Day 27

As you may have noticed, I have changed the name of my blog. I think it makes more sense and it is something I should have done a while ago. Especially if I plan to keep my blog going longer than 30 days.

What do you think? I'd love to hear some feedback!

Today I was just plain tired and I slept a lot more than I would have liked. My period started (of course) so that left me feeling tired and bloated and...well, all of the things we women know are associated with that time of the month. I certainly don't need to go into detail, do I? On the plus side, I kept my eating on track today. I was happy about that at least...

I decided to spend some time today cleaning out my e-mail. I have a ton of e-mails and junk emails that I just haven't gotten around to reading or deleting. While I was going through my -inbox, I noticed a bunch of e-mails for Sparkpeople, a web-site I had joined over a year ago. I am not sure why I haven't gone back and looked at that site until today, but I am so glad I did! I had forgotten how great the site is! They have hundreds of fabulous recipes in a variety of categories that suit just about any lifestyle or weight loss program. There are a multitude of articles, message boards and weight loss teams you can join. When you sign up or join, you have an arsenal of tools, tips and advice at your disposal. You can track exercise, water intake and a variety of other things through their site. I would encourage anyone who is trying to lose weight or looking for a healthier way of life to check it out: http://www.sparkpeople.com/ It is a site chock full of resources!

One article in particular stuck out for me today: Healthier Ways to Get Your Chocolate Fix
Anyone want to take a guess as to why that one in particular was of interest to me?

Speaking of chocolate, I finally had my Skinny Cow ice cream tonight. I thought it was delicious, especially for only 150 calories! Chocolate Fudge Brownie (yum): 150 calories, 2 grams of fat and 4 grams of fiber. I enjoyed it immensely and it certainly helped quell my chocolate cravings! It is a product I will most definitely buy again, especially as the warmer weather nears.

Ok, I have been dragging my feet with my confession that I did not go to the gym today. Something about cramping, bloating and fatigue just doesn't inspire one to haul the sorry butt to the gym. It probably would have been the best thing I could have done for myself today and the mind was willing, body was weak. It is at the top of my agenda for tomorrow, though.

I have decided that I need to start reading some inspirational books or something. You know, sort of the "feed the mind and soul" as well as the body type of thing. I have a book picked out but I just started it last night while I was at work and haven't gotten very far. It is the book "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert. Has anyone else read it? If so, what are your thoughts?

Anyway, leave some feedback as to what you think of the new name of this blog or what you think of sparkpeople or "Eat, Pray, Love"...or anything else that is on your mind!

"Whether you think you can or you think you can't -- you are right."

Days 24 & 25

Well, once again work interferred with my ability to post anything here! Maybe it is a good thing I will be transforming this into a regular blog--at least that way people won't be too disappointed when a day is missing!

So, I went to the gym as planned yesterday. I know I have only been a few times, but I already feel like there is a difference. I can't put my finger on it exactly, but I like it! I followed the exercises (again) as prescribed by my trainer. I am going to go again tomorrow...

I won't weigh myself, I have decided, until my next appointment with my personal trainer. My pants already feel a little looser, even though I can feel the bloat setting in that comes along with the "monthly visitor" (girls, are you with me here?). Even though I am PMSing, I still feel like I am making progress, which feels good!

The only tricky part lately for me is keeping track of my calories. I find myself spending a lot of time trying to find out the caloric count for the food I want to pack for my lunches, etc. When youu are trying to keep your calories within a certain range, it makes all the difference in the world if something has 50 or 100 calories! I am sure some of this will become second nature eventually, but it is hard to go from not paying any attention to what you eat to suddenly looking at everything you eat!

Been drinking my water and I have been fortunate enough the last few days at work to be able to drink the water and use the bathroom. Ah, the luxuries in life...

I know this is a short post, but work calls yet again. I've added a new poll--since I already asked what the worst fat-free food you have tasted is, I thought I would see if anyone had thoughts on what the best tasting were. Please answer the poll and leave a comment or two--I love to hear from you!

"Whether you think you can or you think you can't -- you are right."

Day 22

Ah, I think I am going to like going to the gym! I went through all of the exercises that my trainer wrote up for me and included a 20-minute session on the treadmill for some cardio. All in all, I was at the gym about an hour. I saw my husband doing these wicked crunches using an exercise ball and decided to throw a few of those in, too. Yowza! What a work-out! My plan is to make it to the gym at least every other day to do the exercises my trainer set up for me. On my "off" days, I am going to hit my treadmill at home when I can. I have my first exercise goal, too. Tonight I walked at a pace of 3 miles per hour at an incline of 3 for 20 minutes. Not a hard work out by any stretch, but I want something to build up to. I want to gradually increase the time, speed and incline gradually so that I can build up to a jog. My first goal is to build up to 25 minutes at a speed of 3.5 and an incline of 5. I think that is an easy goal to shoot for and when I get there it will inspire me to push harder to the next goal.

I spent some time this evening looking on-line at calorie counts for different foods. It's back to work for me tomorrow, so I am trying to plan ahead. My trainer wants me to consume between 1500-1600 calories per day, eating 5 or 6 small meals each day. This means I need to know how many calories I am consuming when I have my "mini" meals. She told me that my protein drinks are fine and that I cannot "save up" my calories! I am supposed to aim for 250-350 calories in my "mini" meals, so I am trying to plan accordingly.


Since my husband is now inspired to eat better as well, I am trying to find meals for the both of us--a daunting task, indeed! To make it even more difficult, my goal is to lose weight while his is to gain muscle. As a result, our eating habits will be different as well. He is supposed to eat more nuts, eggs and protein while I am supposed to increase my fruits and vegetables and watch fat content.

I am sure I have mentioned previously that my husband is not a big vegetable fan, but he has agreed to eat more salads. The challenge is salad dressing. Judging by the poll results so far, most people seem to agree that fat-free salad dressings are gross. I tried once to make homemade fat-free Ranch dressing and the results were a thick, disgusting substance that I just did not wish to ingest. My theory had been that if homemade Ranch tastes so much better than store-bought, the same must be true of fat-free versions. Yeah. Not so much...

So, here is what I did: I tried the homemade thing again, only this time I used 1/2 cup of real, full-fat mayonnaise with 1/2 cup of the disgusting low fat crap (aptly named, if I do say so myself). I know using full-fat mayo is increasing the fat and calorie content, but if it gets my husband to eat a salad it will be worth it to me! I stuck with the non-fat milk since I didn't view the milk as the culprit in my last homemade attempt. I will post the results tomorrow...

I will post a recipe tomorrow. Still looking for that quiche recipe, but even if I can't find that one, I will post something tomorrow since I am long over-due for a recipe.

If you haven't already done so, please take a moment to answer my poll. It will end soon and I have the next one ready to go.

Maybe I should have added mayonnaise to the list of most disgusting fat-free items....

"Whether you think you can or you think you can't -- you are right."

Days 18 & 19

This is really starting to get old!

I couldn't post anything for Day 18 because of yet another double shift. I will tell you something else, too, they wreak havoc on a person's diet plan!

Needless to say, I have not been doing so well with watching what I eat, etc. It hasn't been as bad as I was eating previously, but I also have not been eating a lot of fruits or vegetables or drinking as much water as I should (one tends to avoid a lot of fluid when the ability to use the restroom is limited!) I know I need to find a way to reconcile this since this is going to be an on-going problem with work. It definitely needs to be addressed!

On a plus note, tomorrow is my first appointment with a personal trainer! I am nervous and excited. I have never had a personal trainer before, so I am really looking forward to learning from her. She wants to know what my goals are and I am wondering if it is too much to say, "Lose weight, tone up, have more endurance, and build some muscle". Am I supposed to pick just one?? I am looking forward to sharing what I learn!

Oh...and another side note--I still cannot find my Special K fruit crisps. I am really curious--has anyone else tried them? Obviously, others share my view that they are delicious because they have been sold out for three weeks now!!

I noticed that I haven't posted any new recipes in a while. I think I will try to change that since I will have the next few days off from work (woo hoo!!) I want to find a delicious recipe that a friend of mine once gave me for a vegetable quiche. It tastes so good, I swear you won't believe it is low fat and good for you!

My most recent poll is coming to a close and I see that the three people who voted (thank you!) all seem to think I should continue with this blog. I am in agreement since I have truly learned more than I ever thought I would by simply keeping a journal during this process. I think I will need to change the name, though, since the name "30 day challenge" really won't apply. Any suggestions??

So, I am hoping this will be the last of my "short" posts for the next few days since I will actually have a little more time to dedicate to writing. I hope you will stay tuned because I hope to have some exciting and useful information in the days ahead...

Stay tuned!

"Whether you think you can or you think you can't -- you are right."

Days 10 & 11

Wow! So I have been so freakishly busy the last couple of days I haven't even have the chance to post here!

First things first, I said I would post my quick and easy vegetable soup recipe, so here it is:

Quick & Easy Vegetable Soup:

· 1 pkg Lipton onion soup mix (I use the beefy onion for added flavor)
· 1 32 oz can beef broth (no fat, low sodium variety)
· 2 stalks of Celery, chopped
· 4 carrots, diced
· 1 16 oz can diced tomatoes
· 1 tablespoon minced garlic
· ½ teaspoon thyme
· 1 12 oz pkg frozen green beans
· 1 cup frozen peas
· Salt & pepper to taste

In mixing bowl, mix together soup mix and beef broth —set aside. In a large stock pot or dutch oven, combine celery and carrots. Pour soup mixture over celery and carrots. Add diced tomatoes, garlic and thyme. Cook over medium heat just until boiling. Add frozen peas and green beans, returning to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until vegetables are done. Season with salt and pepper.

I sometime vary the ingredients—for example, I made this recently using zucchini instead of carrots and added some bok choy during the last 2-3 minutes of cooking.

I have been eating a lot of this soup since I made a big pot of it a few days ago. Its been a huge lifesaver in terms of time for food preparation. Its quick and easy and really tasty! It hardly tastes like you are eating something that is so good for you.

Once again, there is not too much to report since much of my time in the last few days has been very work centered. I will say that I have felt a lot more energy as a result of my healthier eating habits. Getting though my hectic schedule has been easier since I have been eating more "fuel-efficient" foods. I have been eating a high-fiber oatmeal for breakfast which has been both delicious and filling. I have been trying to stay away from eating as many carbs throughout the day. I sauteed an entire bag of spinach with garlic for work and that worked out well, too. I ate that with either some grilled fish or chicken. One word of warning, though: Be sure to chew some powerful mint gum after eating so as to not offend co-workers! I've been keeping a couple of the ready-to-drink high protein shakes on stand-by, in case I get too busy to stop and heat something up or need it to be portable. I have really grown to depend on them to get me through in a pinch!

One of my co-workers brought in muffins and I was dying to have one. The blueberry ones just looked marvelous. As soon as I read the fat and calorie content, I was floored! 450 calories and 27 grams of fat, 43g carbs! Ouch! I was glad I didn't take one and seeing those numbers were a quick deterrent from contemplating it further. It occurred to me that I would have eaten one (maybe even two) in the past without even a moment's thought. It really made me realize just how careless I had become with my eating habits and grateful that I am making the effort to be more conscientious now.

I still haven't made it to the gym! I have been staying pretty active at work, but I still would like to get to the gym, so I am hoping to get there this week. I had an interesting conversation with a friend of mine who told me that weight loss/maintenance is only 20% exercise--the majority comes from what you eat and caloric intake. There has even been research recently that backs this up. So it is a 20/80 (20% exercise, 80% diet) formula. That is not to discourage exercise--it is a vital part of healthy living. It just won't help you lose weight if not combined with a proper diet.

So that is what I have for now. I know I crammed two days worth into one, but as I said before I have been slammed with work so there isn't much else to tell.

Until tomorrow...

"Whether you think you can or you think you can't -- you are right."

Day 7...Plus the First Results are in!

Week 1 is officially over! Today was my long-awaited weigh-in and my "free day"! What an interesting week, too. I learned a few things and I am sure this is just the beginning of my learning process. I am so glad I decided to keep this blog while embarking on this challenge because it has helped me to see what is working and what isn't...

Ok, the big news first: I lost 4 lbs on my first week! I was so excited when I jumped on the scale this morning and saw the scale had moved that much, especially since I had not been as vigilant as I should have been with the very restrictive diet.

That brings me to my first lesson on this journey so far--I am scrapping the diet I used for the first week. I realized (with a little help from some friends) that I need to build a plan that is livable. Diets don't work because people make the mistake of utilizing a diet that is not sustainable for the long haul and therefore, don't make the necessary permanent changes that keeps the weight off. As I stated in a previous post--beans have never been a major staple in my diet and they are not a food I can comfortably eat every day for the rest of my life. That means that I am not making any long-lasting changes by sticking to this program, which also means that my chances of keeping the weight off are slim (pun intended).

Does anyone remember the Optifast diet Oprah went on in 1988? She wheeled out the little red wagon on her show filled with 67 pounds of fat--the amount she had lost on that diet plan. Well, she gained it all back for a variety of reasons, the primary reason being that the diet was not a sustainable one--it was not a program she could live on the rest of her life. That is one of the lessons I have taken with me after this week as well.

My new plan is going to be a modification of the old one. I am sticking with the slow carb, low fat idea but I am making some changes. After doing some research, I found a whole list of low GI (glycemic index) carb foods that I can eat and still lose weight. This will open a lot of food choices up for me which will hopefully allow me to stay on track better. I will probably have one or two days dedicated to the old plan, but the rest of the time will be with a wider variety of other food. I look forward to sharing some of those menus!


Yes, I went to Starbucks and had my coffee--delicious! After weighing myself today I had a hard time just going wild with my food choices. Since I was already indulging with my calorie-laden coffee, I had Special K fruit crisp. Has anyone tried them? I love them! They are available in strawberry or blueberry and two crisps are only 100 calories. To me they taste like a Pop Tart, but not quite as sugary. They just don't taste like a 100 calorie snack--they are too good! Lunch was the big no-no: french fries. They tasted so good, though!! Dinner was much more sensible. Since I had not had any fast food for a week, I treated myself to the Drive-thru Diet at Taco Bell. I had two of the freso chicken soft tacos and they were fabulous! Each one is only 170 calories, but it certainly tastes like more. I had tried the steak burrito (from the frecso menu) previously and was not very impressed, but the chicken soft tacos tonight were absolutely delicious. I am glad I gave the drive-thru menu another shot. They were so good that I plan on making them my new fast-food treat!

After drinking water all week, I also had my first Diet Coke this evening and I have to say I was surprised to find it wasn't as appetizing as I thought it would be. It did not taste as good as I thought it would (like the coffee and french fries did). I find this to be good news since I know that soda (especially diet) is not good for you anyway. I think I may be making my first permanent change--water instead of soda. That is not to say I will never drink another soda again, I just think I will try to make it a once-in-awhile treat.

I've noticed that this post is probably going to take a full page, so I am going to stop here. Suffice it to say it has been a good first week with some interesting discoveries. I think the "free day" is great for indulgences and for reviewing the week, so I will be keeping the free day. I think the free day is good to keep motivation fresh because I am definitely looking forward to getting going again tomorrow. I am so happy with my 4 lb weight loss and I want to keep losing!

Let's see what this next week brings!

"Whether you think you can or you think you can't -- you are right."

Day 6

Ok, one last day before weigh in and I am feeling the pressure to toe the line and not screw up. I don't want to weigh in and find that I haven't lost anything because then I know I will feel very defeated.

I did some more thorough reading on the web-site where I found my diet and it left me feeling somewhat unsettled. The list of comments is quite extensive and, while I did spend quite a bit of time reading many of the posts, I did not read all of them. I really wish I had even though it literally would have taken hours. It seems that quite a few women left posts wondering if this was a diet designed just for men as they were not losing any weight using this system. Honestly, I cannot understand why it would work for a man and not a woman and I could not find anything by way of an answer. I am thinking of modifying the plan I am currently on, but I won't decide for sure until after my "free day" tomorrow.

Speaking of...I am so excited tomorrow is "free day" and weigh-in! I am a little nervous because I don't know what the scale will read. I keep trying to remind myself that this is still Week 1 and not to expect much. Still, I can hardly wait...

Breakfast was simple--eggs. Yep, that was it! I wasn't very hungry and it was all I could stomach. Lunch turned out to be difficult. Without a long explanation, the only acceptable option available to me at the time was a small fruit-and-yogurt parfait. Not a bad choice, per se, but definitely not an option on this current plan I am on! Dinner was grilled chicken and sauteed spinach with garlic. It actually turned out to be quite tasty! Here's what I did:

Super-Easy Spinach Sautee:

• Olive oil Pam
• 1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic (or more, depending on preference)
• 2 1/2 cups of fresh spinach leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon of water
• salt & pepper to taste
  

Spray a sautee pan or frying pan with the Pam and sautee garlic for 1 minute on medium heat. Add spinach and water and sautee until spinach begins to wilt (1-2 minutes). Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Yum!

Beans did not make it into my diet again today. Another reason to re-think my current plan. I have discovered that, although I like beans just fine, I do not like them so well as to make them a part of my daily intake. As I have said before, this is just one of the many reasons I have this log--so I can look at what is working and what isn't.

Well, with "free day" being tomorrow, I have been thinking a lot about what I am going to eat. The plan I have been following says I can go wild, but I really hate that idea. I mean, it would be so easy to undo everything I have done for a week! One thing I do know for sure--I am hitting Starbucks! Brewing my own coffee has been fine and I haven't felt too much like I am missing out until today. I just really wanted a toffee nut mocha today! So tomorrow I am having it for sure!

I plan for tomorrow to also be a day of re-evaluating what has worked and what isn't. Tomorrow's post may be a long one, so everyone be forewarned!

One last note: in case you haven't already noticed, there is a new poll. Please take a moment to answer and, as always, please PLEASE leave a comment and/or any suggestions. And a big thank you to those who already have done so--keep 'em coming!

Until tomorrow.....

P.S. I am looking for a tasty lentil soup recipe. Anyone have a good one they can share?

"Whether you think you can or you think you can't -- you are right."

Day 5

Finally, a day off from work! My day didn't start off so well when I discovered that my e-mail account associated with my blog wasn't working. I sent an e-mail to Yahoo! asking what was going on and they are supposed to get back to me. I suspect someone may have reported one of my posts on one of their sites as spam, since I see all of my posts are gone as well. I did include a link to this blog so that people can see what I am doing here and I wonder if that is the reason. I am a little upset about that since I see flat out advertising done on their site regularly (in the comment section, no less). I see other people posting links to other sites, so I am confused. Hopefully, I am wrong about what is going on and I will find out soon.


With that off my chest, I can say today was not the most productive day. I guess I needed my rest! After sleeping in, I spent too much of my time trying to resolve whatever issue there is with my e-mail account, then I went searching for new recipes. I am already starting to really crave foods like potatoes and bread. I was going to have a ground turkey patty for lunch, but I really wanted it on a bun! The idea of eating just the turkey patty (sans bun) suddenly was so unappealing that I chose something else for lunch. From what I understand it is not at all unusual to start craving carbs after the first few days, so I am hoping this is temporary. I am really looking forward to my "free day" and find myself thinking about what I will eat on that day. Not a good sign this early in the game! So the recipe search is to find some new ideas to help keep me on track.

Another not-so-good sign: I went back to the web-site where I found this diet and found some posts by other women complaining that they did not lose any weight while on this program, despite strict compliance. A few of them complained of headaches, low energy and a being in a nasty mood. One woman gave up after 8 days because she only lost 2 lbs and couldn't handle the cravings, low energy and bad mood. She felt the weight loss was the result of just cutting out sugar anyway so she decided to craft her own plan. I am going to look a little further into what experiences other women have had and will post what I find tomorrow.


At any rate, breakfast was a chili omelette so I finally managed to fit the beans into my breakfast. Lunch was my left-overs from last night (chicken and vegetables in pesto sauce). Dinner was grilled fish and mixed vegetables (green beans, broccoli, and cauliflower). The fish was a great change of pace, too. Still not getting the quantity of beans that the diet calls for and I am beginning to have the dreaded thought that perhaps this wasn't the best choice for me in terms of a diet plan. Like I said before--not a good sign!!

I've noticed over the last few days that might water consumption has dropped so I know that I need to keep an eye on that for tomorrow. I am still drinking it, but I haven't had nearly as much as I did the first couple of days.

My husband was really sick today (maybe stomach flu?? I hope not and I hope I don't get it!) so did not get to the gym to re-sign. I am hoping to get there tomorrow since the work-outs have been sorely lacking. I have felt fairly confident that my activity level at work has been sufficient, I just feel like I am actually accomplishing something when I do a deliberate work out. If that makes sense at all...

Anyway, I am feeling a bit discouraged today. The fact that I am feeling this way so early in the challenge make me feel even more discouraged! I am trying to stay motivated and remind myself that "free day" is just 2 days away (so is weigh-in!!). Maybe I will look for some motivational articles, too.

So that was Day 5. Lots of time on the computer and trying to stave off cravings.

I'd like to hear from others who have experienced these same issues. How did you deal? What did you do to stay on track? Please leave a comment and let me know!

Until tomorrow...

"Whether you think you can or you think you can't -- you are right."

Day 3...a Poll and a Recipe!

Here is day 3 already. And today was another fine example of why I need to pre-make my meals on my days off...

I needed to stop by the store before work for some last minute Easter shopping which meant I had even less time to cook. Fortunately, I have a super-quick meal that I made up on the fly one day and I use it as a stand-by for days just like this. I've listed it here for others to try...

Recipe for So-Easy Chicken and beans:

• 1 can of beans (any kind usually used in chili, etc.)
• 1 cup diced cooked chicken (I like using Tyson's heat-and-eat kind)
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 cup of salsa
• lo-fat shredded cheese
  

Rinse beans and place in microwave safe bowl. Add diced chicken. Add lime juice, mixing well. Blend seasonings into bean/chicken mixture and mix well. Add salsa, mixing again. Microwave 1-2 minutes (depending on microwave). Top with shredded cheese and heat for 1 minute. Enjoy! Makes 1-2 servings

I usually don't measure the ingredients, so these may need to be adjusted according to taste. For an even faster meal, I sometimes use a bit of Taco Seasoning mix instead of the other seasonings listed here. You can also add corn or tomatoes to change it up. Add lettuce and some low fat sour cream and you even have a low fat taco salad!

If anyone tries this recipe, please leave me a comment and tell me what you think. Let me know if you come up with any additions or modifications that might make it even better! Remember--I made this recipe based on my current plan which is pretty carb-restricted. There are all sort of additions for those who are not on such a plan.

Anyway, I had my first glitch in my plan--because I was running late I did not have time to make any breakfast. This left me in a quandary since fast food was my only real option. Needless to say, most places don't offer a lean meat-vegetable-legume menu! I decided that a Subway sandwich was the safest option. Turkey on whole wheat with lots of veggies. The bread was the big no-no since this is a slow carb diet, but I figured it was better than a burger and fries! I also ordered a salad to eat later with my chicken and bean casserole.

Another day with LOTS of water! No hunger problems as with day 1. I did notice I was a little more tired today than the last couple of days, but according to the "diet plan" I am using as a model, that is to be expected for the first few days as the body adjusts to the lower carb diet. Supposedly, I can expect a surge in energy in a few more days!

I've received a few comments from posters wondering what my goals are for this plan. As strange as it may sound, my goal is simply to make it through the 30 days on this stringent plan. Whatever weight I lose is a bonus since I do not want to get wrapped up in the numbers. I have always had a hard time picking a goal and sticking to it, which is why I started this blog. If others are reading what I am doing and how I am doing, then I feel a higher sense of accountability. Basically, I don't want to screw up!

Another note: my first weigh in is coming up! I plan to weigh in only once per week and will post the results when I do. Day 7 will be the first weigh in and I am looking forward to it. Look for weigh ins on days 7, 14, 21 and of course, day 30.

Last but not least, I have posted my first poll. Please take a moment to answer it and, as always, feel free to leave a comment. I will be posting new polls every few days.

"Whether you think you can or you think you can't -- you are right."

Day 2

Ok, I know this is going to sound premature, but I swear I feel that I have more energy already. Only day 2, right? But then, I thought about just how poorly my eating habits have gone downhill in the last several months and I can see why I would feel a difference already...

I thought a little about what my habits have been in the last few months and, well, it was bad. Fast food was becoming almost a daily habit I realized. Lots of snacking (the not-so-healty kind) and lots of sweets. My fruit and vegetable consumption was at an all-time low. I just became very complacent in what I was eating. If I was not making my self conscious of it, I wouldn't have to make more responsible choices. I knew I was gaining weight and avoided the scale like the plague. It was just too easy to pick up fast food or grab a bag of chips when I was hungry. No wonder I ballooned to this weight!

Anyway, I managed to do my 20 minutes on the treadmill. I am starting to realize that with my work schedule I may have to forego the idea of exercising every day. I work 12-hour night shifts (sometimes longer) and I find I am running ragged trying to fit the exercise in and cook my meals (But that was what this blog was for, right? So that others may benefit from my trials and errors!). Clearly, I will need to plan and make my meals on my days off. I have also decided that I will incorporate longer workouts on my days off. I get plenty of exercise when I am at work anyway!

Still drinking just water. I decided to take one poster's advice (thanks Cassandra!) and reserve my diet soda drinking for my "anything goes" day. I have read so many reports of how bad diet soda is for weight loss anyway. No need to make things worse! Besides, I see this as sort of a cleansing time...

Meals today: breakfast was another omelette--spinach & mushrooms and a little parmesan (remembered it today!) lunch and dinner was a delicious dish I created: asparagus, tomatoes, zucchini, mushrooms, yellow squash and diced chicken in a pesto sauce. It was fabulous! And two servings of lentil soup for the legumes. I brought a snack of natural almonds in case I got hungry later.

In conclusion, I had another good day. Didn't feel hungry at all like I did yesterday so that helped. Dranks LOTS of water again and I am feeling good. I am starting to miss my Starbucks toffee nut mocha, but I am hanging in there!


"Whether you think you can or you think you can't -- you are right."

Day 1

So here is Day One! And what a day it turned out to be...

So I started my day by waking up late. As a result, I was not able to do much on the treadmill (10 minutes instead of 20), but I did do the weights for my arms. This was just one of those days where Murphy's Law was in full effect. I bought one of those George Foreman grills and needed the extra time to grill my chicken for my lunch. I was also going to need extra time to make breakfast (something I would usually skip, but not a good idea on this plan). So, of course everything was about playing catch up as much as I could.

Breakfast was a veggie omelette--spinach, mushroom and tomatoes (I had planned to put a little Parmesan on but forgot in my haste). Brewed my own coffee (no Starbucks!)Didn't make any beans--just couldn't bring myself to have those with breakfast. But I see why this plan calls for it as I was hungry again not too long after I ate.

A note about the grill--love it! Made making my lunch and dinner a breeze. And the chicken turned out beautifully.

Lunch and dinner were the same--grilled chicken and broccoli. My beans for the day were a couple of servings of lentil soup. Drank LOTS of water.

Day one was not too bad. I noticed that I was still a little hungry and I already knew that would happen since I had not planned my meals very well for the day. I was called to stay over at work so that over time didn't factor in to the plan, either.

Need to go back and look at the diet again because I miss my Diet Coke and can't remember if it is allowed or not. Stuck to water just to be sure.

Hopefully, Day 2 will go more smoothly. And hopefully, I will be able to write more since I won't have to work over time!

Getting Started....

Well, tomorrow is the big day!

I have posted the results of my weight and measurements to the right of my posts. I really hated the idea of going public with those numbers, but I said I would, so there they are...

The first thing I did today was get into my car and drove to Starbucks for my daily vice: a toffee nut mocha coffee. I usually buy the grande, but knowing that I would not be having one for a while I went for the venti size. I know that foregoing this daily habit is going to be the hardest part of this month. I also know that I am spending a ton of money and indulging in a lot of fat and calories by consuming these on a daily basis. I have decided that I will buy myself something nice with the money I save at the end of the month. I just haven't yet decided what that will be.

As I have explained before, this is a slow carb, low fat diet. The idea is to pretty much eat the same foods every day for six days and then have a "free day" on the seventh day. The theory is that the free day prevents the body from becoming adjusted to the diet (also known as a plateau) and creates a spike in calories that keeps the body guessing (and therefore burning calories instead of conserving them as with most reduced calorie diets). I am a little skeptical of the free day since it suggests that you eat any and as much as you want of the foods you want. I will probably have day seven be a modification of that suggestion as I do not want to undo six days of discipline and patience!

I spent some time last night trying to find some recipes for this diet because I can tell already I will quickly become bored if I don't find some variety. The basic food elements are meat (lean beef, chicken, fish) vegetables (mostly green -- no carrots, potatoes or corn) and legumes. The legumes are to add more calories to the diet since the chosen vegetables are very low in calories and there are no carbs (ie: rice, pasta, bread) to add calories or bulk. I can imagine this will grow boring very quickly without some recipes to liven things up a bit.

Going to the store shortly to purchase my supplies for the diet. I am also going to look for an indoor grill as I sense a lot of grilled chicken in my future! I am also formulating my exercise plan. To start, I plan to do 20 minutes each day of work on the treadmill and use some hand weights to increase strength and tone my arms. Not much for a start but considering that I do nothing for exercise right now, it will be an improvement.

Anywy, I am off to the store for tomorrow is the beginning and I need my supplies. I am excited and nervous since I have never been able to stick to a plan like this before, especially for a month. But that is why I started this blog--in hopes of establishing some sort of accountability and sort making me stick to it.

I hope it works!

Prologue

My challenge beginning April 1, 2010 is to implement and follow a diet program I found on-line that says you can lose up to 20 pounds in 30 days.

Now I know that most diet plans are gimmicky empty promises. Most weight loss programs promote an easy system that makes weight loss a breeze with little to no effort--save emptying your wallet. But I read this one at length and have read the multitude of comments left by others who have tried it. It sounds solid and no one is asking me for a dime to purchase any product, so I am giving it a shot.

I am not naming the specific program as I do not know how Blogger feels about such things. I certainly do not want to endorse--unintentionally or otherwise--any diet or exercise program, so I will explain what I will be doing without naming a specific diet...

The premise is a slow-carb, low fat diet. I can tell by reading what is allowed and not allowed to eat that this will not be an easy task. I will have to give up a number of foods that I enjoy in order to be successful. But I am determined that this program will receive a full 30 days from me. After that, who knows. I may stick with it or abandon it for a whole new program. I will not make any decisions about that until the end of April.

Today is March 30th, so I have two days until I begin. Tomorrow I will weigh in, take measurements and post those results here. I am dreading that idea because I know I will be horrified with what I find and it will be quite embarrassing to post the numbers for the whole world to see. My hope is that in doing so I will gain extra motivation to keep going, even when I have one of those days where I just want to throw in the towel.

Exercise will also be a part of the 30 day plan. I will log in what I do for exercise here as well.

I will do my best to post something here each and every day to track my progress. I will share what I am doing and how it is working. I will share my thoughts and feelings as things progress as well.

Let the countdown continue!!