Sept 19th Update!

The Good:

I have continued to walk before work and at lunch. I have reccently read two health books. The first is, "Making the Connection", by Bob Greene and Oprah Winfrey. This book talked about 10 steps to healthy living. The key concept was to exercise in the morning 5-7 days a week in the zone for 20-60 minutes and eat a low fat diet with atleast 5 fruits and vegetables and whole grain daily. You are asked to eat three meals plus two snacks and stop eating before you feel stuffed. This book was really nice, because it has Oprah's personal struggle and victory with weight during the time she ran the marathon! Go Oprah!

The second book I read was " The South Beach Diet", by Arthur Agatston. This book basically outlined a nutrition experiment performed by a cardiologist trying to find a way to raise good cholesterol and lower bad cholesterol. Along the way he discovered that his patients were losing weight. The basic principals of the diet are that they are three phazes. On phaze one which last for 2 weeks you may eat healthy fats and vegetables that are low in sugar. The book provides a frobbidden foods (starches ie, potatos, corn, carrots, rice bread 99% of packaged goods and fruit). During phaze two which last until you reach your goal weight you may slowly add back healthy carbs like fruit and whole grains. During phaze three you may eat anything you want. You do not have to exercise while doing this plan. You may go back to phaze one if you slip at any time. They do have a second book, "Super Charged", which includes an exercise componet of daily interval trainning and strength trainning exercises. Thie diet seems like it would work well for a meat eater and a person with no aversion to eggs or diary, since the diet heavily relies on these foods.

I have attempted to adapt the diet to the vegeterian soul by using the principles of the diet rather than the menu and meal plan. Instead of eggs for breakfast yesterday I ate 16 walnuts ( your daily allowance) and a non-fat vanilla yogurt. I also added veggie burgers and with that adustment the diet seems to be ok for now. I am going to give this diet and run for 4 weeks since I don't have a meal plan right now anyway.

My first day:

The Ups!
I made it through breakfast, lunch and dinner sticking to the principles. I even had some fish and salad for dinner! I was not hunngry!

The Downs!
I stayed up late watching movies and ate a late snack of toostie roll candy and then to stop the bienge I went and at a few pieces of cheese and a sugar-free fudge pop and a sugar -free popsicle.

What I learned!
I definitely eat in response to things other than hunger and I have not found the cure to that! When I watch tv, stay up late, and stressed or depressed I eat. I need to work on this. I have been keeping a food journal and I have noticed I tend to start snacking as soon as I get home. I am winning the battle of temptation at work, saying no to the office cookie, drinking my water and sticking to my plan. When I get home I just let loose and destroy all my hard work! I need to fix this leak!!!!!!! I need to learn how to singnal my body that the fridge is closed for business and find another way to destress!



My progress:

Yikes spikes!!!!!!! I am back up to 246lbs! Now lets anaylze this shall we. I have been walking and I have been eating smaller portions, but I have not been eating well at night. According to Bob Greene sometimes our weight naturally fluctuates during the month. Oprah went through a pattern of lose a few pounds, gain some and then lose some each month. I also have to factor in water weight and that womens weight changes do to our cycle. I did feel discouraged when I looked at myself in the mirror the other day. I have to remember that it is all about the journey and that losing as much weight as I am going to lose will not happen over night. I need to focus on Daily Renewal (Bob Greene's lingo) and making sure that I am commited to wining daily.

Health Concens: All my test came back negative, but my weight is still putting my in grave danger. I am meeting with a nutritionist next month and I am continued to seek medical advice to see if there are foods I may be unable to digest properly. I have my doubts about wheat, soy and diary. I rely on these foods being a vegeterian. I may have to become some what of a vegan. Oh for those who a wondering I am a pescaterian. I eat fish occassionally. I reccently learned walnuts have omega 3 fatty acids so I may not need the fish as much. I am not a vegeterian my moral or social principles. I can relate to both meat eaters and vegeterians, I just choose not to eat meat.

Highlight of the journey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Last saturday I was invited to walk Harder Road a hill leading to the Cal State Hayward campus. This hill is no joke and when I was a student there I did the hill a few times. One day I walked the hill at noon in the Spring time and I actually had to lay down on the ground when I neared the top of the hill! Another time I was forced to walk from the bart station up to the campus because of a lack of funds. As I walked that hill I cursed the straw berry milk shake I ate and vowed not to drink them any more if I could just climb that hill. Fit or not that hill can take anybody out! So being out of shape and having only been walking the flats I was a little apprehensive to say the least. Early saturday morning it started rainning and I was so happy. At least it would not be hot! I met my friend and we mounted that hill and each step was intense as the incline grew gradually. When we neared the top I got dizzy and had to bend down and breath but I made it!!!!!!!!!!! We walked back down and did the whole thing in 35 mintues and we were in the zone the whole time!!!!!!!

A few thoughts!

Bob Greene talks about working out in the zone. He measured it by how hard you think you are working a whether you are breaking a sweat. I remember Volley ball and Basket Ball practice and pushing myself as hard as I could go. I also remeber the games when I was working hard, but never felt like it because the adrinelin was pumping. This is an old concept, but has me thinking about interval trainning and what I can do to make my workouts count!

The reasons I can't give up!
1. I am still not comfortable with my body
2. It is difficult to move around
3. I need more energy
4. I want to feel happy and free
5. I want to be able to wear normal clothes like pants and button-up shirts
6. I want to be healthy
7. I want to feel great!

Thats all for now folks! Until next time, "Don't give up, Keep moving forward, No turning back!"

CLM

Weight Prediction Chart!!!!!!!!!!!!

Update Sept 5

The Good: I have offically lost two pounds. Hopefully it isn't just water weight. I walked for at least thirty minutes to 1 hour each day of this week. I went for a few walks before work and some during lunch time. I went to have some blood work done to check for thyroid or diabetes today.

The Bad: I ate all manner of junk food, sweets in particular.

The Ugly: I have not stuck to my Bike routine. I get busy after work and I go to bed to late for an am workout. I am still trying to develop and exercise routine, walking at lunch seems to work. I have not set up a real eating plan, because I have health problems with digestion and I need to figure out what I can and cannot eat.

The plan: I want to lose 5lbs per month. 3lbs to go for this month to reach my goal. I will post a perdiction chart and I will update my monthly weigh in. I am going to try the bike workout for 30 minutes from today until tuesday and then I will pick it up again from Thurday until Tuesday. I will only take Wedensday's off.

Thats all for now!!!!!!!!!

CLM

weight 245lbs