I'm Preggo!

Not the sauce, heh heh. But yes, I am expecting!!!

At my lightest I was 145, thank you Sandal Diet! Which primed me for the biggest event of my life, pun intended. So now dieting is on hold, perhaps for quite a while but I'll still post with updates on the pregnancy.

I am 10 weeks, and queesy as all get out. But no official morning sickness thank goodness. You can read about the discovery on my other blog The Spyder's Web. I'm taking my vitamins, I walk and swim when able. I've gained only 2 pounds in two months but I have another 25-35 lbs. to go- yeesh!!!!

Oh it scares me, especially since I yo yo dieted for so many years and the Sandal Diet was the only thing that worked. I'll be breast feeding however, if I am able. That burns 3,000 calories a day! So hopefully I will get that baby weight off fast fast fast!

Still got a ways to go...

Just got back from vacation and I was a naughty naughty girl.

One word: beignets.

But not only were these fried treasures ruining to my diet but there were other issues as well. Tasty bits of bread and sweet drinks. Boardwalk food and anything that would soothe my throat since I was sick on the trip, this included french fries. I saw from my pictures that I still have a few more pounds to shed, which made my indulgences all the more guilty. Tonight we're probably having pizza, for lack of anything else in the house to eat...pretty soon I will have a ton of running to do to make up for it. But I don't mind since I am still loosing weight and my size 12's do not fit anymore.

Ahhh, but I will miss the vacation, it was amazing.

Hitting my BMI and being naughty.

So as I said before, I've hit my BMI which makes me happy. My friend took a picture of me yesterday and my tummy wasn't showing!!!! That is a life time first, a entire LIFETIME. Amazing.

We went hiking but unfortunately I didn't have hiking boots. The other girls didn't either but either skater shoes are disastrous on rocks or I'm just naturally clutzy, (which I think the latter) but I slipped and fell HARD on my knee and wrist. My right arm was pretty tweeked out last night and  my knee has a sharp pain when I was today but nothing too dire. Both my knees ache which tells me I was pretty hard core yesterday, leading the group since I was familiar with the area and it was their first time, for a cosplay photoshoot. I carried my heavy SLR camera and a watercolor pad up the mountain and I didn't even paint. So the extra weight did me good.

It made up for Sunday when we indulged in fast food, oh noes!!!! Yeah, if I hadn't learned my lesson....stupid me. I've been eating so well and then took in more sugar and oil than I had had in months, my stomach hurt really badly all the way until the next morning. I don't plan to repeat that again, ever.

So even though I've hit my BMI, I hope to loose another 10 lbs, and if I keep as active as I was yesterday, I may be wearing a two piece by summer if I'm lucky. Looks like it's time to start posting some before and after pix when I can.

I'll keep workin hard. : )

I've hit my BMI

I went to the clinic today and weighed in, according to their chart I've hit my BMI and would be considered a "normal weight" but I still have this spare tire around the midsection. I would be happy to loose 10 more pounds, which would put me into a size 8 or 6 and about 140-145 lbs. So much more to go.

I've got some exercises to do.

Quick Update

Just thought I should drop a line:

Last wiegh in 155, that's 20 lbs!!!!!

I'm down to a half size- 11, possibly a 10. Ten to 15 more pounds to be at my BMI and into Phase 3.
It truely does work. ^_^

Still Progressing

I wieghed myself yesterday, the scale hovering just above where I left off last. But I don't understand it...

My pants litterally were falling down in the super market yesterday. We had to buy new pants for me because nothing fits anymore. So why no wieght loss, muscle perhaps?

I am even still, enjoying the diet. But it's been a financial hardship. It's hard to find Sandal qualifying foods in the 1 buck stores. I've been getting clever but I do miss certain foods, paticularly potatoes in all their glorious forms.

First Stage almost complete.

On Wednesday I will have completely the first stage of the '"Sandal Diet" which isn't it's actual name of course but those who know mum's the word, understand what I'm talking about.

Changes thus far:
Aside from drinking more water, veggies and protein than I ever have before, I have a ton of energy now! The first few days were hard as my body learned to not burn the carbs I would have normally ate but to burn the fat I have stored (sadly) around the midsection. I am also harnessing the "hidden carbs" found within veggies, legumes and nuts and so my metabolism is going through the roof.

Also, my tummy fat has shrunk so much that I can no longer see it under my boobs. Forthcoming I know, but it's pretty sad when you look pregnant all the time, or have a "beer gut" and you are a woman who is not pregnant....thus far. I'm not planning that but I am married so let's be realistic that it could happen. However, I have had this tummy since I was a child and kids used to make fun of me, hell even my own family makes fun of me! My body type consists of boobs in spades, no butt...at all and wide hips. And then there was that damn tummy. Now it's going away, yay!!! My arms are slimming, especially in the back of the uppper arm where it would waddle if I waved. Not no more, ha ha ha ha!!! My legs are slimming, especially in that tricky place where fat stores between the thighs. Other minor changes would be my face, and hands were water weight seems to show the most.

I had to buy a skirt with an adjustable waistband. As I moved into Phase Two to achieve my target BMI, I have no idea what size I will eventually be. I do know that NONE of my pants really fit anymore, so wonderful! And when I went shopping at the Charity clothing place, I noticed I fit better into more clothes so it will be easier for me to find a new wardrobe and feel good about my self. 

My husband, roommates and best friends have been so supportive. I wouldn't have even been able to do this for myself if my friend hadn't lead by example and I saw not only how successful she was but how patient she has been teaching me the ropes. In short, it works and I am so proud.

I will Blog again when I weigh in on Wednesday and move into Stage Two. The weight loss will not be as dramatic, but will slow to a healthy pace, especially if I exercise. I don't want to loose too fast but it is exciting to see how fast Stage One works.

See you again soon!

First Day Done.

I started the "Sandal Diet" as of Wednesday. I was fortunate really. My father had given me a gift card to the "Trader Moe's" store for $100, plus I had another for a retail store giving me the luxury of completely cleaning out and setting aside all the junk food I could no longer have. I didn't throw it out, I didn't have the heart to but I other members of the household not counting calories could appreciate it. Then I filled the fridge to the brim full of cheese, meat and veggies. I figured to start either at the beginning of a week or the middle of it to keep track, so yeah- there ya go.

I indulged in every food that would be restricted that I could enjoy on Tuesday. Not gorged but just ate and acknowledged that I can no longer eat this way. It included a cup of ramen, soda, apples, fruit salad, sushi and birthday cake. Bye bye junk food!

Wednesday morning- stage one. I had for breakfast an egg scramble with artichokes, spinach and ground turkey. Afternoon snack: Chick peas, beans and Olives tossed in Oil Oil and Curry. Lots and lots of unsugared, caffeine free tea and Sugar free blended drinks. Late Lunch: Naked burrito bowl, sans tortilla and rice. Bye bye carbs. In the Evening I had Shiro Miso soup with Nori, Green Onion and Tofu, "Sandal Diet" formulated trail mix and coffee with Sucralose and Baker's Chocolate (no sugar, no cream).

I could not believe how quickly the diet is effecting me! I had a full good night's sleep but I was tired all day as my body is not getting what is was used to and having to learn to burn what it already had stored. Late I started to get light headed from the lack of sugar, and a head ache cured with coffee. The only thing I found very alarming was the possibility of a kidney stone which I had symptoms of a year prior. Suddenly I go from a very poor diet, to flushing my system. Youch did it hurt!!!! The pain went away with drinking more water.

Day two thus far. I woke very hungry with a healthy metabolism. I went and had breakfast with my publisher and tried my very best to make smart choices at the restaurant. I had coffee with Sucralose, no cream. An omelet scramble with peppers, bacon, cheese, sour cream, avo, all which I can have in Stage One. Unfortunately they snuck potatoes in there so I ended up eatting little over half my omelet. Coming home I made something very unconventional and delicious: Tofu Shiyoyaki noodles with Zucchini and sugar free spaghetti sauce, garlic, olive oil,  mozzarella, Parmesan and it tasted awesomely just like the "real deal." I also snacked on a light cheese stick and some sliced roast beef. Yum! To indulge I had sugar free hot cocoa since it's winter, with Baker's Chocolate and a tiny bit of unsweetened soymilk. I also had (one) sugar free chocolate caramel candy. Believe it or not, but on this diet you are supposed to eat at least 6 times a day! That's alot of nibbles and healthy eating. It teaches your body- "hey stupid, you're not starving, quit storing fat" and to burn what it needs. Pretty quickly your metabolism, even in the middle of winter makes you hungry almost every hour on the hour. Almost time for dinner!

Totally Derailed

Hello Reader,

Sorry I fell off the track- literally. Last I blogged, I was adamant about eliminating fast food from my life, thus starting a short lived blog. Shortly thereafter my husband and I had to move from our condo because we could no longer afford it and returned back to a house rental that we previously lived in, this time with room mates. The next few months of chaos broke my fast but not my determination to change my eating habits.

I started the hardest and worst job I ever had, taking away all personal free time I had through the end of the year- almost ruining the holidays. The only thing that kept me sane, besides my supportive family- was dark, fair-trade chocolate. Thank God for chocolate! It staved off  my cravings of wanting to relapse as a smoker, full of good anti-oxidants and yummy cocoa. And I was such a good girl, only having a small square a day where most folks would eat an entire candy bar. But yes, none the less I resorted back to my old ways. And without going to the gym since August due to money, I have gained two pounds for every month I do not go. Yikes!!!!

I aim to continue to exercise when the weather starts to warm since I am fortunate to have a park right next to my home. But my main new goals- aside from getting a new job, and kick starting my company in the pants, is to try a new diet plan that was introduced to me by a good friend of mine. So I am blogging again, yay!

It's a little risky I suppose. I did the Point System thing for a while but unfortunately it allowed me to cheat by just adding fiber to everything or eat their brand name line of junk food. But even still, it helped me go from a size 20 to a size 16 in just half a year. After that, the gym and common sense dieting (no soda, no salt, no junk) helped me  go down to a size 12. Since my regression backwards, I have bounced back up to a size 14. I would like ideally to be a size 8 since I'm 5'9" in my logic that seems healthy Body Mass Index but since I'm not a nutritionist, I cannot be certain. I cannot remember the last time I was a size 8...middle school perhaps? But either way, that is my goal.

The plan that my friend introduced seems easy enough, a newer protein based diet that emphasizes eliminating sugars. I don't know if I can point out the name directly but I can say that it has sandals and sand as it's logo. The diet makes sense and seems to work. My friend lost over 25 lbs. right before my very eyes. It intrigues me since I took a nutrition class (albeit that I had to drop and didn't complete) but I learned enough to see that cutting sugar, fast food, heavy sodium and oils from your diet will make you loose some pounds. I am not ready at this point to start such an aggressive plan since I am still recovering from the devastating stress of my last job, but in the next few weeks I would like to give it a go and blog about my experience here.

Ttysoon!