Entering Week 4

Well, as I enter week 4 of the new life plan, I am feeling so much better! Most noticeable are greater energy, deeper sleep, lifted mood and much clearer thinking...could excess carbs cause all that? I think so. I feel compelled to add that prayer has contributed immensely to this success. I can't explain it, but I sense a new strength and conviction to walk through these changes along with a deep joy, despite the challenges.
I accompany my son every Saturday to classes designed to help him prepare for the ACT test coming up in April and afterward we go to Outback to eat lunch. I find when I am satisfied, I push the plate away, finished, not to eat another bite--all this despite the fact that it tastes so good! There are no sugar cravings and no desire to eat brownies, double stuff oreos or cinnamon rolls! I don't feel deprived or restricted at all and so grateful to be able to eat bleu cheese and olives!

*Drum roll please* the stats so far: 5.5 pounds lost and 9 1/8 inches GONE BABY, Gone!

I am very pleased with this, but more importantly the feeling of energy, stamina and stability...

Today I swam 25 laps in 45 minutes and taught 1 1/2 hours of yoga. One goal I have is to finally get a pair of rollerblades and zoom around town!

Try to enjoy your body in motion..whatever motion you choose....quit looking at your watch, or thinking about what else you should be doing, rather focus your mind on your body as it walks, dances, swims or pushes weights. If you are too out of breath and gasping for air, slow down..this isn't a race...relish the strength you have and for heaven's sake, tell the negative speak in your head to shut up!
Hugs

DAY TWO and THREE

Yesterday was Day Two and an extremely hectic schedule kept me from this blog..but victory was all over the place yesterday!!! I set out to swim 1000m or 20 laps and teach my two yoga classes. I felt so good in the pool and really felt as tho I could have swam another 5-10 laps, but quit because of the time constraint. I felt energized and clear headed! I stuck to the eating plan without any problems and had another victory after coming home from Bible Study. I normally will pad into the kitchen about 9:00pm hoping to find something good to eat that I forgot I bought. But last night, I felt the tug to peruse the pantry and said to myself, "you know what, I'm really not hungry." So, I immediately turned and went back to the bedroom and got in bed and drank some water. So, so proud of myself!!!

Day Three began with a step up on the scale and a THREE POUND WEIGHT LOSS!! Felt so good to start the day. I was clear headed, energized and ready for my vegetarian sausages and coffee. I have experienced some stiffness from yesterday's swim in my shoulders and hips, I kinda like the feeling. Lunch was a wonderful antipasto platter with cheese, broiled turkey, roasted peppers and monster sized green olives....I love to eat this way!! Philip enjoyed the dinner of Chicken Piccata and creamed spinach...

Tomorrow I meet with Rob the trainer at the Y..a nice New York boy who will most likely kick my saggy butt into shape. Be nice Rob.....please!!

DAY ONE

Feeling really good today...ate a protein breakfast, a wonderful salad nicoise with Lucero (using tuna in olive oil--oh my what a difference! This is the stuff I grew up on and it tastes so much better than tuna in water!) and planning grilled steak and roasted asparagus for dinner. I have energy today and do feel that I ate a lot less, but not plagued with constant hunger.
Drinking lots of water and doing away with diet soda--think of all the money I'll save, hmmmm maybe I can use the extra cash for some new lacy things at victorias secret?!?! any hoo...tomorrow I plan to swim 20 laps 1000mm or 1 km..wow! That's great for me..mind you I do stop after every 4 laps and intersperse my stroke laps with drill laps.....but I swim next to a 72 year old man who swims 50 laps, so..yeah, I have some inspiration!
Here's a thought: Focusing on obstacles, means you have taken your focus off your goal....now, yes we all have our own personal obstacles. Mine are typically laziness, laziness and more laziness...what are some of your obstacles? Let's determine to push through them and make progress every hour or every day on this journey...

DAY 0

So, what does any non self-respecting gal do before a major life change involving diet and exercise? Yup, she goes and eats every potato chip, cheez-it and chocolate chip cookie in the house! I figure I carbed up pretty good, now I am ready for the long haul of low carb, lean protein eating. But, I also swam 16 laps (800m) and taught an hour and half of yoga. Tonight I learn how to play BUNCO, that definitively, woman's dice game that is all the rage here in the south.

Tomorrow I hit it big with Day One...nice breakfast of scrambled eggs and cheese and then I'm joining a new gym so I have two places to work out. Boredom will not be an option.

Lisa's Bucket List at Day 0

1. Learn to rollerblade.
2. Swim 25 laps.
3. Stay positive!

Ta-ta!

Preliminaries

Ok, that's it. Really and truly, that's it. I really, really mean it this time....I'm ready to do whatever it takes to lose weight and reinvent myself. I'm tired of always being tired and cranky, lazy and lethargic. So, I will blog my progress, good and bad here for two reasons. One to keep me honest and accountable and two, to hopefully encourage you, and myself, along the way.
I plan to be brutely honest and transparent to get to the bottom of why I have this love hate relationship with food and why it has such a strong hold on my life. I will share what I find out because I know I am not the only one! I know that there are so many things that I can't do or experience because I am out of shape and so focused on food and eating. I wonder what it feels like to run a 5K or rollerblade a few miles or actually complete one of Candace's Zumba classes. Also, I wonder what it is like to go through a day without feeling so burdened by my own body and not so preoccupied with food.
Well, we are gonna find out...all this fun officially begins on Tues Feb. 17. Why Tues? Don't all diets start on Monday? Not this time, I have been invited to a Bunco Party monday night and I will enjoy that and then hop gleefully on the wagon. So, Tuesday it is....low carb, lean protein here I come!