Week #8 Weigh-in: End of Month 2

So I'm just going to start by saying that there was not a single change in my measurements this week.  Although I got 3 solid workouts in, as planned, I could have done better food-wise.  Someday, I will do well with both these things at the same time.  THEN the magic will happen!!  However, this week I have nothing exciting to report.  I am not upset.  I know exactly why it happened, er... didn't happen.  And, as always, I am working toward a better week next week.

I am starting my softball league tonight!  I am very excited, and a little nervous, about this.  I have not done the "team-sport" thing in a LOOOOONG time.  And I have no idea what to expect, from the team or myself.  But I am excited to get out and do something active and fun and have the chance to meet new people.  I'm hoping this will open a door for me for future experiences like it.  Another step toward a healthier, more active lifestyle.

Anywho, here are the numbers.

 

Since starting 2 months ago I have lost 8 pounds, 2 1/2 inches from my chest, 4 1/2 inches from my waist, and 3 inches from my hips.  So, for that, I am proud.  And there hasn't been a single week where I've had to report a gain in anything, of which I am also proud.  

I am trying very hard to not just blindly follow a rigid diet or strenuous exercise plan.  I want these changes I'm making to be sustainable.  I do not want to lost 30 pounds and then have a stressful month in which there is no way I could possibly keep up with what I was doing before.  I want it to be part of my life.  I want it to flow so smoothly in with the rest of my life that it seems seamless, a part of the scenery, the furniture of my days.  I could very easily go back to the strict diet I have done, and succeeded with, in the past.  But I always fall off the bandwagon and gain all the weight right back because it's just not reasonable to live like that.  I could follow some crazy exercise plan, get myself in great shape, and then suddenly run into a busy place in which the workouts just don't fit.  I don't want to do that.  I've DONE that.  I want a true change, physically and mentally.  I want to be an athletic, active person, not just act like one.  I want to get back to the outdoors and enjoy the splendor that God has given us.  I want to play and explore.  I want to ground myself to something real and steady.  I want happiness.  I want a lot of things that are within my reach and I know that anything worth having is worth working and waiting for.  If I really want it, I will have it.  One step at a time.

Week #7 Weigh-in

I don't really understand how it's happening, but my measurements are continuing to slowly decrease while my weight is staying the same.  I didn't lose any weight this week, only getting 2 workouts in and I definitely did not drink enough water.  But something I'm doing must be working, even if it's slowly.

 

I was looking through some old measurements I had taken years ago when I had been trying to lose weight.  I was almost 10 pounds lighter, but I had more inches than I do now... I'm not exactly sure what the reason for this is.  My only thought is the last couple times I've lost weight I have done it with food only, so the weight came off quickly.  But maybe pairing it with exercise means that the weight comes off slower but the results are better.  I mean, I already know that is the healthier way to go.  But when I stepped on the scale this morning and saw that my weight hadn't budged for the third week in a row, I really wasn't expecting much when I measure myself.  I did it a couple times because I thought maybe I had done it wrong.

While I'd like to be losing weight and changing more visibly, it's obvious that my body IS changing, and I feel content in this.  Maybe this creepingly slow progress is exactly what I need to reach my goal of lifetime change, not just momentary weight-loss.  

This just goes to show how important it is to NOT make the scale your one and only measure for success.  My pants are starting to get a little big, I can fit into a pair of dress pants that haven't fit me for a while.  I may not be slim, but I'm slimming, and that's all the really matters.

Losing Inches But Not Losing Weight?

Focus on Fat Loss, Not Weight Loss

By Paige Waehner, About.com Guide

Updated October 05, 2011

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

Because so many of us want to lose weight, at any given moment, most of us know how much we weigh. Most of us even have a favorite scale, the favorite being the one that gives us the lowest number possible. We talk about weight, think about weight and, sometimes, lie about weight, but how often do we think about what that number means? For too many of us, weight isn't just a number but something that can actually change how we feel about ourselves. But, what does your weight really mean and how useful is it when it comes to tracking weight loss progress? Learning the answers to those questions may just have you tossing out your scale forever.
Focus on Fat Loss, Not Weight Loss
When you talk about losing weight, what you usually mean is slimming down. But slimming down doesn't always mean losing weight. It may sound odd, but it's possible to get thinner without actually seeing a change in your weight. This happens when you lose body fat while gaining muscle. Your weight may stay the same, even as you lose inches, a sign that you're moving in the right direction. But, if the scale doesn't change, you may not even be aware that you're getting real results. Knowing the difference between losing weight and losing body fat can change how you get results and may even change how you look at your own body.
The Truth About Your Weight
What does your weight say about you? If you think about it, that number doesn't tell you a whole lot. The scale shows your weight, but does it tell you how much of that weight is muscle and how much is fat? Or how much of that weight is water, bones or organs? A bodybuilder's weight could be off the charts because of extra muscle, but does that mean he's overweight or fat? Most of us would say no because we know that weight doesn't tell the whole story.
Knowing your body composition is crucial information if you really want to get results and, unfortunately, the scale doesn't tell you that. Another reason scale weight isn't so reliable is that it changes all the time. All of us experience weight changes throughout the day, sometimes by as much as 10 pounds depending on what and how often we eat and drink. You could gain weight right now by putting on a pair of heavy boots, but does that mean you've gained fat? No. Just as taking those boots off doesn't mean you've lost any fat.
While the scale isn't completely useless, it may not be the best tool for people just starting a fat loss program. If it doesn't help you stay on track and reach your goals, maybe it's time to throw out the scale for good.
Should You Throw Out the Scale?
You now know that focusing on fat loss is much more important than focusing on your weight. When you lose body fat, you're making permanent changes in your body, shifting your body composition so that you have less fat and more muscle. When you lose weight, you could be losing water or even muscle. It's impossible to know if you're seeing real results or just the product of your daily habits, hormonal shifts and changing hydration levels.
When you first start a program, you may need extra encouragement to keep going, proof that what you're doing is working and the scale may not give you that. Other ways the scale can work against you:

• It measures everything: The number on the scale includes everything - muscles, fat, bones, organs, fat, food and water. For that reason, your scale weight can be a deceptive number.
• It doesn't reflect the changes happening in your body: If you're doing cardio and strength training, you may build lean muscle tissue at the same time you're losing fat. In that case, the scale may not change even though you're getting leaner and slimmer.
• It doesn't reflect your health: As mentioned above, the scale can't tell the difference between fat and muscle. That means a person can have a low body weight, but still have unhealthy levels of body fat.
• It isn't always a positive motivator: If you step on the scale and you're unhappy with what you see, how does that make you feel? You may question everything you're doing, wondering why you even bother at all. Focusing on weight may overshadow the positive results you're getting such as fat loss, more endurance and higher energy levels.

Change How You Measure Your Success
Even if you're not ready to stop weighing yourself entirely, using other ways to measure progress¹ can keep you motivated and help you realize that you are making changes, no matter what the scale says.

• Go by how your clothes fit. If they fit more loosely, you know you're on the right track
• Take your measurements² to see if you're losing inches
• Get your body fat tested³ or use an online calculator⁴
• Set performance goals. Instead of worrying about weight loss or fat loss, focus on completing a certain number of workouts each week or competing in a race

If the scale is making you crazy, taking a break from weighing yourself may just open your eyes to other possibilities. Your weight isn't the only measure of your success. Put away the scale and you may just see how far you've really come.

 

If we aren't the change we want to see, who will be?

I loved the article below when I read it.  It really is that simple.  We have an obligation to ourselves, our sisters, our daughters, the next generation of women to change the perspective.  I look at my little girl and I NEVER EVER EVER want her to look in the mirror and feel disgusted by herself or go into school and compare herself to every girl she sees, of course seeing their merits as far above her own.  We need to stop the cycle, ladies!  We need to stop looking into mirrors to find our self-worth and start looking into ourselves, into the eyes of those who love us.  We need to get up and move, not because it will help us lose weight, but because our bodies were meant to move.  Our bodies CRAVE this movement, and we deserve the physical and mental benefits that come from it.  We need to fuel our bodies with natural, healthy foods so that our bodies operate at their best, like the fine-tuned machines that God built for us.  We need a paradigm shift!  Get up and move, feel better, eat better, get stronger, be healthy and happy.

As a side-note, for any men who happen to read this, especially those with daughters, you play a major part in this.  Tell your daughters they are beautiful inside and out no matter what, encourage healthy behavior, let them know you cherish them for the people that they are.  Set an example for healthy living, make it a part of your family life.  Encourage your girls to play like boys, to run and sweat and laugh... Fathers, your role is so much larger than you think.

Healthy vs. Skinny

November 14, 2011 by Natalie Lynn Borton

Skinny tells us eat as few calories as possible, nothing tastes as good as skinny feels, thinner is better, you’re worth more if you weigh less. When we see the words written out, most of us would probably agree those statements seem silly. But if we think about how we live our lives–the way we eat, the media we indulge in, the way we talk about our bodies to others or in our heads–we know that we’ve fallen for the lies.
Skinny wasn’t always “in,” but that body type has certainly dominated the media world for the past few decades. We see and hear skinny when we shop online, as we browse magazines, or while watching TV—and if you live in Southern California like me, simply walking by women on the street.
Let me first say, I am not anti-skinny. Some women are naturally less curvy than others, just as some women are shorter or have longer faces. Rather than bash one body type (which is never okay in my book), I want to bring attention to an issue today’s women are facing: in our culture, skinny trumps healthy.
What happened to health, exercising for wellness, eating what fuels our bodies to operate at their best, seeing beauty in the various shapes of women? We’ve exchanged truth for lies, worshipping outward appearance rather than embracing the bodies we’ve been given. Girls, we have to stand up for what is good and true. It’s time to say goodbye to the glamorized and romanticized ideas of skinny we have in our heads and treat our bodies with love and respect. Skinny is out, healthy is in.
Changing our mindset won’t happen overnight, but there are things we can start doing today that will help us exchange healthy for skinny over time. Start with these:

1. Ditch the scale (most of the time, at least). There is nothing inherently wrong with weighing yourself to ensure you’re within a healthy weight for your height and frame; however, that’s really not the way most of us use the scale these days, is it? Say goodbye to weight-based worth. You are more than a number.

2. Eat real food. For years, I ordered drinks at Starbucks with sugar-free syrup, drank soda of the diet-variety only, and bought low-fat and fat-free products at the store to avoid the extra calories of the real deal. Do yourself a favor and have real food in moderation. Treat your body to fresh, natural foods that nourish rather than diet foods that fill your body with chemicals. You will thank yourself in 50 years, I promise.

3. Minimize toxic media exposure. If watching a certain reality show or reading a certain magazine triggers your mind to believe that skinny is what it’s all about, stop exposing yourself to it. The more we see and hear lies, the more we believe them. Fill your mind, your eyes and your ears with information and images that contribute to you living a full, healthy life.

Make this pledge to yourself today: I choose healthy over skinny, real food over chemicals, and truth over lies.

Week #6 Weigh-in

6 weeks in and not much has changed over the last couple weeks.  But I am not giving up!  I am going to continue to try, continue to make small changes in my life, and I will achieve my goals eventually. 

My goals for this next week are the same as the last.  I did not do as much as I'd hoped, but I will try again this week.

1) Drink at least 64 oz of  water a day.- This week I did not do very well with drinking more water.  In fact, I'm pretty sure I was dehydrated and that probably accounted for some of my headaches and fatigue.  This is definitely something I need to pay closer attention to!

2) Continue working on cutting out Diet Coke- I'm going to aim for no more than 2 servings for the entire week.- I think I only had Diet Coke twice this week, which means I did achieve this goal.  I will try to aim for less than 2 this coming week.

3) Make healthier food choices at each meal.- I did OK with this for the most part, however I made cookies for work which I may or may not have over-indulged in myself.  I think I need to revamp my weekly menu.

4) Get AT LEAST 3 solid workouts in.- Oh boy, I did not do well this week.  I did 1 workout.  ONE!  Oh well, it's over.  I'm scheduling my workouts this week and will treat them as important appointments that I cannot miss!

Anyway, here are the numbers.  Not much change, a little bit smaller but not any lighter.  I'll get there...

 

I read a lot this last week.  I think this week I need to read a little less and move a little more.  And stay away from those stinkin' cookies!!  :-)

 

 

Hippy Hippy, Leggy Leggy Shake

Alright, I did my Turbo Sculpt video for the first time in a couple weeks this morning.  After my hiatus, it was difficult.  My legs were shaking, especially, doing all the lunges and squats.  But I have to say I've missed it and I feel so much better for getting up and doing it this morning.

I'm excited to be working back towards the progress I was making a couple weeks ago.  I can feel this morning what I was feeling then: the improved mental clarity and physical posture, the firmness in my muscles, the calmer internal dialogue.  I think exercise does as much, or more, for me mentally as it does physically.  Maybe part of it is pride in myself for taking positive steps towards my goal.  Whatever it is, I feel better for it.

The moral of the story, children, is don't stop.  These last couple weeks I have felt awful, both physically and mentally.  I've been tired, depressed, angsty, and disappointed in myself.  Those feelings are not worth the extra 20 minutes of laying around in bed or the couple extra chapters in my the book I'm reading.  I'm not saying that down-time is not important.  What I AM saying is that I need to find balance between my down-time and my go-go-go time.  They are both equally important to my health and should be given the time and the attention they each deserve. 

So now that I've worked out, I'm going to eat a healthy breakfast, get some chores done, and then spend some quality time with the kids. If you haven't already, take a look at your calendar this week and see if you can find a 30 minute pocket of time and fit in a workout or two.  I promise you won't regret it.

This cracks me up every time! 

Week #5 Weigh-in

Confession time:  I did not work out once this entire week!  Gasp!  My last work-out was LAST Thursday.  My ankle is healing but still not ready for weight-bearing exercise.  I had a bad food weekend (we had a date night and guests in town), so I tried to get my act together over the last few days.  However, I really need to get back into the habit of daily exercise.  Exercise is what was making me feel better, giving me more energy, causing positive changes in my body.  So this week, while I will try to be better about eating healthy foods, I will also re-focus and bring exercise back into it. 

This is the end of the first week of a new month for me, so I'm going to post the difference between my beginning numbers and my current numbers. 

 

This last week I lost 1 lb, lost 1/2 an inch around my chest, and 1/2 an inch around my hips, nothing around my waist.  While I'm still moving forward, which is important, I'm not making the progress I had hoped for and I know exactly why.  This is not one of those times were I worked my butt off and still only lost 1 pound and am left dumbfounded.  I know EXACTLY why these numbers are the way they are.  I got out of it what I put into it, simple as that.  

 

To that end, I am once again resetting myself.  My life seems to be nothing more than attempts and adjustments.  But I figure as long as I never stop making those little adjustments based on experience and lessons learned that eventually my life will be pointed in the direction I've always hoped for.   This week I will be specific regarding my expectations for myself, so I have real, doable goals to work towards.

This week's goals:

1) Drink at least 64 oz of  water a day.

2) Continue working on cutting out Diet Coke- I'm going to aim for no more than 2 servings for the entire week.

3) Make healthier food choices at each meal.

4) Get AT LEAST 3 solid workouts in.

I am promising myself, because I deserve it, that I will accomplish these 4 goals this week.  And I bet you anything that next week I will have much more pride in the numbers I present.  

“Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.”

 -Henry Ford

 (BTW, I trust Henry Ford's opinion.  He was the guy who forgot to put a reverse gear in the first car he made.)

 

 “You get what you give. What you put into things is what you get out of them.” 

-Jennifer Lopez

Listen all of y'all, it's a sabotage!

I have hit a wall.  An emotional wall. 

 Again I find myself facing a truth that I've known for a long time.  Something that has held me back in so many aspects of my life:

I am my own worst enemy.

 

 I found an article by Dr. Robert Anthony that addresses some self-sabotaging behaviors, what they are and how to recognize and overcome them. I was chuckling a little while reading this because I knew I was not helping myself, but I never really saw exactly how much I was hurting myself.  

1. Focusing on what is not working, not right or missing from your life.

Problem: Notice how often you speak about and think about what is not working, not right, or missing from your life. This only attracts more of the things you don’t want.

Action: Ask yourself a new question: “What’s going right?” or “What IS working?” Begin to notice all the things, no matter how small, that are working well. Keep an evidence journal and each day write down everything, I do mean everything, that is working and you will attract more of what is working!

My Thoughts: I have tried for years to overcome my negative, defeatist attitude.   There have been many times in my life that I've wondered if there was something broken inside of my that it takes SO much effort to be happy.  This might be a struggle my whole life, but I'm not ready to give up.

2. Being stuck in fear.

Problem: Do you worry a lot about the future and what is going to happen or might happen? Are you thinking about your fears so much that you are paralyzed and take no action because of fear of what might occur?

Action: It is time to put your focus on the present. We can’t control or predict the future or other people’s behaviors. All we can control is our own, right here, right now.

Ask yourself the question “What is the worst thing that could happen?” Then, let go and know that rarely do the scenarios we create in our heads occur. Take a moment to put things into perspective by writing down the things you cannot change, the things you want to change, and accept that the Universe, God, Spirit, whatever you call it will take of the rest. It always does!

 My Thoughts: After I read The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, I took very seriously the concept of paradigm shift and circle of control.  You cannot control those around you, your environment, etc.  All you have control over is your actions and reactions.  I constantly have to remind myself of this.  Because of this I'm finding it easier to let go of things that are not in my control, but I still have not conquered taking control of the things that are.  I need to work on taking control of my thoughts, my emotions, and my actions.

3. Feeling you have no value.

Problem: Do you forget all your accomplishments and lack pride in who you are and what you have accomplished? If you obsess about the past or your lack of success or lack of achievement, then you’ll be stuck in noticing how much you lack as a person. If you often criticize yourself or can’t accept compliments, it’s a definite sign that you have fallen into this trap.

Action: You can choose to notice what you do that is good and the things you can be proud of, no matter how small they may seem. Each day keep a log of what you are grateful for about YOU. When you hear your mind chattering about what you haven’t done right or well, turn down the volume and turn up the volume to hear the voice that knows the TRUTH about who you are and how you add value to the world.

Acknowledge yourself for at least 5 things each and every day that you did well. Each day, compliment yourself on something you did that you feel good about. Notice your small successes and accept the compliments others give you.

My Thoughts: Oh man, I have tried this SOOO many times!  It's not hard to say something nice to someone you respect and/or love.  You WANT to say those things BECAUSE you respect and love them.  But what if you don't?  Have you ever noticed how hard it is to say something nice to someone you don't think very highly of?  What if that person is you?  I have a constant dialogue going on in my head all day, my friend calls it The Committee.  Most of this self-talk is negative and has been a good majority of my life.  How do you overcome this negative self-talk?  How do you break the habit?  This is something I've been working on for years and will continue to try to conquer because it's so hurtful and unnecessary.  I KNOW this... I just have to convince The Committee.

4. Comparing yourself to others.

Problem: Do you constantly compare yourself to others and then feel badly when compared to them? Comparison doesn’t motivate us to do more or be better, instead it makes us feel we’ll never be good enough and we aren’t right now.

Action: Write out the 5 qualities you like best about yourself. Then write out what you value most in your life. When you go to a place of comparison, notice how similar you are with the other person vs. what is different. Begin to create a list of adjectives that describe you – at least 25 positive words about your greatness. Whenever you notice yourself in a comparison mode, think of some of the adjectives that describe YOU.

My Thoughts:  Again, something I, and probably everybody else, struggle with.  How many times do you meet someone new and immediately size them up to see where they fit on your spectrum.  "Oh good, she's heavier than me" your subconscious guiltily sighs, or "Oh crap... she's gorgeous" it greenly admits through gritted teeth.  Not just physically, but in life accomplishments too!  They have more education, a better job, more kids, a nicer home, blah blah blah.  I am finally getting to a point where I can look at my life accomplishments and say "I'm doing my best and getting better".  But I still constantly compare every other woman's body to my own, usually finding that she has nicer skin, a bigger chest, a smaller waist, or a killer smile and feeling completely inferior.  Time to start only comparing myself to myself, the only person I can every truly be like.

5. Self-Sabotage – getting what you want and then losing it.

Problem: Do you not believe that you deserve to have what you want? When you get what you want, why do you often lose it or mess it up? What is the true story underneath – maybe that you think aren’t good enough to have it?

Action: List all the things you have accomplished that faded away. Simply notice these things, but don’t place any judgment on the fact they disappeared. How did they bring you satisfaction? How did they make you feel? What is the limiting belief that you have that tells you inside why you can’t have what you want? Be quiet, be still and listen to it.

Write down how you felt when you had what you wanted. Write down how you feel now, without it. Then write a “bridge belief”: A very, very small belief that feels a little bit better than what you now feel. Each week, create a new bridge belief, not matter how small, that you can really believe. By using these bridges as stepping-stones, you’ll shift your limiting beliefs slowly and be on the other side of the bridge and able to maintain it because you will have a new belief inside of you.

My Thoughts: My apartment is filled with notebooks that are filled with lists that are full of hopes of accomplishments.  Most of these lists were created during a moment of motivation when I decided I needed to work on something and made a list of how to do it.  The problem is, I rarely, if EVER, complete and accomplish the things on these lists.  Making lists and having dreams is easy, making them happen is something completely different.  That's one of the reasons I started the blog because I felt if I made a public list that wasn't just tucked away and forgotten in a notebook that I might actually finish something.  I think it would do wonders for my self-esteem if I did, not just from getting healthier, but from actually finishing something.

6. You chase away relationships.

Problem: Do you always feel something is missing in your relationships or find fault with the other person? Perhaps you are afraid of intimacy. Underneath this is usually a fear of abandonment or exposure that causes you to distance yourself from others.

Action: Create a list of the qualities you value in a relationship and the qualities you want to attract in your partners. Express what you want and don’t want to the other person and allow them to express the same to you. Create time to acknowledge the other person on a regular basis. Notice when you feel afraid. Don’t try to push the feelings away. Know that the feelings are there and that is fine. Then, in that moment, focus on what feels good about the relationship.

My Thoughts:  I do this, and I'm not sure why.  It's not because of the other person, I know it has to do with my insecurities.  But what am I afraid of, truly?  What is it that makes me burn bridges, keep people at a distance, form acquaintances but not many true friendships?  This is something to think about.

7. Having no purpose.

Problem: Do you feel you have no purpose in life? We all have some purpose for being on the planet and it is time to notice yours.

Action: Write down all the things that are important to you – the thing you want to create in your life. Then write out what you want to contribute to the world. From your writing, create a statement of purpose for yourself that you can read each and every day.

Then stop worrying about not knowing your purpose and start creating what you desire now. It doesn’t matter what you want in the future. So start creating something you want in your life NOW. This action will ultimately put you in alignment and bring you closer to your overall purpose.

My Thoughts:  I do feel like I have no purpose a lot of the time.  Sometimes I wonder if my only purpose was to bring my beautiful children into this world because THEY have a purpose... that's probably not true.  But I don't feel like I've found my groove yet.  I've been trying to fit myself into grooves that were not mine.  Time to find my own... or create my own.  And sooner rather than later.

Just a Spoonful of Sugar

I found this on WebMD. 13 tips to help get over sugar cravings.  Most of us probably already know them, but a little reminder never hurt anybody.  Knowing something and practicing it are two very different things.  It's time to practice!

I have been doing little things like brushing my teeth after eating, drinking water when I feel a craving hit, or getting up and distracting myself for a few minutes.  I have found if I give in a little bit, I tend to give in a lotta bit.  I am not a "just a taste" kind of person.  Do you know your limits? What do you do to thwart cravings? 

1. Give in a little. Eat a bit of what you’re craving, maybe a small cookie or a fun-size candy bar, suggests Kerry Neville, MS, RD, a registered dietitian and ADA spokeswoman. Enjoying a little of what you love can help you steer clear of feeling denied. Try to stick to a 150-calorie threshold, Neville says.
2. Combine foods. If the idea of stopping at a cookie or a baby candy bar seems impossible, you can still fill yourself up and satisfy a sugar craving, too. "I like combining the craving food with a healthful one," Neville says. "I love chocolate, for example, so sometimes I’ll dip a banana in chocolate sauce and that gives me what I’m craving, or I mix some almonds with chocolate chips." As a beneficial bonus, you'll satisfy a craving and get healthy nutrients from those good-for-you foods.
3. Go cold turkey. Cutting out all simple sugars works for some people, although "the initial 48 to 72 hours are tough," Gerbstadt says. Some people find that going cold turkey helps their cravings diminish after a few days; others find they may still crave sugar but over time are able to train their taste buds to be satisfied with less.
4. Grab some gum. If you want to avoid giving in to a sugar craving completely, try chewing a stick of gum, says nutrition advisor Dave Grotto, RD, LDN. "Research has shown that chewing gum can reduce food cravings," Grotto says.
5. Reach for fruit. Keep fruit handy for when sugar cravings hit. You'll get fiber and nutrients along with some sweetness. And stock up on foods like nuts, seeds, and dried fruits, says certified addiction specialist Judy Chambers, LCSW, CAS. "Have them handy so you reach for them instead of reaching for the old [sugary] something."
6. Get up and go. When a sugar craving hits, walk away. "Take a walk around the block or [do] something to change the scenery," to take your mind off the food you’re craving, Neville suggests.
7. Choose quality over quantity. "If you need a sugar splurge, pick a wonderful, decadent sugary food," Moores says. But keep it small. For example, choose a perfect dark chocolate truffle instead of a king-sized candy bar, then "savor every bite -- slowly," Moores says. Grotto agrees. "Don’t swear off favorites -- you’ll only come back for greater portions. Learn to incorporate small amounts in the diet but concentrate on filling your stomach with less sugary and [healthier] options."
8. Eat regularly. Waiting too long between meals may set you up to choose sugary, fatty foods that cut your hunger, Moores says. Instead, eating every three to five hours can help keep blood sugar stable and help you "avoid irrational eating behavior," Grotto says. Your best bets? "Choose protein, fiber-rich foods like whole grains and produce," Moores says.
9. Skip artificial sweeteners. Artificial sweeteners may sound like a great idea, but "they don’t lessen cravings for sugar and haven’t demonstrated a positive effect on our obesity epidemic," says Grotto, author of 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life.
10. Reward yourself for successfully managing sugar cravings. Your reward could be large or small.  Remember why you’re working on it and then reward yourself for each successful step.
11. Slow down. For one week, focus on your sugar cravings and think about what you’re eating, suggests Chambers. Diet mayhem often results from lack of planning. So slow down, plan, "and eat what you intend to eat, instead of eating when you’re desperate," Chambers says.
12. Get support. Many people turn to sweet foods when they're stressed, depressed, or angry.  But food doesn't solve emotional issues. Consider whether emotions are involved in your sugar cravings and whether you need help to find other solutions to those emotional problems.
13. Mix it up. You may need more than one strategy to thwart sugar cravings. One week you may find success with one tactic, and another week calls for an alternative approach. What’s important is to “have a ‘bag of tricks’ to try,” Gerbstadt tells WebMD. To tame sugar cravings, you really need to "figure out what works for you," Neville says.

Week #4 Weigh In

So this is the end of my first month.  I've made some progress, had some set backs, and learned a lot.  I decided that it was time to review my original goals and to see where I am compared to where I wanted to be.

1) Quit Caffeine: I have not had Crystal Light since I started (yay me!), and I have cut back on how much Diet Coke I've had.  This month I will try to cut it out altogether.  I definitely have been drinking way more water.  I have experienced the added benefits of less headaches, less bloating, and easier sleeping.
2) Quit Artificial Sugars: Again, see above.  I will do my best to completely cut these out this month.
3) Run a 5K: Well, a swollen, sore ankle has really put a damper on this goal.  I plan on seeing a doctor to see what exactly I did to it and hopefully will be able to get back into the running eventually.  In the meantime, I'm biking.
4) Move to a clean diet: This is a day-to-day struggle for me.  Some days I can be so good, hardly feeling any cravings for bad food, feeling satisfied with good.  And then other days it's like I'm a sugar-eating-machine, a mindless drone consuming every carb and refined thing in sight. I have a feeling that conquering this will be my biggest challenge in the weeks to come.  But hey!  Who doesn't love a challenge, right?! 
5) Get at least 2 days of toning/sculpting exercises in a week:  I have been doing this for the most part!  I was doing the Turbo Sculpt video the first couple weeks and seeing awesome result, but it hurts my ankle too much so I've switched to hand weights, high resistance on the bike, and Pilates.  I haven't been seeing quite the results I was before, but progress is progress.  It's better than sitting around doing nothing!


So here are my numbers for week 4... I'm disappointed in myself because I know I could have done better.  It seems I say this every week and then every week I'm still a little disappointed.  Learning opportunity maybe?

The difference between week 3 and week 4 was what disappointed me.  And then I made this:

I have not have seen much change over the last week (although I still did lose half an inch around both my waist and hips... that's something), but when I looked at where I was when I started and where I am now, I felt my pride glow a little.  I may have come 1 lb short of my goal for the month, but I lost 7 lbs and 7".  I feel my body confidence improving, my health improving, my clothes fitting better.  I even willingly have gone down to the pool with the kids several times and not spent the entire time agonizing over how I look.  This is proof that maybe I'm not moving forward as fast as I would like, but I AM moving forward.  And as long as I keep moving forward, I know I will reach my goals.

The proof is in the pudding... not pudding... veggies and lean proteins!  Yeah... the proof is in the veggies and lean proteins, people!  And in the exercise!  I have tried to lose weight before on diet alone.  It can be done, it can happen quickly, but I have ALWAYS gained it back.  The question I keep asking myself is "Do you want to be skinny and weak or do you want to be healthy and strong?"  To be completely honest, there are definitely days that I would settle for skinny and weak, but 9 times out of 10 I yearn to be healthy and strong.  I want confidence and muscle tone and energy.  And I bet you anything this is what most of us want.  I am determined to get this.  Even if it's molasses-slow progress, I will get there.

Slow and steady wins the race!  Now onto another week and another inch towards that finish line!