Donuts are gross anyways right ;).....

So, my program with MD Diet ended the first week in January, and I was down about 30 Lbs.  The last three weeks have been rough since I had no direction (well I had direction, I just wasn't following it).  Today I went to MD Diet and re-signed up.  I was so nervous, I was positive I had gained 10 lbs.  I reluctantly signed up for my vitamin b6/12 shot and waited for the dreaded weigh in.  I have only gained 3 lbs since I fell with a huge thud off the wagon.  I was super excited that I hadn't completely sabotaged myself.  I feel re-energized to keep going. 

Right before I went on TV I went to Nordstrom and bought an amazing pair of black pants for my TV debut.  They had a pair of really cute jeans of the same brand on sale for $34.  The only problem is they were one size smaller.  I need to lose about 10 to 15 lbs to fit into them, and that is now my new goal.  I feel like small markers along the way will  help me attain the larger goal.  If I can lose 15 lbs by my birthday (one month), then I will be down 40lbs.  I know this is attainable, if I just stick to what I know works and don't deviate. 

Right now I can smell donuts, that someone brought to the office, and placed on the the file cabinet right in front of my face....its awesome.....stay strong,....donuts are gross anyways right ;)

I couldn't go to the gym....all my workout clothes were dirty.....

Well, this week was much more of a success than I ever could have imagined.  After feeling like a failure for so many weeks and then having my little victory last week, I wasn't about to let up so easily, so I got a temporary gym membership at 24 hour fitness and hit the gym hard this week.  I got up 4 days at 6 am last week and I did the elliptical for 45 minutes each day.  This felt like a huge win for me, since I value my sleep so much and the fact that I did that so many days was a big win.  I also went for walks on the weekends, so by Sunday of this week all my workout clothes were dirty.  This was a big deal since that NEVER happens.  I loved the feeling of accomplishment this gave me.  I was super pumped to hit the scale today and was so mad when I only lost half a lb.  they decided to weigh me on the biometric scale and see if I had gained muscle mass......drum roll please........In the course of three weeks, I have lost the following:

-10 Lbs Body Fat
-2 Lbs Water
+7 Lbs Muscle Mass
________________
-5 Lbs Net Weight Loss

This is awesome......so even though I only lost a half a lb, I know I am losing inches...I should probably measure this I might be pleasantly surprised.   

If I keep this up till the end, I know that my muscle will help burn my fat, and I will continue to drop.  I have been so happy with the level of service I have received from MD Diet.  The doctor asks me every time I am in there where I am at and what he can do to help me.  Whenever I have been frustrated, he has sat down with me and gone over my diet and came up with a plan to have an increase for the next week.  So, I guess I am off to Golds Gym for their one week free pass....

The bonus to all this is, I just got a call from my friend that I saw on Friday night....she hadn't seen me in couple of weeks, and wanted to tell me how amazing she thought I looked.....It is working I guess.....

Everyone is skinnier at 6:00 am.......

This week was a huge success.  I lost 4.5 lbs this week.  If you aren't keeping track, and I am sure you aren't, then let me break it down for you.  That's 29 lbs total, and 29.8% to my total weight loss goal.  I have been very frustrated the last several weeks.  I would lose, gain, and stay the same.  It was frustrating but I stayed the path.  My sister and were talking and she mentioned to me that I was more than 25% to my goal, and this helped me get through the last week and really focus.  I even joined a gym and today I got up at 6:00 am when my alarm sounded.  It was hard, but not as hard as I thought it would be.  I had mentally prepared myself, and was even looking forward to my new routine.  I was out the door my 6:20 and at the gym by 6:25....I was amazed by how many people were at the gym and even more shocking that everyone was skinny at 6:00 am.  Then it finally occurred to me that the people who are determined enough to get out of bed and start their day off this way are typically fit successful people.  and Lets face it......that is who is inside of me trying to get out, so...alas my days will now begin at 6:00 and end probably somewhere around 9:00pm ( since I love my sleep more than any food). 

Today after I had my big success I called my sister, and filled her in.  She is trying to lose her baby weight after baby # 3 and she made a good observation.  She said "I think I bodies don't want to lose weight.  I can do all the same thing for weeks at a time, and then all the sudden I will lose 6 lbs after losing nothing for six weeks.  I truly believe this is true.  That is why it is so important everyday to stay on track and not get derailed.  Those are the moments that define us and make us stronger........and skinnier. 

Let's hope this week is just as great.  Smile...its going to be a great week!

Thanksgiving and Cauliflower Potatoes....and Popcorn shhhhh!!!!!!

Ok, so last week I lost two lbs, and I am down a total of 24lbs.  This is good but not good enough.  I wanted to be down 30 lbs by Thanksgiving, and If I reached this landmark, then I was going to allow myself some pie, but alas I didn't make my goal.  this was also a big week since I am two thirds of the way done with the program.  When I went in for my appointment I was discouraged at only losing 2 lbs bit the nurse assured me that I was doing a good job, and warned me about not rewarding myself with food.  I thought this was interesting since in the past I always have.  She told me I should reward myself with a new pair of shoes, or a massage.  This was an interesting concept to me since in the past I have always rewarded myself with food.  This has always been my downward spiral.  I will diet diet, and lose lose lose, all the while telling myself as soon as I get to Mexico I am going to go crazy.  then I go on vacation, and go crazy, and never get back on the bandwagon.  I LOVE that this program was designed to teach you from the beginning how to keep the weight off.  This was especially helpful during Thanksgiving.  I made cauliflower potatoes and they were delicious.  I made sure to only eat a tiny bit of stuffing, and I ate it with my turkey to cancel it out.  all in all I would say my first holiday on this plan was a success since I didn't gain an ounce, I actually lost about 8 ounces, but I am only counting full lbs, so all in all I didn't gain.  Today when I went for my weigh in they said that traditionally people will gain a couple of lbs over the holiday, so to remain flat was a huge success, and I even got to eat some popcorn....shhhh don tell them!

stress...stress...stress

So this has been quite the up and down journey for me.  I haven't updated in a few weeks, and I am not sure really why but I am down a total of 22 lbs.  I know I should be really ecstatic, but I am very discouraged.  I have been trudging along with my weight loss very successfully until recently and it has made me very disappointed.  Three weeks ago I lost 22 LBS Holla!!!!  Two weeks ago I gained 1 LB......ughhh last week I lost 1LB...whoop dee doo. This is very discouraging since during this time I never cheated once!!!  I am writing this right now in anticipation of my weigh in today.  Today is a big day, not only do I have my weigh in with the big scary scale that measures my body composition, but I am not losing what I want to be losing and I am scared, and to top it all off, it is Thanksgiving this week!  I told myself if I wasn't down 35 LBS by now that I would not indulge myself, so I guess the pecan pie will have to wait.  Bummer!!!!!

I know there are a few things attributed to my lack of weight loss.

#1 Stress---There have been a lot of changes for me both personally and at work.  Several weeks ago my boss was let go, and last Friday they let 4 sales people go at my work.  I don't think I am in danger of losing my job, but there are major changes happening right now and that stresses me out.  I am a creature of habit, I always order the same thing at restaurants, I wear my clothes in the order they are hanging in my closet from left to right, and I lay my clothes out every night before I go to bed, so I all this change is stressing me out.  I know in the long run things will be awesome, it is just the road getting there that is hard.

#2 Antibiotics---I have been taking this antibiotic for the last couple of weeks, and I think this may be making me retain water....there is no guarantee, and I will fin out today but I swear it is.....My lips are dry and cracked and I have been watching my water intake....so I am blaming it for sure....cross your fingers, I am leaving in 14 minutes!

The Grocery Store

Sorry I am a little late on my post this week.  It has been a crazy week at work and home, and I am just now finding the time two days late to sit down and tell you about what has been going on.  The good news is I am still losing weight.  I am down another 3 lbs...that makes me down a total of 18 lbs.  Yeah.......My short term goal is to be down another two lbs at least this week, so I can hit the 20 lb threshold.  I always feel like you cant see it in me until I am at least down that much weight, but who knows.  I have been trying to work out this week and it is so hard with the weather change.  This morning it was 32 degrees when I woke up.....it might be time for a treadmill......

This week was a good week but a learning week.  I figured out the trick to this diet.  The grocery store.  I have a love hate relationship with the grocery store.  I love going and seeing all the treats and thinking of different things I can make & eat.  Since I have been doing this diet, I haven't been as excited to go, but this week was different.  I pre-planned my meals and shopped accordingly.  I made lettuce taco wraps.  I used iceberg lettuce as the shell, 97% lean beef, low fat sour cream a tiny bit of fresh salsa and low fat cheese.....it was delicious. 

I think the trick to this is preparing in advance, and having the proper groceries in your house.  The best way to approach this is to have basic list of fresh foods that are needed each week, and then getting a few specific items for meals.  This way you always have the proper foods and snacks on hand.  It makes it much harder to cheat, and less desirable.

Headed of for a long walk with my dog...I need to start burning these calories......

Detox is OVER....

So, my second weigh in was very successful although I know this is because I was still doing my detox.  I did the detox for a total of 13 days.  This was probably the hardest part,  I was very limited on the foods I could eat, but I always new it was temporary.  I also knew that by doing the detox for as long as possible I would lose more weight faster.  In total during the first two weeks of the diet I have a lost a total of 15 lbs.  I have recently changed up my diet, so I am eating more foods, so It will be exciting to see where the next weigh in takes me.  I know that my weight loss from here on out will not be as drastic, but I needed this jump start to get me started. 

One of my favorite parts about MD Diet so far has been going in for my weigh ins and vitamin B shots.  The nurses and staff are so nice.  Every time I get my shot I ask the nurse a million lame questions about when I should eat, what I should eat and what I can do to optimize my weight loss at the quickest pace.  They are so nice and so knowledgeable.  It is so great to be able to ask weight loss questions and get the answer in a clinical sense.  I am have a very math oriented mind, and I love breaking down the calories, fat, and carbs to find out exactly how the food is going to affect me. 

Last night I went to dinner with some friends, and someone at the table knew the chef, so he hand delivered Russian Creme, and a deep fried Cheesecake to our table as a custom dessert he prepared for us.  I was so proud of myself that I refrained completely.  I know there will be sacrifices along the way, and although it sucks, it is nice to know that when all this is over I will have something to show for it, and that I will have my indulgences in check....and maybe once in a while I will take a bite, but until then, I am a stone wall.