Feeling Lighter

I have mentioned a couple times that I am back on a diet. And yes, this means that i gained a bunch back! Well, I am switching things up and this time instead of doing Lindora (like i have done for the better part of the last 7 years), my hubby and i heard about the Carb Cycling Solution! I thought i would give you a quick run down of what the diet entails, plus at some point i can share my meal planning forms that i have created! 

Here's the low down: 

-You alternate between a high carb day and a low carb day!

-Eat within the first 30 minutes of being awake! And then eat 4 more meals every three hours after your breakfast. 

-Breakfast is always high carb, no matter what day! 

There's so many more details, but you can read the book for that! 

Choose to Lose by Chris Powell

(BTW - there is a TON of info in the comments section on this book on Amazon!)

My take on this whole diet thus far? 

Here are some notes to give you my opintion:

Facts:

-I have lost 11.6 lbs. 

-My husband has lost about 10 lbs. 

-I have felt hungry in the late evenings. 

-My clothes are fitting better!

-Cheat days are relaxing!

-I feel as though i can now have carbs, good ones of course! 

-One month on this diet and still chugging along!

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Pros: 

-Weight loss! 

-Great tasting food! 

-Gets easier to plan after a couple weeks. 

-Lots of options

-Can vary between different types of foods such as Mexican style and Italian. 

-Prior to this diet i hadn't had pasta in months. 

-Veggies! I love bell peppers and mushrooms! On this diet there is no limit to the amount of veggies! 

-A new way to think about food groups!

-Costco can really help with items that we seem to just go through every week! Almond milk, salsa, veggies and fruit are some of those items on our Costco list every week! 

-The 100 calorie portion list in the book is helpful!

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Cons:

-Feeling tired at times

-In order to work with my school day, I have to be up at 5 am so i can keep the "eat every three hours" schedule.

-Food prep can take a while. 

-Menu planning can take some time as well. 

-I often want more fruit, but understand that it is listed as a carb! 

-I wish there were more details about specific foods. For example, i wish there were more clearly outlined guidelines about calorie limitations for certain foods. 

-It can be a bit expensive at first.

-If hubs wakes up after me, we do not get to eat together to follow our schedule. This has not been a huge problem for us, but still could be for a family who likes to sit and eat a meal together. 

-The book gives a great 100 calorie list, but it can be difficult to determine the correct portions. 

-The list of approved foods and the 100 calorie list could be combined better. (look out for a Freebie of this sometime soon!)

-More recipes needed! (I will probably be posting a few of my recipes too!) 

-Spices- these seem a bit limited! I personally have not followed the rules on the spices front! I just feel that spices should not be limited to what is on the list. 

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I think that's a pretty good run down! When we are done with the carb cycling and weight loss portion of the diet, we will increase our food a bit and then see if maintenance is better than the whole low carb thing that i had done before! 

Have any of you tried to do this carb cycling thing before? 

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

A few things have been going on with me... 

|one|

I enrolled in Project Optimal to begin and finish my Autism Authorization for my teaching credential to be current by 2014. I am hoping to be don with this online program by June! I have started, but i am definitely off to a slow start! 

|two|

Hubby and I began the Carb Cycle Solution. We are two days in and already feel like we are seeing subtle results! Either way, it has taken a great deal of time to plan meals, pack meals, cook meal components, learn, read, and teach my husband about it all! If you have no clue who the guy on the cover is, he is Chris Powell, the trainer from Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition. What I already really like about this diet, is that it really seems doable. I feel hungry when i should and really feel as though changes are happening! 

|three|

WE are going out with our realtor for the first time this weekend! House shopping here we come! 

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|four|

I have made it past the first full week on the C25K app! Woo hoo! one of the things on my bucket list is to finish a 5K running! Not walking! So maybe this year is the year! Have you tried out this app? It's free! Let me know how you like it if you give it a try! 

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Welp, i think that is all that is new around here! But if you see me posting a little more sporadically, it's truly cause i am too beat ot even sit at the computer for longer than i already have to learn about Autism! (BTW Autism is fascinating!)

Anything new with you? 

Guest Post: Jami @ Somewhat Domesticated

I've posted my weight loss journey and I am so glad someone else is sharing theirs. You all know that Jami and I are friends IRL and when she told me about this post, I had trouble holding back my excitement! When i found out she wanted to use it as her guest post, I was even more excited! With all that excitement and the excitement of my trip... its amazing I have not wet myself! 

Have you ever wanted to ask your friend how they do it? How do they keep it off and look so good? Well, today my friend  has answered my questions about how she keeps it off and how she still looks awesome! She has also made me feel like I am not alone.... I will let you read for yourself .... 

Hello Busy as a Honey Bee readers, Jami from Somewhat Domesticated here! Simone has been so great in sharing with us her weight loss journey, I thought while she's cruising around Alaska I could share with you mine. This is how I lost over 35lbs 4 years ago, and how I've kept it off.

I'm going to start by stating the obvious, I am not a physician or dietitian. I'm just an average girl who woke up one day and decided to make a change.

On Losing 35lbs:

I can tell you it wasn't one thing in particular that motivated me to lose weight. I was 26 years old, it was just after Christmas of 2007; I was looking through photos on my computer from the last couple of years and I noticed I was looking increasingly 'puffy'. Sitting there staring at those photos, it dawned on me - I was buying size 13/14 jeans and no longer the 11/12 I used to, and I was now a solid large size shirt. That realization coupled with the reality of not wanting to spend the rest of my twenties dreading being in a bathing suit motivated me to start losing weight. At 5'5" and dangerously close to 180lbs, it was time to make a change.

At 179lbs:

My goal was simple, to be in the 'normal' BMI range. In the beginning I followed these rules: count ALL calories, NO fast food, NO carbs after 2pm, NO candy/sweets, NO drinking. I also started to be more active; I started taking kickboxing at the gym behind my house with my roommate & went on small hikes or walks on the weekends. Even adopting little habits like using the stairs instead of the elevator & doing lunges around my house from room to room instead of walking. After the initial 4 weeks I would allow myself a drink here or a sweet there - after all this was a lifestyle change, not a band-aid. By March I had lost 36lbs and was down to a size 8/9.

At 143lbs, feeling like I had conquered the world:

On Maintaining:

In the 4 years since I've lost the weight I have stayed within the 142-147lbs range. I do my best to eat as healthy as I can during the week and tend to ease up on the weekends.

Diet:

I've found that a diet that's high in protein, fiber, and healthy fats (http://www.helpguide.org/life/healthy_diet_fats.htm) works best for me. I try to eat 5 times a day (breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner), but sometimes I snack only once if I still feel full from breakfast or had a bigger lunch. I also try to eliminate carbs after lunch if I can help it, but if I want carbs I'll eat carbs.

Here are the types of things I like to eat:

Breakfast:

• Smoothie: Spinach Shake or Banana Oatmeal Smoothie
• Plain non-fat Greek yogurt w/ homemade granola
• Breakfast Sandwich w/ egg whites on a whole grain English muffin w/ a Laughing Cow Cheese Wedge
• Oatmeal w/ slivered almonds & a sprinkle of brown sugar
• 1 Serving of Special K w/ Unsweetened Almond Breeze Almond Milk

Snacks:

• Baby carrots w/ hummus
• Reduced fat string cheese
• Handful of unsalted almonds or pistachios
• Apple or orange

Lunch:

• Turkey sandwich on a whole grain sandwich thin - replace mayo w/ a Laughing Cow Cheese Wedge (so good!)
• Salad: veggies, turkey or chicken breast & reduced fat balsamic vinaigrette

Dinner:
Here's some of my favorite, easy recipes:

• Cilantro Lime Talapia Tacos
• Buffalo Wing Turkey Lettuce Wraps
• Mexican Chicken Lime Soup
• Roasted Cabbage - side

Drink:

I keep a 32oz tumbler at my desk at work and I drink 2 1/2-3 of those a day. Plus, more water when I get home, I only drink water at home. I also drink my coffee black, with the exception of a trip to Starbucks 1 or 2 times a week where I get an iced Caffè Americano (only 15 cal for 16oz!) w/ a splash of skim milk and 1 Splenda. As far as alcohol goes, I only drink on the weekends and try my best to stick with a couple glasses of red wine or vodka & soda water w/ a lime. But if you know me you know I love beer, so staying away from beer is a hard one for me!

Exercise:

I'll be honest, I absolutely hate working out. For me if I do cardio 2-4 times a week and eat like I'm supposed to, I'm good. Every once in a while I like to mix it up and do a Zumba or Turbo Kickboxing class, but it's all the same to me and I do it because I need to.

This is me now:

A lesson I learned from this: not everything you put in your mouth has to be delicious and rich. Sometimes you have to eat things you don't necessarily care for, but they're good for you. I remind myself of this every day. Also, if you fall, get back up, every day is a clean slate.

Could I stand to lose a few more pounds now? Sure. I've always thought 135 would be my magic number, but you know what, I'm healthy, I'm happy, and my husband loves me just the way I am.

Wow! I learned a lot from this wonderful lady! She knows how to stay healthy and truly knows how to have fun while doing it! I am definitely not alone and I know i need to come to grips with not being able to just stuff food in my mouth whenever i want! She also reiterated the fact that diet is a huge part of being healthy, but you can still have some fun! Thanks Jami for the AWESOME guest post! (Not bad for your first one!) 

Don't forget to stop over at Somewhat Domesticated and follow her!

Lighter

It's time to share a little update on how this lovely die is going! Thought I would give you a run down!

Starting weight: 180.2

My current weight: 160.2

Current weight lost: 20 lbs

Pound to goal: 5 lbs.

Favorite foods while on my diet: I am so loving Greek yogurt! {I will be posting about how I make this a tasty treat soon!} I also am really enjoying fruit leathers from trader joes! Mm mm

Cravings: I was truly craving peanut butter like none other but that has seemed to subside for now! (Actually it comes and goes a bit) Really feeling like I can control that rush to the kitchen to grab a snack! My problem is I am a snacker and I wish I could just snack and snack and snack!

Frustrations: my frustrations revolve around the 5 day plateau that I had about a week ago! Boy I though my body was just done losing and I still wanted to lose another 9 lbs! I really watched what I ate, got in a extra workout and tried my best to taper my meals by the end of th day! It finally worked and I lost 8/10ths of a lb. a few mornings later. It was really discouraging but it turned out ok!

Another frustration has been that I am terribly forgetful! I forget to pack certain parts of my lunch and that just irritates me! Working on trying to remember to pack all that I need for them when I head out for work!

Overall reflections: I am feeling relief! Having lost 20 lbs feels really good. My clothes are loosening and I even had a modeling session trying on old clothes to see if they would fit! The good news was that more fit than not! So awesome! Also, it has felt good to hear hubs' comments about how much smaller I am. I am also pretty excited that hubs has lost about 10 pounds! 

What a trip it has been! The six week marker is tomorrow and then i will be gradually increasing my food while trying not to gain weight! Boy, am I in for a challenge! The hard part is not losing, it really is the maintaining that is SO TERRIBLY difficult! Either way, i am gonna give it a really good try! thanks to friends, family and of course, my adorable hubs who have all supported me! Oh and of course, all of you! Your comments are definitely encouraging! 

Unheard of

Today I am doing something a little unheard of for a woman. Many women will not share their weight with their husband, child or even their best girlfriend. I feel this is out of fear, facing judgment, or even just sheer embarrassment. Well, let me tell you I have those feelings, but I feel they're a consequence to having gained weight. No one holds gun to my headband said eat. Nonetheless there have been some health factors that have not helped my weight situation. One of them is genetics and others are ones that I don't care to mention on the Internet.

Weight just like age, is only a number, but to me it is also a representation, to a certain degree, of health. Age can also be considered this way as well. For example, the older you are the more it is expected that you will have health problems. This would also be true of weight. The heavier you are the more health problems there will be in your life.

So when I graduated from college I weighed about 190 lbs. I then decided that frappechinos were no longer an acceptable daily habit and bean working out on my own. I got downtown 155 by myself. Years went by, a boyfriend or two came and went and before I knew it I was again nearing 190 lbs again. (I was actually 186.7 lbs.) I then was graciously taught and coached thru a few rounds of Lindora. I lost 52 lbs in approx 18 weeks. And slowly since then I have crept back up. My weight as of May 14th, 2012 was gain nearing that dreaded 190 marker at 180.2. It was definitely time to do something AGAIN! So here I am on Lindora again and I have successfully lost 12.8 lbs since 5/14! I think that isn't too bad for a few weeks time! It's tough but I am doing it and hope to get to the 155 that I would feel comfortable at! So there it is my health in numbers! Oh and my age is 32, so that means I am not old by any means!

What’s your weight loss story? Please feel free to share!

Encouragement is welcome, but judgment is not!