak out if the number changes. If it is a drastic change I merely look back at what I ate the day before and decide if any changes are necessary.

One thing I have had to do is a bit of shopping. While I did have some things in my closet, saved from years ago, I felt it was time to get a few more things. The decision was pretty easy after being told that my clothes were getting so baggy that I looked frumpy, so in deciding that frumpy is not the look I was going for, I went to the mall. During the first trip I really did not find anything that I could not live without as it seemed that at the time I was in-between sizes. Two weeks later I decided to try yet again. I visited a different mall and had lost enough weight that I was able to find many cute things to wear. The hardest part was trying to figure out what I really needed and making decisions on that alone. I picked out several things in the size that I thought I was in and was pleasantly surprised when I had to trade them for a smaller size. Still, I found myself wondering if the industry has made changes to it sizing as I really did not think I should be in such small sizes. At times I feel as though I must still be wearing my fat goggles as there are times when I look in the mirror I still see the old, heavier me. While I did not see the fat me in the dressing room mirror at the mall I did find myself waiting for the fat police to come in and direct me to the correct larger sizes. As it was no-one came in and in some cases I was able to go even lower than I could have imagined. While I do not choose to disclose my weight at this time I will tell you that, when I began this journey, I was edging out of a size fourteen and as of this writing I am comfortably fitting into tens and even have several eights in my closet that fit. At my thinnest about eleven years ago I was wearing a size eight. That was with the help of herbal diet pills and not the healthy eating habits I now adhere to so it gives me great hope that I have learned enough to maintain my weight once I get where I am going. It also makes me wonder what size I will be in when I get to my goal weight as anything smaller than an eight will be new territory to me. I also guess it would help if I even knew what my goal weight was. According to the book I should weigh about as much as a ten year old. I do not plan on dropping that low as I have promised Don that I will not be rail thin. I still have about 30 pounds to get to the high end of the weight chart, so I may look at seeing if I am happy with that weight. I just laughed to myself as I wrote that last sentence as I never would have thought at my age that something like this was even attainable much less something to strive for.

I have had a couple of people ask if I was doing this for my husband. Yes and no. Of course as a wife I would love to look good for him and to make him proud to be seen with me but the thing is, I am one of the lucky ones with the wonderful husband who has never made an issue of my weight even when I was at my heaviest. He has always loved me for who I am and not how much I weigh. I would say mostly I am doing this for me. I am the one who has to look into the mirror and be happy with the person that is looking back at me. That is happening more and more lately. Next year I will be hitting a big birthday milestone, the big 50. While I don’t feel upset or stressed out by that number I have made a promise to myself that I will reach it in the best possible shape. That is my commitment to me and my health reaching into the second phase of my life. As for the number on the scale it is just that, a number on the scale. When I get to where I am going I will know. It won’t be a number on a scale it will be when I look in the mirror and say okay this is it. In the meantime I know I am on the road to success, and I love the direction I’m headed.

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17 day diet 51 days complete!

3/5/2012

4 Comments

Original post June 3, 2011
This week I decided it was time to do an update on my 17 day diet. I have completed the first round, which consisted of 3 cycles of 17 days and to date I have lost a total of 23 pounds. That’s right I lost a total of 23 pounds in 51 days without feeling hungry. Okay I may have been hungry once or twice, but when I got hungry I was allowed to eat. The crazy thing is that with only a few exceptions I never really felt hungry. The eating plan is such that I never had to go very long between eating. I eat breakfast around seven, a probiotic snack around ten, lunch at noon, a second serving of fruit just before two, dinner between five and six with an evening snack of a second probiotic around eight and then I am done. That was during round one which is the strictest cycle. Cycle 2 let me incorporate additional foods including starches and cycle 3 was just plain fun. You cannot imagine how exciting it was to be allowed to have ice cream again. That is right I was allowed skinny cow ice cream sandwiches and I liked them. I liked them a lot!

The hardest part so far was when we had to make our emergency trip to Kentucky. I was worried that I would not be able to maintain the program and was feeling a bit anxious about it. Then I reminded myself the trip was not about me and that if I had to make concessions then I would. As it was it was actually fairly easy to eat within the parameters of the diet and managed to lose four additional pounds while I was away even though I ate out nearly every meal during the whole week.

Knowing what I was allowed was not the issue. Ordering responsibly was. Oh it was not for my lack of trying mind you it was just that apparently the restaurants we were patronizing did not seem to be very big on healthy eating. Take the time I ordered a turkey burger without a bun. While they had a turkey burgers on the menu the waitress looked at me like I had two heads when I asked her if I could get it wrapped in lettuce, of course not. I said okay then I would like it on a plate without a bun and hold the mayo. She was like “you mean you want it naked,” um sure I guess so. I then really pushed the limits when I asked if they had steamed vegetables. She laughed audibly while saying “NO!” Okay so a naked turkey burger and a salad it is. When the lady brought out our plates she actually wrinkled her nose when she called out my order. My daughter thought that was priceless. I did too until I took a bite and found out that naked also meant without so much as salt or pepper for seasoning. It was not something I would order from there again. My mom did make it a point to remind me that I was in Kentucky and that fried is what they are known for.

The next problem occurred when the kids decided to go to Mike Linnigs for dinner. Don’t get me wrong, I highly recommend the place. As a matter of fact I do not think anyone should visit Louisville and not go there. It is that good. It is located right on the river and has been in business since 1925. The portions are enough for several people to share. You won’t find a better fish place around, just don’t go there looking for a healthy meal. I ordered salmon and it was without a doubt the worst piece of fish I have ever eaten. Dry, bland, and again without so much as salt or pepper, unlike the fried delights everyone else at the table was raving about. I made a promise to myself the next time I go there, and I will, I will order off the naughty menu!

When it came time yet again to pick a place for dinner I chose my local favorite, Red Robin. They offer yummy (seasoned) turkey burgers wrapped in a bed of lettuce which you can pick up and eat like a normal, albeit somewhat sloppy, burger. I have eaten there several times during my diet and as long as I order it without the mayo and choose steamed veggies instead of French fries it complies with all cycles of the 17 day diet. There was only one problem I was still in Kentucky. While the burger was perfect the broccoli was barely steamed and the carrots were brought out cold and raw in a tiny plastic cup with the explanation that they did not steam carrots at that particular establishment. It was okay I was hungry and I tend to like raw carrots.

I ended up being able to stick to my diet up until after returning and starting cycle three. It was then that more items were allowed and it seemed that I felt it okay to push the envelope ever so slightly. It was also at that time that I was severely PMS and would have eaten a whole chocolate bar covered in salt if someone had offered it to me. As it were I went off the wagon several times choosing things that were not on the approved list but still being careful to watch my portion sizes. Instead of eating a whole order of fries, I ate three or four off of Don’s plate. I ordered a blizzard from DQ but ordered the new mini size. I did however drink the entire mocha madness smoothie (Chocolate, Coffee, Cappuccino & Non-Fat Yogurt) by myself and I liked it. I liked it a lot. Okay fine, I liked it so much I went back a couple of days later and had another one. I have not however given in to the temptation that awaits me as my ultimate reward. Yes, you guessed it, the hostess snowball that was given to me months ago is still there, still frozen, a tasty reminder of the goodness that awaits me on the other end. Goodness that can and will be consumed in moderation once I have reached my goal.

On Monday Don handed me a three gallon water jug full of water and asked me to hold it for a minute. After a couple of seconds I asked if I could put it down because it was getting heavy. He took it from me and when I asked what that was all about he said the jug weighed 25 pounds, just two pounds more than what I have lost thus far, weight which up until this point, I had been carrying around all of the time. He is such a smart man, and what great motivation for me to continue.

On Wednesday I started back on cycle1. I will follow it with 2 and 3 in hopes of getting to my goal weight. I still do not know what my goal weight is. I have a number in my head of what I think I will be happy with. It is a reasonable number yet on the high end of where the weight scale in the book thinks I should be. Sorry, but I really do not think I would be happy at 98 pounds which is what the book says is appropriate for my height. I think the person who came up with the weight scale must have been on drugs, or a man. Surely no woman had a hand in coming up with those numbers. Sorry guys, I am not a man basher; I just do not see how any self-respecting woman could think that those numbers are okay, much less attainable.

The bottom line is that once again I am comfortable looking in the mirror. I like what I see more and more each day. It is not about a number on the scale or making anyone else happy. This time it is all about me. When I get where I am going I will know it. Since I like what I see now then any progress from this point on will be icing on the cake and we all know how much I like cake!

http://mikelinnigsrestaurant.com/

http://www.tropicalsmoothie.com/menu/

http://www.redrobin.com/

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The journey begins via the 17 day diet!

3/5/2012

1 Comment

Original Post April 22, 2011
I am a woman who, like most, is in a constant battle to lose weight. Oh I have my excuses as to why I am overweight. I have a thyroid condition. It is hereditary. I am closing in on fifty. I am in pre-menopause. I only have one ovary. The list goes on. As you can tell I have a lot of things working against me but there is one reason that I rarely admit; I like to eat. I mean I really enjoy eating. I truly love food. I love to eat it, love to cook it heck, I even love to shop for it.

As you know my husband is in the Navy. With us having three kids and at some times only surviving on his salary we had our share of lean times. While during those times I may have felt guilty buying a new outfit or something for myself, I never once felt guilty buying food. I may have cringed more than once at the checkout while paying for it, but I have never scrimped on food. Oh that is not to say I didn’t opt for hamburger when I would have preferred steak or bought chicken legs instead of breast but we were lucky to have never gone hungry. I know my way around the kitchen and I can do a lot with ground beef and even more with chicken and I can make a mean turkey burger.

Since I enjoy my cooking, I tend to love eating what I cook. I also find I have a knack for deciphering what is in a dish. It is fun to go home and try to recreate a yummy dish, unfortunately after recreating it I then feel obligated to eat it. As you see heredity and body issues are not the only obstacle I have when it comes to food. So given all of the reasons above it should come as no surprise that I am constantly searching for the miracle cure for weight loss. I think I have tried every diet there has been in hopes that this one will indeed be the one that works for me. I think the first diet I ever tried was smoking. Yes you read it here, I used to smoke. I cannot believe it myself as I am so anti-smoking now. I can’t stand the smell or the way it makes my skin crawl. I find being around it physically painful but, back in the day, I lost a great deal of weight because I would use my lunch money to buy cigarettes, thus was the invention of my cigarette diet. Then there was the diet supplement called Aids. Yes, that was really the name. It was a little chocolate square that was supposed to curb your appetite. As a chocolate fanatic all this did was give me a new candy to eat. It did nothing to curb my appetite and only proved to give me more calories.

Once, when my husband went out to sea, I lost a tremendous amount of weight on the corn diet. That was my own invention. Most days my dinner of choice was a can of corn with a half a stick of butter. That was when I was young and did not realize the evils of eating a half a stick of butter. I am still paying for that as now I have high cholesterol. I guess I cannot blame that one on anyone but myself. Then there was the cookie diet. That’s right you were encouraged to eat cookies! It was not cheap and they tasted like a dirt covered tire that had been rolled in gravel but those little fiber filled gems really did the trick. Just by eating a cookie and some water for breakfast, and repeating the process at lunch, I managed to drop an incredible fifty pounds.

Next was the cabbage soup diet. While some complained I rather liked the taste. The problem is I could not get very far from the bathroom while on it. I guess that is how it works. I have tried several diet pills, one of which was dexatrim. I think the reason this one works is because it has you so wired you can’t stop. How could you not lose weight when you are constantly on the go? I also did a herbal pill called Body Tabs. While this really worked for me and for some crazy reason lowered my cholesterol dramatically the ingredients were not deemed safe and I figured my heart was at risk while on them.

I lived gluten free for the past two years and while that was done for medical reasons, it is still a very restrictive way to eat. I am no longer eating gluten free and have been lucky enough to not be ridden with the medical issues that first caused me to go that route. I have however found my weight to have increased since I am no-longer limited to a restrictive diet. It is for that reason I find myself exploring yet another diet that is somewhat new to the scene. I have been doing some reading and researching and have decided to check out the 17 day diet. It is based on four cycles each lasting seventeen days. The first or initial cycle is pretty restricted as to what you can eat. You can eat chicken, fish and turkey along with a wide assortment of vegetable and fruit but, no fruit after 2pm and probiotics from a gathered list within the book. You also are required to drink a cup of green tea three times a day and start the day with a cup of warm water with lemon.

The next set of seventeen days your options increase as more foods are added to the approved list, followed by even more options during the third seventeen day cycle. When you get finished with the third set of seventeen days, if you have not met your goal weight, then you begin the process once again, starting back with the original set of seventeen days and what was allowed. This continues until you decide you have reached your goal weight. Once you have met your goal weight then you get to proceed to the last cycle, which you will stay on in order to maintain your weight. It is a win-win situation for me as I have to eat healthy during the week but can cheat on the weekends. I feel this is a plan that I can live with, as I am more prone to eat “bad” on the weekends anyway.

The weight loss during the first seventeen days is said to be pretty dramatic. I would welcome dramatic, especially since we are heading into the summer months. I am currently on day 12 and so far I have lost a total of 8 pounds. I guess there is something to be said for eating healthy. While I do not intend on turning this blog into my diet podium I will give updates as I continue on my journey. I prefer journey to diet as I have been on a lot of diets and they have not always produced lasting results. This time I feel I am more on a journey to find the lifestyle that works for me. This time there will not be any cigarettes or diet pills. I may have a bit cabbage and even a little corn. I promise to forgo the butter, but I am told that during the next cycle I will be able to eat a cookie or two!

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Weight Loss update!

17 day diet 51 days complete!

The journey begins via the 17 day diet!

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