Stuck

I know it's been a while since I have written. I have been waiting to be able to report good news.

The truth is, I have been stuck for several weeks now; not moving forward, not moving backward. And, although I'm very happy to not be moving backward, it is unbelievably frustrating to not be moving forward.

I have had several moments when I just want to throw in the towel. Moments when I tell myself maybe I'm just meant to stay this way. These are the moments I have to remind myself of how far I have come.

I also have to remind myself that it's not just about losing the weight. It's about my health and getting my blood pressure and cholesterol under control.

My next challenge will be the holidays.  Thanksgiving is this week and all I can think about is how will I get through the next few weeks without completely blowing it.

And the answer is, I will get through the next few weeks the same way I get through every single day - one day, one moment at a time.

Yes, I will mess up, yes, I will indulge (it's the holidays!).  Hopefully I will have more good days than bad and life will go on.

This journey is not easy.  It's not going to way I want it to or how I expected it to.  That's life though, isn't it?  Plans don't always go the way we had in mind.  There have been more downs than ups.  I want to kick and scream and shout, "It's not fair!"

When all is said and done I will get up and dust myself off and keep moving forward, putting one foot in front of the other.  I will get there in my time.  I will not give up, that's not an option.

Hanging Out On a Plateau

Sorry it's been a while since my last post. I have just been hanging out here on a plateau.

In my last post I shared that I had gained a few pounds and unfortunately, I'm still holding on to them. Thankfully, I haven't gained more.

It's very frustrating to be hanging out here in this place, stuck! I keep reminding myself of how far I've come to keep from giving up. I don't want to go back to where I was before.

So, I thought I would share some research I've done on how to break through a plateau with you all. I plan to incorporate these steps into my routine to hopefully perk things up.

1. Adjust your calorie intake: You need to revise you calorie goal about every 10 pounds. You metabolism may drop as you lose weight as your body will require fewer calories. MyFitnessPal is a good tool to use to help you with your weight loss goals.  
2. Quality: It's not just about calories in and calories out. Processed foods just won’t do anymore. Stick to quality whole foods like vegetables, beans, high-fiber fruits and lean proteins.
3. Change up your routine: If you've been doing to same exercise routine for the past several months, it’s time to change it up. Muscles will get familiar with the same workout, making the same old routine less effective. To see a change, try getting outside of your comfort zone.  Do something different with a little more intensity. 
4. Watch the extras:  An extra bite here, a little nibble there. Those calories count and will add up. 
5. Sleep:  A full night’s sleep is important to losing weight because it resets your hormones. Even just a small amount of sleep deprivation can lead to increased cortisol, a stress hormone. Elevation in cortisol levels can lead to fat accumulation around your midsection.
6. Stay hydrated:  Even if you are mildly dehydrated your body will often crave food. Aim to drink 80-100 fluid ounces (2.35 liters) of water per day plus additional fluids lost during activity.
7. Add protein:  Protein burns more calories during digestion because it has the highest thermic effect of food. Protein contains amino acid and leucine, which studies have identified as a effective agent for burning body fat.

Hopefully adding these things to my routine will spice things up and get the scales moving again. I will let you know how it goes.

As always, feel free to share your tips, struggles or success in the comments!

Till next time, God bless! :)

What I've Learned So Far

When I began sharing my journey, I said I would be honest. So far the journey has been slow but steady; but in the past two weeks I have experienced a set-back. I have gained a few pounds and I feel I must share not only my success, but also my miss-steps.

I have no one to blame but myself. I have indulged, I haven't exercised as often; in general, I've been lazy!

What I've learned through this whole process though, is how strong I really am and how far I have come since the beginning.

When I weighed last week and saw a gain, I was truly angry with myself. The rest of my day was a disaster, as far as self control goes; let's just say, I didn't have any. I literally threw in the towel, but only for the day.

By the end of the day I was still angry at myself, angrier because of my loss of control, but more determined than ever to get where I'm headed.

I can't explain it, but I just know, that I know, that I know that I will only fail if I don't get back up, dust myself off and get my head straight again.

I know that with God's help I can do anything I put my mind to.

So, with all that said, I'm scrapping a couple of bad weeks and starting fresh.

I've learned that giving into a craving and having it in the house leads to a binge for me. I just can't handle it. If I'm going to have a treat, it needs to be a serving size and that's it, no left overs, no seconds. If it's here, I will eat it.

I've learned that I need to exercise. Even if it's just for 15 minutes, I need some form of exercise everyday.  It not only helps me with weight loss, it helps with my mood. I'm a much happier, relaxed person when I exercise.

So, I've stumbled, I've taken a step back, and now I'm dusting myself off and I'm back on track. I hope that by sharing my journey, the good, bad and the ugly, that I will encourage someone else who is fighting the same battle.

I would love to hear from you. Feel free to comment and share your struggles, successes or tips!

Till next time, God bless!! :)

Dark Chocolate

I haven't always been a fan of dark chocolate.  In the past I preferred milk chocolate. I still love milk chocolate, but I have developed a love for dark chocolate since beginning my journey for a healthier lifestyle.

I had to try several different varieties before I found one I liked, but now I have a few that are my favorites.  

It's a nice indulgence and research proves it has some healthy perks as well.

Some of the benefits of dark chocolate (at least 60% cocoa is best):

• Polyphenols, cocoa antioxidants, help to increase blood flow to your brain, improving memory. Countries with a higher per-capita chocolate consumption produce lots of Nobel Peace Prize winners.
• One of the compounds that gives cocoa its bitter taste is epicatechin and can lower blood pressure.  Treating yourself to two weekly ounces of dark chocolate could cut your stroke risk by up to 20 percent.
• Epicatechin can also expand your cells' mitochondrial function. In plain speak, that means it may help lend you surges of extra energy. And while chocolate does contain caffeine, that's not its only energizing factor. The darker the chocolate, the more of the theobromine it has. Theobromine is a stimulating chemical.
• The fats found in cocoa butter can trigger natural endorphins and tiny amounts of anandamide, a marijuana-like brain chemical. Don't worry it's a happy lift, not a high.
• Weight loss may be the best perk ever. Research has found that regular chocolate eaters were slimmer than those who abstained altogether. However, that doesn't mean you should eat through your whole stash at once.

Some of my favorites:

• Lindt Dark Excellence Chili is my absolute favorite at the moment. It has a hint of spice to it. I love the combination of spicy and sweet!

• Hershey's Bliss Dark Chocolate would have to be my next favorite. It has great flavor and is really smooth.

• Lindt Extra Dark Chocolate Truffles are an extreme pleasure to eat. I love that they come in a nice, compact size. Perfect for a quick little bite. Anything Lindt is a pleasure to eat. :) 

These are just a  few of my favorites. If you're not a fan of dark chocolate, give one of these a try. You might change your mind.

Till next time, God bless! :)

Cravings

I have been having some major cravings lately, and they have not been for healthy foods. I can usually stave off a craving for sweets with some fresh pineapple or red grapes. But sometimes that just doesn't do it.

Whenever I have a craving for something that's less than healthy, I will try to find a lighter version of that food.  Let's say I'm craving pizza, then I'll have a thin and crispy crust veggie pizza.  If that doesn't settle the craving within a couple of days, I'll go ahead and have the full fat version.

It's okay to indulge in your cravings just a little bit.  A little indulgence will hopefully keep you from a full out binge.  You don't have to deprive yourself all the time.

These are just a few things I'm enjoying at the moment. I try not to get stuck in a rut with what I eat. If I get bored it can be detrimental to my success.

Some of My Favorites at the Moment:

DiGiorno Thin & Crispy Garden Vegetable Pizza is one of my favorites for when my pizza cravings hit. It is so yummy and the serving size is half of the pizza!

Lately, when I've wanted something sweet, I've been throwing together a simple fruit salad. It's best with fresh fruit, but you can use canned. Just make sure to get it with no sugar added.

Simple Fruit Salad

• 1 can of no sugar added canned peaches
• 1 can of no sugar added mandarin oranges
• about 1 cup of red grapes
• 1/2 of a fresh pineapple, cubed

Toss all the ingredients together and refrigerate until ready to serve. Before serving, I will add a cut of banana.

If you are craving ice cream, I recommend Dreyer's Slow Churned.  It is rich and smooth and only has about 100 calories per serving depending on the variety you pick.


What's your favorite indulgence?  Do you have a healthier version to share?  I would love to hear your comments.

Till next time, God bless! :)

On a Roll

I am so excited and proud to say that I have lost 42 pounds since the beginning of this journey.  

Yesterday morning at my weekly weigh-in, not only did I lose 3.2 pounds, but I also reached a personal milestone.  I did an embarrassing little happy dance when I got off the scale and I haven't been able to stop smiling since.

This has been one of the hardest battles I have fought.  I can truly say there have been times when I wanted to throw in the towel and just quit because the progress seemed slow and it was just so hard.

The determination that I have to get healthy is stronger than it ever has been.  I still have a ways to go, but I'm closer than I've been in a long time to reaching my goals.

At a very low point, when I felt like all my hard work was in vain, I seriously thought, 'Okay, I'm done, I'm giving up!' But, then I took a look back at how far I had come and it became impossible for me to quit.  I had to keep going!  I remember thinking at that moment, 'I've got this.  This time is really going to stick.'

Like I said, I have a ways to go before I reach my final goal, but I feel more certain than ever that I will get there.

I hope that my story might encourage anyone who may be on the same journey.  If I can do it, so can you!  I have an extremely slow metabolism, having hypothyroidism.  For most of this journey my condition has been out of control.  I have had my medications changed about four times since the start of this ride.  It hasn't been easy, but it is so worth it!

Just a Quick Update

Since beginning this journey in October of last year, I have lost a total of 35 pounds.  I admit, I get frustrated with how slow the progress seems at times. But when I break it down, it comes out to 3.888888... pounds a month; that's pretty good for someone with an extremely sluggish thyroid.
 
I'm still walking.  I found a peppier version of the one mile "Walk Away the Pounds" on YouTube.  It is much faster paced and incorporates a lot more side steps, kicks, kick backs, knee lifts and arm movements.  I do believe it is a better workout than the original DVD I was using which would allow you to walk one, two or three miles.  The first mile was kinda slow, working you up to the two and three mile walk.  The version I'm doing now seems to give me a better, more aggressive workout and I intend to use it until I am comfortable with moving on to a longer walk.  I have also started incorporating some upper body toning; trying to get rid of my bat wings! Overall, I feel like I'm making steady progress.

Up until this past week I have been doing Weight Watchers Online.  I decided this week to switch to Fitness Pal, just because I don't want to pay the monthly fee for Weight Watchers.  I feel both of these tools work well.

Tracking is the most crucial step for my success.  I do not feel in control if I'm not tracking what I eat.

Current Snacking Favorites:

• Sargentos Sharp Cheddar Jack Cheese Stick - 80 Calories
• Yoplait Greek Whips Key Lime Pie Yogurt - 100 Calories
• Sabra Supremely Spicy Hummus - 70 Calories per 2 Tablespoons
• Frozen Red Grapes