My South Beach Diet Journey - Phase 1 Day 5

Results Are In

Sound the trumpets! Ring the alarms! I have successfully completed 5 full days of South Beach, and I have some really exciting news.  **drumroll please** I have lost 5 lbs in 5 days! ::gasp::  ::faint::  I have never lost that much in less than a week.  And I don't feel like I'm starving myself. After the first day of my body being shocked from the new eating pattern, I got used to it.

What I've Learned

I think the most important thing with this diet (and any other diet to be honest) is planning.  The day before I started, I planned out meal plans for the full week - including snacks.  I then went to the grocery store and got everything all at once.  Once I planned ahead, I always had something to eat.  I eat every 2 hours! I just make sure to follow the guideliness of what foods are allowed, and I continue to count calories as well. 

I have to be honest, I haven't been perfect. One day during the week, at an office party, I indulged in a glass of ginger ale.  I also allow myself to sometimes eat lowfat popcorn, which I believe I shouldnt be having until phase 2.  But the most important thing is that 90% of my eating is exactly where it should be, so the other 10% does not have much of an effect on my results.

The 2nd most important thing with this diet is portion control.  When I first did South Beach many years ago, I didn't count calories.  I just thought, as long as I stay away from bad carbs I'll lose weight.   I would eat 2 steaks, or have 2 eggs and 3 sausage links and bacon... um.. NO.  While they do have a low amount of carbs, they're high in calories, fat, sodium, and cholesterol.  So this time around, not only did I avoid bad carbs, I also counted calories and measured everything.  I know this may seem daunting but if you want results, you have to sacrifice.  For example, I will only have 39 pieces of dry roasted peanuts because that is exactly the 1 ounce serving. 

Improvements Needed

1) Exercise: I have not exercised at all.  Even though I'm not as hungry, and cravings have reduced, I don't have as much energy as I normally have when I have more carbs in my system.  I think I will save the Exercise regime for phase 2. 

2) Water Intake: I only have approximately 4 glasses of water per day.  I know that I should be having 8-10 glasses, but I don't seem to remember drinking unless I'm eating.  I think I will add water by drinking one glass automatically upon waking, and one glass right before bed.

Here is today's meal plan!

Phase 1 Day 5

Breakfast

Boiled Egg

1 TBS mayo

1/2 cup stewed codfish

Midmorning Snack

1 serving SMARTFOOD popcorn

1 ounce pepperjack cheese

Lunch

sliced sweet italian sausage on a bed of lettuce w/ chopped onions and shredded cheddar cheese

Midafternoon snack

39 pieces dry roasted peanuts

Dinner

Shrimp and Broccoli in garlic Sauce

Dessert

Sugar Free Jello

My South Beach Diet Journey - Phase 1 Day 1

So I haven't posted in awhile. In fact, it's been almost exactly a year this month. What have I been up to? Hmm.. a divorce, a promotion, a loss of a total of 35 lbs... um ya, I said divorce. That in itself could be a whole other post filled with betrayal, disappointment, frustration, emotion, and new beginnings. And I promise to share as much as I can at some point, but for now, let's stick to the health stuff.

If you remember my last post, I had completed Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred. That was a huge accomplishment for me! Prior to that, I never consistently exercised since my high school cheerleading days. So after my 30 Day Shred victory, I continued on to exercise and eat well. I also became a vegetarian, which was tough at first, but after watching documentaries on the treatment of animals, as well as the hormones injected into animals that are thought to lead to the development of human cancer, I knew I had to turn away from meat. Unfortunately, during the winter I got extremely busy (and lazy) and stopped my 6 day a week workout regimen. I also found out that I am gluten sensitive. So there I was, a vegetarian, thinking that I was treating my body well by avoiding meats, when all of a sudden my skin became horrible. I was breaking out terribly on my face, chest, and back. My eczema was out with a vengeance. And a skin disorder that I have, Hidradenitis Supportiva, was worse than ever.

Needless to say I was extremely confused. I started to do research and found out that many people who were Gluten Free saw improvement in their skin issues. That's when I had my Eureka moment. I realized that the moment I stopped eating meat, I naturally increased my Gluten intake through breads and pastas. So my body was now getting overloaded with the thing that was harming it. I then had to choose - Vegetarian or Gluten Free. Since Gluten appeared to be making me ill, I had to go back to my carnivore ways in order to have somewhat of a normal eating pattern (ideally hormone-free and grass-fed of course). I know, I know. Some of you out there in bloggyland are shouting at your computer screens, "You can be both a Vegetarian and Gluten Free!" And yes, while I know that I "can", it doesn't mean that I am willing to devote my whole entire life to eating primarly lettuce leaves.

In any event, here I am - 35 lbs down, but still have another 25 to go. That's why I decided to do South Beach. I did it in the past many years ago with minimal success, but it was minimal only because I gave up after a week. This time around, I'm older and wiser, and realize that it's more for health than it is for weight loss. I actually gained a couple of pounds when I began eating meat again. Why? Because I was supplementing all of my Gluten-filled favorites with their Gluten-free counterparts which mostly is equally unhealthy. Studies show that most people gain weight while being Gluten Free because the Gluten Free substitutes have more sugar and other fillers to supplement the Gluten. Finding that out was a total bummer.

This is why I decided to try South Beach again. South Beach has 3 phases. Phase 1 is when you avoid all bad carbs and sugar for 14 days. This phase is supposed to reprogram my system, reduce cravings, and lower blood sugar. It also will help me to eat more along the lines of what a true Gluten Free person is supposed to eat like. Today was the first day and... I. AM. HUNGRY. I don't believe it's because of the diet itself because the diet has me on 1600 calories per day (and more if I exercise). I believe it's just my body going through porition size withdrawal. Today I actually ate the appropriate serving size at every meal, and was satisfied but not full. Supposedly that's the RIGHT way to feel after eating. Go figure. My body just has to get used to it because I would get hungry 2 hours after the meal as opposed to 4.  

 

What's my analysis? Overall Day 1 went okay.  One issue is that I snacked a bit too much in the evening while preparing dinner.  Though the snacks were things allowable on the diet, I ended up going over my calorie limit by 260 calories. The other issue is that I ended up eating dinner at 10:00pm, which isn't healthy in itself.  But I found a solution for that one: I will be cooking the next day's dinner the night before.  So tonight I have chili in the slowcooker for tomorrow. The apartment will smell AMAZING in the morning!  

 

Due to my hectic schedule, I won't be able to blog every day, but I'll blog every week to give updates. So without further ado, here is my Meal Plan for Day 1:

 Phase 1 Day 1

 Breakfast

1 hard boiled egg

1 tsp mayo

1 cup of coffee w/ 2 TBS evaporated milk, 1 truvia packet

 Midmorning Snack

 1 slice of bologna and 1 slice of cheese wrapped up

 Lunch

 Tuna on a bed of lettuce, 3 slices of ham, 1 slice of cheese

 Midafternoon Snack

 2 ozs peanuts

1 hard boiled egg

 

Evening Snack (this is a no-no!)

 

1 slice of bologna and 1 slice of cheese wrapped up

 

polly-o string cheese

 Dinner

4 oz boneless chicken breast

mixed vegetables

 

30 Day Shred Complete! Before and After..

I did it folks!  I successfully completed the 30 Day Shred!  I did 6 days a week, and took Saturdays off, since that's the day I do the most activities with my little guy.  It definitely wasn't easy.  There were times when I had to work out at 11:00pm after a full day of work (plus all my mama duties), and I'm tellin you I wanted to quit.  But I didn't, and I'm so proud of myself.  I haven't worked out this much since I was in high school! 

The one thing I learned is that the most important thing is to have a good support system.  I had a workout buddy who always reminded me to workout - like an accountability partner of sorts.  If I said that I was too tired to work out, he'd give me the firm, yet encouraging push that I needed to keep going.  When I began moaning and groaning about how unfair it was that I wasn't seeing results quickly enough, or how much I wanted a burger and fries, he brought me back to reality and reminded me why I was doing all of this in the first place.  I was definitely stubborn at times and needed some tough love.  Thank God for special friends!

It was also very helpful that I took before pics and measurements, because I would often get discouraged from what I saw on the scale, but once I retook pics and took out the measuring tape, I felt so much better!  So now, without further ado - here are my results:

Measurements Before
Each Arm: 13.5 in
Bust: 44 in
Waist: 42 in
Hips: 46
Each Thigh: 25.5

Measurements After
Each Arm: 13
Bust: 41
Waist: 39
Hips: 45
Each Thigh: 25

Total inches lost: 9 inches
Total pounds lost: 4 lbs

BEFORE PIC ON THE LEFT, AFTER PIC ON THE RIGHT

Uh, did I just really post those pics??  Eeeee!!!  *cringe* That took a lot of guts, friends.  I know, I know, I still have a lot of work to do, but I do see a difference in my biggest problem area (the baby bump that my little one left behind as a parting gift O_o)  The hardest thing for me ended up being the healthy eating.  I would do well for 5 days, but then tank on the weekends, which would undo the work I did.  It's still a struggle for me, but I'm improving day by day. 

The amazing thing about this journey is that I have now developed a healthy habit of exercise.  I actually feel uncomfortable if If I don't work out now.  Have you heard that age old pop culture factoid that it takes 30 days to make or break a habit?  Well actually, research shows that it takes an average of 66 days to form a habit, so I'm halfway there.  In any event, I've decided to do another round of Jillian's 30 Days, then either do one of her other Biggest Loser workout dvds or the dreaded "Insanity" workout by Shaun T that people have been raving about.  (Although I hear that it's the toughest workout known to man at this time...eeek!)  Anyway, I'll keep you posted!  How have you all been doing with your fitness goals?

Some Tips For Your 30 Day Shred Journey

So I've been doing Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred for two weeks now.  Friends, it has been the hardest workout that I've ever done, but I'm so proud of myself for sticking with it thus far.  In an effort to make it easier for those of you who may decide to join the shred family, I put together a few tips: 

•  Take Your Measurements and a Before Pic - I'm so glad that I decided to do this and not just rely on the scale.  For me (and for most shredders out there), I'm seeing more change in inches as opposed to pounds.  I've actually gained a pound since beginning, but I've lost 5 inches throughout my body in just two weeks.  And mamas, those of you who are still battling the post pregnancy bulge, you'll be excited to know that the biggest change so far has been in my waist line *squeal!*

•  Take One Day Off - Jillian recommends doing the work out 7 days a week since it's only 25 minutes, but as a beginner, I felt that if I didn't get one day to relax and prepare for the next week of exercising, I'd give up.  So a rest day was imperative for me. I've seen results already, even with the rest day, so rest away!

• Low Carb It on Your Day Off - In order to stay on track on my off day, I decided to consume tons of protein, and only about 50 grams of carbs.  That way, I can boost my weight loss potential on the day that I'm not burning the extra calories.  The 50 grams of carbs should be from fruits/vegetables and/or whole wheat bread.  (For the rest of the week, it makes complete sense to take in a regular amount of carbs because that is what gives you energy to work out.)   

•  Switch Levels Every 10 Days - The workout comes with 3 levels.  I didn't know when I was supposed to change to the next level, but after researching what other shredders do, it seems to be the general concensus that changing levels every 10 days is the best idea. It gives you enough time to master the level you're on before moving up.  Of course if you're still not ready to move up after the 10 days, then stick with the level you're on. 

•  You May Gain Weight Initially - Let me tell you, I was extremely upset after seeing that I gained a pound after all my hard work over the past two weeks.  Yes, I may have had some minor set backs with my eating here and there, but for the most part I stuck to my 1500 calories per day and 6 day a week workouts.  After boo hoo-ing about it for an hour or two (or five), I decided to research a bit. I found that many shredders gain a little weight during the first 2 levels, and start to see the pounds melt away during level 3.  This weight gain phenomena actually happens to most people who begin a new workout regimen.  When working out, you retain water a lot more than if you were sedentary.  This is because the water is being sent directly to your muscles to protect them while they're growing and changing.  Your body regulates after 2-3 weeks of consistent exercise.  That's when your weight starts to drop.  So don't pay attention to the scale for the first few weeks.  Focus on inches and the mirror.

• Use Heavier Weights Next Time Around - Jillian's 30 Day Shred is awesome, but it's..well.. it's just 30 days.  And if you have a ton of weight to shred off *raises hand*, then you might want to redo the cycle.  So after my first 30 days, I plan on taking a two day rest, then going right into the second cycle, but this time using 5 lb weights instead of my current 3 lbs. 

So stay tuned, folks!  In about two weeks, I'll be done with my first cycle of 30 Day Shred, and as promised, I will post my Before and After pics for ALL TO SEE! *shriek!* *passes out* See you then!

My Latest Diet Conquest - Mini Meals

That's right guys. I'm trying yet another diet style. I know many of you can agree that none of us plan on stopping until we reach our goals. For me, it's to lose 40 lbs. I absolutely HAVE to lose 40 lbs by June 28th. Why? Well, for many reasons:

1) I'm dangerously starting to weigh what I weighed while pregnant with little M, and that is RIDICULOUS - seeing as I'm only pregnant with bread, pasta, french fries, and cookies.

2) June 28th is when I turn.... 30! {GASP} And I do not want to enter a new chapter in my life feeling like the same old tired self that I feel right now.

3) My dad offered as incentive to give me $500 for my 30th birthday IF AND ONLY IF I lose the 40 lbs that I'm desperate to lose. (Okay I don't know if he's being helpful or offensive. Either way I took the challenge.)

4) The end of this year/beginning of next, we MAY be trying for #2, and there is no way I can be this heavy going into another pregnancy. Heck no.

5) My hubby wants to throw me a huge 30th birthday bash and my dream is to walk into my extravaganza 40 lbs thinner and wearing a strapless, form fitting, WHITE dress. That's right. WHITE. I've avoided white for years to avoid being mistaken for a beached whale. As a matter of fact, I haven't worn a white dress since my wedding (almost 5 years ago). Sinced then, black has been my bestest friend. But not on my 30th! I want to be in white, and with all eyes on me!

So now you can see why it's IMPERATIVE for me to lose the weight. Of course, there are the additional common reasons of health, looking good for hubby, energy, etc. And how am I going to accomplish this great feat? Glad you asked!

THE MINI MEAL DIET

I'm sure you all have heard of it. Basically you eat 5 small meals of 300 calories each per day, as opposed to 3 huge meals. The science behind it says that eating 5 smaller meals stabilizes your blood sugar, and increases your metabolism.

From what I read, each meal you eat, your body breaks down as much as it can, and then the rest gets converted to fat. So the bigger the meal, the more gets converted to fat, even if you only eat twice a day. By eating 5 small meals, the body burns up the small meal very easily, and not as much gets stored as fat - plus you have a better chance of burning the calories you just ate throughout the day.

It's also a calorie counting thing. Eating 5 small meals of 300 calories each equates to 1500 calories per day. So even though it'll feel like you're constantly eating, you're actually consuming LESS calories, than what you usually would by having your average 3 huge meals.

I'm really excited to start! I'm actually setting a timer on my iphone to remind me when to eat. So my schedule will be 9am, 12pm, 3pm, 6pm, and 9pm. You can make your schedule any way you want, as long as you can space out the meals to about every 3 hours. I happen to work evenings, and don't get home until like 8:30pm, so my last meal of the day always ends up being around that time. I will write another blog post later tonight with my whole day's eating plan, as well as my thoughts on how it went. See you then! [NOTE:] The above picture does not accurately represent a 300 calorie meal, before you guys pull out your hair!

p.s., if you'd like to see a BEFORE picture of me - CLICK HERE and visually add 20 lbs to that. Yup. No words.

That's it - This Family is Going Organic!

I just finished reading "Master Your Metabolism" by Jillian Michaels. Wow. Let me just say that at first, all I read it for was to find a new diet regime. I'm a bit of a serial dieter, so pretty much every month I move on to the next new thing. But after reading this book, it opened up my eyes to what's more important than just being a yo-yo dieter: Being HEALTHY.

The book really goes in depth into how our hormones play a huge role in why some of us hold onto weight more than others. If you are the kind of person that will only lose 2 lbs after weeks of working out 5x/week and eating very little calories, you may have an imbalance with the hormones in your body. Many people have thyroid issues and don't even realize it. What's even more interesting, is that many of the hormone imbalances that we have are caused NOT by genetics, but by the type of food we put into our body and the timing that we eat throughout the day. So our bodies are going hay-wire, trying to regulate hormones that shouldn't be in the body, which slows everything down - including weight loss! Ahh!!

The beef that we eat comes from cows that were given estrogen hormones to fatten them up about 3 lbs per day. This is for obvious reasons. More meat = more money. The problem is that the saying rings true - YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT. If your beef has been injected with hormones, the beef on your plate has those very same hormones, and the milk that comes from those cows have those very same hormones.

Milk?? What the, what?! Mamas.. need I say more? If you are giving your toddler regular milk, thinking that it's benefiting them, it really isn't. There are such high levels of estrogen in our milk (cow and soy) that there is research showing young boys growing up with issues with their sex organs, as well as young girls getting their period too early and developing breasts too soon. Yikes! And you know how there are more diagnoses of ADHD in America? Well research has been starting to link these cases with the crap in our food. And what do our doctors do? Just give our poor kids medications that just screw up their chemical/hormonal levels even more. Ugh!

I can go on and on about it - and maybe I will in a later post. Needless to say, I went food shopping yesterday and pretty much changed everything in our fridge and cupboards, from organic eggs, peanut butter, and pasta, to organic milk, juice, and snacks for my little guy (and big guy too). By the way, it wasn't much more expensive than buying regular groceries and eating healthy now will save us money in the future w/ reduced medical costs later! In total, we spent $150. The norm is about $120, but we also were doing a total overall and purchasing things that we won't be buying every week. So it's well worth it.

Oh, and guess what? My son didn't even notice the change in milk, and I think he enjoyed the organic milk even more! I tell you, it feels great to be able to confidently give your baby food that you know has no preservatives, no hormones, no funkiness at all. :) And if hubby and I lose weight in the process, it'll be an added bonus!

Water Challenge - Hit and Miss

Overall, the Water Challenge went pretty well! I did have a few set backs though:

1) One evening, the hubs decided to cook dinner and brought out a plate and drink for me.. the drink was fruit punch. And without batting an eyelash, I drank it all down - THEN was shocked and realized, holy moly I'm on a water challenge! Thankfully it was only a 1/2 a cup, and I drank two cups of water right after.

2) My best friends took me out to an Indian Restaurant last night for my belated birthday gift, and I HAD to have the Mango Lassi drink since I haven't been to that Indian restuarant in like 2 years. Uh.. I also had a glass of soda... hey it was a celebration!!

Other than those two incidents, I did pretty well and I think it helped to add to my total week weight loss! But more on that tomrrow when I do my weekly Fit Mama Club post! See you then!