A Great Pair Of Cords...

I have to apologize for the lack of consistent posting lately. The only excuse I can possibly give is that sometimes, "life gets in the way..."

Anyway, I spent last weekend at Pismo Beach, we rented a house for my husbands birthday. We had so much fun and ate a lot of really great food. I completely skipped the carb counting and just relaxed and had a good time.

I know, I'm not quite as dedicated as I was a few months ago. Although, I'm not gaining anything back, thank goodness. I think mentally I've just created a barrier that basically says, "I'm only willing to go so far" and certainly not in the direction of largers numbers on the bathroom scale.

My weight fluctuates 2-3 pounds, fairly typical.

This past weekend I fit into a size 10 at the Bass Outlet. A cute pair of chocolate cords, they were 30% off - but I'd have bought them at full price. I never thought I'd slip into a size 10, easily, ever again. I'm thrilled!

On top of that... I'm finally able to buy clothes at American Eagle... one of my favorite stores.

I'm not 100% happy with where I am now... I've got another 20 pounds to lose, at least. But, I'm much happier than where I was 6 months ago. The biggest issue is to maintain the weight and not go back the other direction... I think I can manage that. I've really established a lot of good habits and I've eliminated the majority of sugar and carbs in my diet.

Although, I am still considering going on the Shwarzbein Principal diet. It's a little bit more lenient than straight low-carb. I'm thinking about doing it throughout October. I've still got a couple of days to decide. If I do start it, I'll start on Saturday the first. A fresh start, clean slate on the first day of the month. That's probably just what I need.

Successes and Failures...

Loser... and not in the good "weight loss" sense of the word either.

You may recall that my ultimate goal was a 50lb. weight loss by my husband's birthday.

The deadline was YESTERDAY... and the sad fact is that I only made it to a little over half of my goal. I've lost a whopping 26 pounds since committing to this little adventure just 6 months ago. Rather pathetic, don't you think?

Still... I'm committed. But, I have to tell you... I now KNOW the secret.


Exercise.

Period.

Dieting only gets you so far... and a comfortable diet can help you maintain any weight within 2-4 pounds. But, without a regular exercise routine there just isn't going to be much weight loss. Since trying to get over this cold I have slacked off on my exercise routine and it appears that my weight loss has stalled. I'm trying not to beat myself up about it, but that is easier said than done.

So, I've decided that Monday morning (why not today? Tomorrow? Because I am going away for the weekend and I am going to relax and have a good time, I'll also be monitoring my carb/sugar intake... but I'm not going to sweat this weight loss stuff right now) I am going to recommit myself to my weight loss efforts. In fact, I am going on the Shwarzbein Principal diet for 28 days. Combining that with regular exercise I think I can get my diet back on track.

I'll update you on the exact diet and my progress as I go along.

I'm going to have to create a new goal as well...

Wish me luck!

What A Good Cold Can Do...

I really cracked down on the water, even while battling a cold. I don't know about you, but I have the hardest time drinking water when I'm sick. It's just not a comfort drink for me. Even though I was sick, I tried to work out yesterday, I even made it through almost 3 sets of my lower body workout on the Total Gym.

I've observed something recently... a lot of people are sticking with water at meals. I've cut out sodas, even diet sodas... they are just a huge no-no for me. I've even cut out wine at dinner, I used to have at least one glass 3 - 4 times a week with dinner. Not anymore... I go weeks without consuming any alcohol. But, I havent' cut out coffee or iced/hot tea. Typically, I drink water in-between meals and coffee in the morning, iced tea with lunch and/or dinner.

Am I missing out on some key component here? To be healthy should I be eliminating all beverages on a daily basis with the exception of water?

I have to wonder... I really do.

Yikes!!!!

Well... well... well... I can tell you that this was certainly an unwelcome sight. I jiggled, I bounced, I swore, I threatened, I begged, I cajoled, I attempted to bribe. Still, that SOB in the bathroom resigned itself to read a dreary 161. And seemed to admonish me with a "don't push your luck!"

Now, don't bother going back to previous posts, I admit... that's a 3 pound weight GAIN.

Am I annoyed? Yes.
Frustrated? Absolutely.
Willing to throw in the towel? Not a snowball's chance in hell.

My mother assures me that muscle weighs more than fat and that I have been "working out like a fiend" (her words NOT mine). With the exception of the weekends, I am still working out at least 30 minutes a day on the Total Gym and at least three days a week I do a 20 minute Pilates workout on top of that.

I probably need to start hitting the Gazelle Glider an additional 20 minutes... but I really detest that thing. It makes me feel clumsy and uncoordinated.

Now, I admit to falling off the wagon on the weekends... a bit. But, since Monday I've been straight... I haven't waivered. I've ordered my burgers without buns, I've avoided temptation, I had eggs and bacon for breakfast this morning, I had nuts as a snack. I'm really trying to stick with the program here...

One thing I am not quite up to par on is water consumption. The weather has cooled slightly (high 80's low 90's) and I'm just not diving in like I have in the past. My fault, my problem, I know. I'm pushing about 50 ounces a day... but I should really be doing at least 80 ounces a day. That's 30 ounces shy... and I do know that the carb cravings tend to disappear when I have my water up to the designated level.

What I fear (and it is a fear) is having to give up caffeine. I've read at various diet sites and msg boards (pertaining to weight loss, low carb, and PCOS) that when all else fails, giving up caffeine can do the trick. The problem is that I'm a hardcore Starbuck's addict. I grind the beans at home, I run through the drive through at least 4 days a week. I don't DO well without caffeine.

Problem is... I want to be thin, healthy and have my caffeine fix.

Isn't that terrible?