Day 6 - Day off

Today is my first "day off." I don't know what else to call it.

I woke up this morning and could really see some changes already! I ended up weighing myself again. I don't want to weight myself too much, but I knew there was a change....

weight: 143.6

I've lost 4.5 lbs in six days already. I know it's also because it's in the beginning and the weight loss will slow down to a steady pace eventually. I'm just glad that my efforts are paying off.

I have a new motivation other than accomplishing something great and looking good....I want the people who don't quite understand why I do the weird things like eat six times a day or don't drink alcohol on a Friday night to see the results of why I'm doing what I do.

I had some dreams last night about eating candy because I knew it was going to be my day off when I woke up.

After weighing myself, I really didn't want to backtrack at all, so I had a BFL breakfast. I did have some chocolate cravings, so I went to the store to get some chocolaty treats. I also got a massage, which was great! It was at a school so it's only $30 for an hour. I can't really afford the superfluous luxuries right now, but I really feel like it is a health necessity with my back issues and the intensity of my workouts.

I have an eye appointment in 40 minutes, then I think I'm going to go for a run. I've felt on edge yesterday and today. I want to just jog forever and relax.

I'm still going to keep track of what I eat on my days off. I want to be able to look back on this blog and see my journey the whole way through.

1) 8am - sonoma tortilla, 1/2 fage plain yogurt (whenever I have the fage yogurt, it's always the plain fat free kind), 1 T. PB (the pb is always organic and just peanuts and salt), 1 t. real unsweetened coco.

2) 8:40 am - 1/2 Lindt 70% cacao dark chocolate bar (it's about 1/2 the size of a regular choc bar)

3) 10am - other 1/2 of lindt bar, Odwalla chocolate flavor bar (delicious!)

10: 45 - 2 shots espresso w/ water, 1 splenda and about 1/4 c. skim milk.

1:00 - 10 almonds, 1 small yam (microwaved and salted), 1/4 c. ketchup

2:15 - (out at a restaurant) grilled veggie platter
cubed potatoes (not too much oil but I'm sure there's much more than I would ever use)
1/2 c. ketchup (I like ketchup!)
2 big tortilla chips and 2 T. spinach artichoke dip
mimosa.

3:15 - From Cold Stone - small sinless sweet cream ice cream with pb cup and fudge in a cone.

4:30 - small soy latte

9pm – potato wedges (fried), ½ c. ketchup

10pm – 5 mini reeces pb cups

11-11:30 – about 3 cups cheesy popcorn, ½ c. drink that is seltzer water, tequila and Malibu

12:00 am – ½ of this moose cake thing from grocery store bakery
1 weight watchers single serve ice cream
1 100 calorie peach cobbler
1bag low-fat microwave popcorn.

I'm doing a promotional job for some extra money tonight and then going to LB's place for a party he's having for a friend. I'm glad I'll be staying busy on my day off. I don't want to be thinking about food. It's nice that even when I drive past bakeries, I think, "I could have anything I want today. I just don't want it, though. I want to be healthy."

When I did BFL before, I actually went to the discount bakery place and I would get a big bag of stuff and just binge on it. Awful. I never want to feel like that or disrespect my body like that ever again. I think so much of weight loss and health is mental and emotional. I'm in a really good place right now. I've worked very hard to get here.

The "day off" is great, but I really can't wait to get back on plan tomorrow and have another full week of feeling good and getting results! I can't believe I'm 1/12 done already. This will be a breeze because I want it so badly!

**Hi Lauren (my only reader)! :)

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4:31pm -
Well I ended up eating more than I had originally suspected but I don't feel bad about it at all. It's my day off. I can't wait to get back on plan tomorrow, though! I'm just so ready to be healthy, slim and successful.

There have been so many times when other people had been doing some sort of health plan or just eating healthy and I couldn't understand how it was so simple for them. Now this is simple for me. I think so much is a mindset. If you're not in the right state of mind to stick to a healthy lifestyle, it usually doesn't mean you have to focus MORE on diet and exercise. I really think that it goes deeper than that. At the core, it's probably pretty important to like and respect yourself in order to subconsciously feel like you deserve to treat yourself well.

Just a thought.

Aaaaa, I can't wait to be back on plan tomorrow!!! I'll be doing the Susan G. Komen walk bright and early tomorrow.

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12:16am – Wow, well I didn’t end up running today and I definitely didn’t end up eatinighg healthy. It’s ok, because it’s my day off, but I learned that I might actually be happier taking a free meal that is just one meal, and possibly one dessert (but I think I’m done with desserts. They make me feel sick).

Day 5

I feel great! I really think I can see a difference in my body. It's small, and I'm sure nobody else notices, but it's nice to see some changes.

I can feel my small bump of a bicep. I love it. It's motivating because I can't wait to see what 12 weeks of doing BFL will do to my body if I can already see results in 5 days.

Tomorrow is my "free day" but I don't really want to call it that. It makes it sound like the rest of the week is difficult and restricted. I don't feel that way. I really really enjoy eating healthy and having a set schedule. The last time I did BFL (about 5 or 6 years ago) I was in a different mindset and I pretty much lived my life for my free days when I could eat anything and everything I wanted. Now my focus is more on health and I enjoy feeling good.

I'm so excited that even during the week when I was feeling like maybe all of my work wasn't producing results, I kept going. My goal has been to accomplish something great and I feel like I'm off to a good start!

Meals:
1) 6:30am - 3 egg whites, 1/2 T. natural PB, 1 sonoma tortilla
- coffee with a shot of espresso and about 1/4 c. 1% milk (I usually drink plain tea with some stevia....wowza...energy!!!)

2) 10:30 - 1 veg sausage, 1/2 c. smart bran (I wasn't even hungry and hadn't realized it had been 4 hours...must have been the coffee)

3) 1:15 - 1/2 tofu, sonoma tortilla, 2 T. hummus (eggplant...it's always eggplant hummus because it's a lot less fat and calories), sonoma tortilla

4) 4:40 - 1/2 tofu, 1/2 egg white (from a deviled egg that I took the yolk out of), 1/2 c. smart bran. (I have been so busy at work that I didn't have time to eat and really wasn't thinking about it)

5) 6:40 - sonoma tortilla, 1/2 tofu (I was out with friends and I ate this while I was in the car)

6) 10pm - sonoma tortilla, 1/2 tofu (we went to a movie and I ate this after the movie. I knew it probably looked funny. I got a lot of questions about why I would do that. I can tell my friends don't understand and don't agree with it. I remember when my friend was training for a figure competition and she would have to do stuff like that. It's worth it to me. They're real friends...they might judge but that's about it and that's OK. We're all going to be judged for something.)


Workout:
6:00am (I woke up early!!!) 20 min BFL cardio on stairmaster. I did some abs but not everything I had planned. My abs felt really weak and I was tired. That will be something I can build up. I don't want to really push it to the point of pain because I have to be so careful with my back issues. I definitely still gave my abs a good workout. I did some decline crunches, some hanging leg lifts, plank, bicycles, oblique laying leg lifts and oblique crunches.

Day 4

I've decided that instead of doing a morning and night post, I'm just going to post when I can. I'll always plan my day in advance, though.

Today:

Tomorrow: Goal – stick to meal plan to the T (except times)
9:00 – Fage yogurt, 1c. frozen blueberries and mango - 8:45
12:00 – 1/2 tofu, Sonoma tortilla, ½ T hummus, spinach - 11:45
2:30 – veg dog, oatbran - 2:30
5:00 – smart bran, ½ tofu - 4:40 1/2 tofu, sonoma tortilla, 2 t. hummus, spinach
7:30 – veg sausage, Sonoma tortilla, 1 T. PB - 6:30 1 T. PB, 1 C. frozen mango, 7 veg meatballs (HUNGRY!!! Made sure to stop eating after my meal)
9:30 – 1 c. carrots, 2 T. Hummus, 3 egg whites - 10:00pm - 1 veg sausage, 2/3 C. high fiber ceral

workout:

barbell squats (single leg bb squats for last set)

dumbell walking lunges
seated calf raises
(was going to do abs but it was already 10:00pm and I was tired)

I needed to know if all of the work I'm doing is producing any sort of results. I weighed myself this morning and I was 145.8. So I've lost about 2.5 lbs since Monday! That was motivating.

My motivation for today:

• I want to accomplish something great (sticking to BFL).
• I want to see what results I can get by sticking to the program (and I won't if I stray).
• Let's face it....I want to look great whenever I try on clothes.
• I really want a nice behind :)

I'll update this post throughout the day.

I'm excited for another day of good health!

Day 3

1) 6:00 - 1/2 c. LF cottage cheese and 1/2 c. pineapple


2) 8:30 - 4 veg meatballs and 1 c. frozen fruit (blueberries, mango, cherries)


3) 11:30 - 1 individual can of tuna and oatbran - 11:05 4 veg meatballs, 1/2 c smart bran (I was hungry!!)




4) 2:00 - 1/2 tofu and 1/2 c. smart bran - 1:00 1/2 tofu, veg sausage patty, 2/3 c. carrots, 2 T.


hummus (had lunch with a friend so I ate now)


5) 5:00 - 4 veg meatballs and 1 WW tortilla - 4:00 - Fage plain yogurt (with some stevia), ww

lc tortilla with 1 T hummus.



6) 8:00 - veg hot dog and 1 T. PB - 7:00 - 1 c. carrots, 2 T hummus, 1 serv tuna - 7:00 1 serve tuna, 1 c. carrots, 2 T. hummus

7) 10:00 - Fage yogurt with 1 c. pineapple, 7 veg meatballs

3:31 - For some reason I'm a lot hungrier today. It's probably a good thing. Maybe my metabolism is speeding up. It probably takes a lot longer for that to happen, though. My next meal isn't until 5pm but I'm so hungry. I'm drinking a lot of blackberry herbal tea to hold me over (which, as a result, I'm also getting a workout by going up and down the stairs to go to the bathroom).

As for my non-fitness goals, I'm finally looking into guitar lessons. I think I need a few before I can teach myself. I really wish there were more people that read this blog. It's lonely here all alone with my blog! At least it's a good outlet to talk about anything along the way during my BFL journey.

4:30 - I ended up eating before 5pm, but 4pm is actually 3 hours after my last meal, so that's perfect! I have my before pictures. I'll post them tonight.

7:00 - I really think my body is starting to react to my new diet and workout regimine. I can feel the muscles in my upper body from my workout last night. It feels like tone and not bulk, too, so that's good.

Workout:

7am - I did the 20 minute BFL workout.
8pm - an hour and fifteen minutes of walk/jog with LB.

Day 2 night

Challenge: After lunch, I was craving something sweet. It wasn't an incredibly strong craving. I had some blueberry herbal tea (unsweetened) and that actually settled it.

On 10/15/08, my ceramics class is doing a "dessert critique" where everyone brings in a dessert and we critique each other's work. I'll have to be prepared for that so I'm not tempted to eat anything. I don't think it will be too bad. Eating while in a room filled with dust from clay and glaze does not sound like the best idea to me, anyway.

1) 9:00 - Fage Fat-Free yogurt 1 C. blueberries - 9:30
2) 12:00 - 1 ready to eat tuna Oatbran spinach- 12:30
3) 2:30 - 4 vegetarian meatballs 1/2 c. smart bran cereal - 3:10
4) 5:00 - 1/2 tofu oatbran - 5:25 Whole tofu and a low carb/high fiber tortilla
5) 7:30 - 1/2 tofu 1 c. carrots with 2 T. eggplant hummus - 8:30 1 T. natural organic PB egg whites
6) 9:30 - 1/2 scoop protein powder 1 c. fat free milk 10:10 - 1 c. carrots, 2 T. hummus, 4 veg
meatballs, 1 oz salmon (a taste)

I actually didn't have time to write last night so I'm doing a quick update before I write my morning blog. I had a great workout! I've been doing the reps doubled like this:
24, 20, 16, 12, 24
I think I'm going to switch to:
18, 16, 14, 12, 18

Overall, good day. Another success!!!

Day 2

I have always loved that saying, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

I took my single step yesterday with accomplishing day 1. Now I'm on the path to success. LB, my workout partner, told me a great analogy for getting healthy. He said that working towards a goal is like running. You have a destination and that's where your focus is. You don't constantly think about how you got to your current location and what it was like up until that point. The focus is on that finish line. That's how I feel with my BFL challenge, except I don't see the finish line as the end...just a milestone.

I thought I would wake up feeling fantastic today. I didn't. I was really tired and run down. It's only been one day. I guess I'll give it a little more time. Patience.

What motivated me today?
Again, I'm motivated by the sense of accomplishment.

What is my plan for meals?
1) 9:00 - Fage Fat-Free yogurt
1 C. blueberries

2) 12:00 - 1 ready to eat tuna
Oatbran
spinach

3) 2:30 - 4 vegetarian meatballs
1/2 c. smart bran cereal

4) 5:00 - 1/2 tofu
oatbran

5) 7:30 - 1/2 tofu
1 c. carrots with 2 T. eggplant hummus

6) 9:30 - 1/2 scoop protein powder
1 c. fat free milk

What is my plan for working out?
Upper Body:
Chest - dumbbell flies
Back - lat pulldown
Shoulder - lateral raises
Biceps - hammer curls
Triceps - cable pulldown

Are there any obstacles I can expect today that I should plan for?
I feel kind of "off" but I might just be tired. Other than that, there aren't any major obstacles I can foresee today.

What supplements am I taking today?

Multi, C, cinnamon, B complex, omega-3, cranberry

What is something that I'm grateful for?

I'm grateful for LB. It's nice to have the motivation of a great workout partner with whom I enjoy spending time.

What is one thing I can do to work toward each of my goals?

1) I bought a guitar magazine yesterday that has a great article on online lessons. I'll read more about that and look into them. I'll practice for at least 10 minutes (I'm being realistic....I have a busy night).

2) I'll study for the GRE at least 20 minutes.

3) I'll learn 2 new Spanish words.

Here I go! Day 2....

End of Day 1

What did I end up eating?
The black is what was planned. What I actually ate, and at what time, is in red.
1. 9:30 - Fage 0% fat plain yogurt 9:30
green apple
2. 12:00 - packaged ready to eat salmon 12:30
Oat bran
spinach
3. 2:00 - 1/2 teryaki tofu 2:30
1/2 c. fiber cereal (smart bran?)
4. 4:00 - Soy hot dog 5:00
Oatbran
5. 6:00 - 1/2 teryaki tofu 7:00
2 T. Eggplant hummus with 1 C. carrots (I was more in the mood for this)
6. 8:00 - Protein shake 9:35 - 1/2 scoop biochem whey protein, 1/2 c. kefir (instead of milk)
and 1/4 c. blueberries.
1 c. carrots

What was my workout?
I ended up doing my 20 minute BFL workout on the stair stepper. It was really good! I did 10 minutes of walking at an incline on the treadmill after that. It was less of a workout than I had planned on doing, but it's still more than the minimum. I'm happy with it.

What did I learn?
It's definitely worth waiting for my next meal when I have a craving.

How do I feel?
I'm really happy that I finished a successful first day. It's relaxing know that I'm doing this mostly to feel good and to accomplish something rather than JUST wanting to be a size 2 again. If that were my main focus, it would be frustrating each day that I'm not quite there yet.

Were there any obstacles and what did I do to overcome them?
As soon as I came home from work, I was ready to grab a snack. I waited because my next meal was in 30 minutes. When it came time to eat, I took out the tofu, carrots, hummus and peanut butter. I realized I didn't really need the peanut butter and put it back. I'm so glad I didn't give in to momentary temptation!

What is an accomplishment?
I completed my first day of Body for Life successfully!