If I'm being totally honest...

It's been way too long... mostly because I've been busy and "cheating" a little bit.  Nothing like from my last post, but still.  Haven't been as good as I need to be.  For me, I find it hard when I don't have a set routine.  I KNOW things will improve when school starts back up.  That's not an excuse for now though.  I'm going to try harder. I want to thank a lot of you who keep checking in with me and asking how my program is going.  It keeps me honest, even when I've had a bad few days.  It really helps!  So keep the encouragement coming!

I did finally suck it up and rejoin my gym.  I went to two group fitness classes yesterday and today it's killing me to type (In a good way)!  I started with a step class followed by a body pump class, which is basically lifting weights to the beat of some upbeat music to keep the heart rate up.  What I do know is that cardio is not the best way to loose fat, but I am doing the step for fun, and the body pump has the resistance training I need.  Maybe as time goes on, I'll add in a spinning class!  I also got 3 personal training sessions when I signed back up, so that will be good to get me jump-started!  I really wish I had the money to spend on a personal trainer forever, but unfortunately, I don't, so I'll have to push myself on my own.

I'm really excited about getting back to the gym!  I think it will be a much better way to release stress during the school year.  Last year I stopped going to the gym and (now that I'm really thinking about it) it really effected my stress level and a very bad way.  I was more irritable, I didn't like my job (sadly, that was most days) and I was generally a not-nice version of myself.  That pains me to actually write in words for the world to see, but it's the truth and I don't want a repeat of last year!  Now that school is starting up soon, I'm starting to think about all the things I want to do differently, and THAT is at the top of my list!  I know for me, if I'm not happy, everything suffers.  Not only with work, but even more importantly, in my home life as well.  So here I am, putting that out here for all of you to read!  Please keep me accountable!  Especially those of you that I see on a semi-regular basis (I wish that was all of you!).  You guys really are the reason I'm staying more committed to myself and my goals.  Knowing that you guys know that I'm reaching for my goals gives me the leverage that I need to keep going.  So thanks again!  I love you all!  Here's to having the best week ever!

I'm Back!

It's been over a week since I've posted anything.  It's been a not-so-good few days but I'm back on track now.  I promised you all I would blog about the good, the bad, and the ugly that I go through on my journey, and let me tell you, there was a lot of bad and ugly...

Last Thursday I left for my high school reunion in Nebraska, however, long story short, I had a detour in my trip that landed me in Austin with some good friends for the night while waiting to try to fly out on Friday.  I was offered a sandwich for lunch and I happily accepted it, instead of saying "well, actually, I don't eat bread."  I really did enjoy the sandwich, so I kinda pushed it out of my mind... BAD Jenny!

In the airport the next day it only got worse.  I got there just before lunch and was walking through the terminal looking at all the choices.  Although there were several things I could have eaten that were completely on track for me, I instead chose the big slice of pepperoni pizza.  BAD Jenny!

I got to my home town and was picked up by my friend, only to head straight out for dinner and drinks... I bet you can guess that it wasn't a very "primal" meal... Yummy tacos, rice and beans, and lots of beer... BAD JENNY!

The next day I did try and redeem myself by ordering a bacon egg and cheese biscuit at McDonnalds and did not eat the biscuit... At lunch I had a burger without a bun, but then had my arm twisted into having a mint oreo shake... BAD Jenny!

That night only got worse... My reunion mixer... we had roast beef sandwiches, fries and pasta salad that were paid for with our $30 ticket... this to me didn't sound like it was worth $30 so when they expected us to pay for good drinks, or drink keg beer for free... guess which I chose?  I'll give you a hint... I woke up the next morning with a hangover and money in my pocket.  BAD Jenny!

That next morning was not so good... in fact the whole day was bad.  I was so sick I didn't eat all day for fear of throwing it up.  Serves me right!

You would have thought I learned my lesson, but on the way back home, at DIA all my stomach was hungry for was some cheese bread from Pizza Hut... Yep, I ate it all, and I regretted it later.  BAD Jenny!

I finally got home and told myself to get back on track, but I was still so tired and had nothing in my house to eat since I'd been gone for 5 days, that I laid on the couch all day and ate the only thing I had in my freezer (which I still can't believe I missed when I cleaned it out), Some Pilsbury Biscuits.  Yummy, but so not good.  BAD Jenny!

After that, I slowly got back on track which leads me to last nights 3 mile walk with my dog and this mornings awesome breakfast of bacon, eggs, and veggies, and a great walk and work out this morning!  GOOD JENNY!!

I guess what I'm saying is that yes, I messed up, but I'm not letting it completely derail my efforts.  I'm back on the horse and ready to ride!  Today is going to be a GREAT day!

GOOD JENNY!!

I'm putting it all out there...

I have decided to track my progress a little more thoroughly than just my weight.  I've realized after doing more research that weight is only a small part of getting into better shape.  So... I'm going to put ALL my measurement stats on here for all to see.  Every month I plan to do an update on my progress.

Weight (as of July 12, 2011) - 176.4

Neck: 13.75

Left bicep: 11.75 inches

Left tricep: 9.5 inches

Waist: 35 inches

Hip: 41.75 inches

Left thigh: 26 inches

Left calf: 15.25 inches

Total overall inches to start: 153 inches

BMI - 26.82 - This is in the Overweight range.  

Let's give it a month!  

Great Day!

I am in such an awesome mood today!  This is strange because Phil just left for Thailand and is going to be gone for 3 weeks... I'm going to miss him a lot, but instead of moping around, I'm looking forward to hearing all the stories he will have.

I found this podcast on iTunes the other day called "Cut the Fat Podcast."  I've only listened to a couple episodes, but I've loved every bit of what I've heard.  They make some really good points in ways that really make sense, and it really energized me to get back on track.  (I know that was a lot of "really's" in one sentence)  I was starting to loose momentum and this was just what I needed to keep going.

Anyway, besides that, I've simply decided to make the best out of my "me" time while Phil is away and get some things accomplished for myself.  I'm still working on getting things organized around the house, and I'm actually excited to do more!  I'm hoping I continue to find inspiration and energy to keep going.  I guess that starts with me and my attitude.

I'll keep posting as the inspiration comes to me!

4 days in...

After 4 days of being pretty much "Primal" I have to say, I have been pretty good thus far.  I have not been perfect but I've been a whole lot better than I normally am.  4th of July I did have a couple beers and some chips and dip, but what WAS different was the fact that I did not take an entire plate of chips and dip or anchor myself right next to the food like I have in the past... nor did I drink beer after beer after beer.  Instead I filled myself on lots of fresh veggies and homemade guacamole (YUM!) 

Since then the only real thing I have been regularly treating myself with are my chocolate truffles which happen to be right out of the Primal Blueprint cookbook so those aren't even that bad.  I do know that they aren't great and I shouldn't over do it because they do have some processed sugar in them but a whole heck of a lot less than other sweet craving options.  

Today has been by far my worst day food-wise... This is about the time that I usually give in to cravings (because my body is now rid of the majority of carbs in my system and is telling my brain it needs its "fix"), and I somewhat did give in today.  The difference is, however, that I am not letting one little "slip-up" derail all my efforts.  I couldn't help but sample a couple of gelatto flavors at our local coffee shop but even that was just a sample... so not so bad.  I am really trying hard to be good, and if it weren't for my commitment to this blog and the few followers that I do have, it might be even harder to stay on track. 

Now that I've "fessed up" to my shortcomings, I have to say I have noticed some slight changes... 

1) My belly is flatter, not smaller yet, but flatter.  I'm not bloated like I usually feel after eating a meal full of processed carbs.  

2) I'm not "crashing" like I used to a few hours after meals, and I don't get as hungry as quickly.

3) I don't really even crave bread... at all.

These small successes are telling me I am on the right track, and I'm really happy about that!

Updates...

Project "Cut the Fat Around the House" is in full swing!  I have to say it feels really good, and it is a lot more work than I anticipated.  So far Phil and I have tackled the kitchen - getting rid of all non-"primal" food we won't be needing, bedroom, and most of the closets around the house and managed to take two full (and I do mean full) car-loads of stuff to donate to good will.  It's amazing the things I have uncovered!  I am really very proud of our progress so far, and I still have a long way to go.

Two full car-loads of donations

A lot (but not all) of the non-"primal" food I'm getting rid of and donating out of my pantry.

My pantry after getting rid of non-"primal" food.

 Kitchen before and Kitchen after

See if you can pick up on the differences :)

Next on the agenda is the garage (while I still have Phil here to help me) and my dreaded office area that is currently the dumping ground for everything that we don't know what to do with.

Cutting the "Fat"

As part of my goal of loosing weight and becoming lean I intend to cut the fat that my body is hanging on to. That, however, is not the point of my post today. The fat I am referring to is the "fat" in other areas of my life. All of those things that are taking up space that have no real purpose other than to get in the way. I want my life to be lean and efficient in every possible way.

A few weeks ago I started this process by cleaning out my pantry and you would not believe how much processed grain and other foods were in there! I took it all out and begin to sort it into what I absolutely needed to throw away or better yet recycle, what I could donate to food banks and give to friends, and what I was going to keep around "just in case." I put all the "just in case" stuff either way up high where I wouldn't think about it or out in our garage freezer. I also overhauled my refrigerator. It's a nice feeling to open up the pantry and refrigerator to see a well-organized space to store food.

Today I continued my quest for organization by tackling the "junk drawers" in the house. Again, I found a lot to donate, recycle, and get rid of. I don't know why Phil and I get so lazy and let our clutter get so out of control. I know it stresses me out, so why the heck do I do it? One word: Laziness.

Still to come: (not necessarily in this order)

Closets

Office

"Crap" room - full of unpacked boxes, and teaching stuff being stored for the summer

Garage - I have to motivate Phil to help me on this one...

Bedroom

Bathrooms

Under sinks

Car

Computer

Curriculum

And I'm sure I'll come up with a few more things to organize as I go along.

I know this is going to take awhile and I hope I don't get lazy and stop... I don't think I will. It's such a great feeling to open up a drawer or closet and see everything in its place. Along with focusing on what I'm consuming, I will be focusing a lot more on staying organized. It does not come naturally to me, and it's time I train myself to be that way! Nothing but good can come from it.

I will post pictures of all the "fat" I'm getting rid of as I unearth it. I'm so lucky I have a summer vacation so I don't have to find time in my schedule to get this done. Wish me luck!

Happy Independence Day!

Today is the day! It's time to get started... I am a firm believer that you can't get what you want until you set some goals. So in this post I am going to set some smaller, attainable goals that will ultimately lead me to what I want my end result to be. I say end result, but I have a feeling that there really is no end, just improvements-- and there's always room for more of those! So, here goes:

Ultimate goals:

1) By this time next year I will be 150 pounds or less, and have a BMI between 21-24%. Currently I weigh 177 and have a BMI somewhere in the range of 25-30% which is considered overweight. This means I want to loose 27 pounds and decrease my BMI by4 to 6% within the next year. Totally doable.

2) I want to wear a size 8 or less. Currently I wear a 12 to 14 so I want to go down at least 3 pants sizes within the next year. Also totally doable.

Baby Steps:

In order to reach my ultimate goals, I am going to set some s

mall goals with due dates so I can measure my progress.

1) By August 4th I will have lost 7 pounds and lowered my BMI by 1%. This will put me at 170.

2) By August 4th I will be loosely fitting into all my size 12's and wearing size 10's that I haven't pulled out of my drawers in a couple years.

In order to reach my goals, I need to lay out a game plan. But before I do that I need to explain what I understand about the basic science behind living primal. Science says that insulin controls the majority of our body functions, including the regulation of blood sugar, but even more so, the storage of fat in the body (as well as many other things that I am still learning about). Conventional wisdom tells us that fats are bad, especially cholesterol, and it should be avoided. We should focus our diet on whole-grain and low-fat foods. This is what I have been doing all along and was the basis for my skepticism. When I dug into the research (which I am still working on understanding completely--but I have the basics) a lot made sense to me. Simply put, carbs are bad, and fats are our friends. Carbohydrates break down into sugar in the body and are burned quickly with the help of insulin. This leaves the body starving for more and more carbohydrates to keep the body fueled. If you have ever experienced a mid-morning crash (sleepy, no energy, etc.) or a crash an hour or so after lunch, this is due to the fact that your body has used up and burned all the carbs you put in. Conversely, fat and protein burn much slower than processed carbohydrates. They tend to sustain you longer without the crash and tired irritable feelings. When you consume carbs and fats in the same meal, insulin automatically burns the carbs (which we usually overload on) and as a result the fat gets stored, causing us to gain fat and weight. By eliminating the processed carbs, our bodies will burn the fat as fuel instead.

I want to make a very important distinction. I have been using the phrase processed carbohydrates, referring to carbohydrates that must be processed and altered before we can eat them. Things like processed sugar, grains (even whole-grain and corn), and soy. I am NOT talking about natural carbohydrates found in vegetables and fruits. I fully intend on eating veggies to my heart's desire and enjoying fruit every now and then as well.

For a more detailed explanation, check out Primal 101 at marksdailyapple.com. It is full of facts and figures and FAQ's about the primal philosophy and way of life.

Now, back to my game plan:

1) Eliminate the bad carbs and eat (lots) more vegetables. The more colorful the better!

2) Enjoy great cuts of meat... again, organic, grass-fed, not anything that was processed and pumped full of nitrates and other chemicals.

3) Don't feel guilty about eating bacon and eggs! They are yummy and full of good fats and protein!

4) Exercise in the form of play, and things I enjoy. Not working out to the point of exhaustion and fatigue. Things like going for more walks with Lucy every day, sprinting occasionally, and just spending more time being active and playing outside.

5) Keep reading and learning more about the Primal/Paleo lifestyle so I can make educated decisions and be able to communicate the basics to people, like me, who are skeptics.

Finally, I want to post a couple pictures of me now so we can have something to compare me to as I go along.

These two pictures are of me last week on vacation with my family. The first picture is of me in front of Mt. Rainier. I am clearly not comfortable. The second picture is of me and my dad. I didn't feel comfortable wearing anything but loose-fitting clothing. That's going to change!

Tomorrow is Carbohydrate Independence Day!

Let me explain a little more about what I mean. First of all, tomorrow is July 4th and I in no way intend to dishonor the day at all. I am an American, and I am so proud of my country and my heritage. What I do mean by Carbohydrate Independence is that I am declaring tomorrow my official start of living a Primal/Paleo lifestyle. For those of you who do not know what Primal/Paleo is, allow me to explain:

A "primal" lifestyle simply means eating and living the same way our primal ancestors lived before the advent of agriculture. I know that sounds a little crazy... and I want you to know that I do not intend to go live in a cave and scavenge for food. It simply means eliminating grains, corn, soy and a few other processed foods from my diet. Paleo living also includes no dairy. I love my milk and cheese so I am going to ease my way in by first living "primally" and gradually getting rid of dairy as well.

For the past few months (starting in March) I have been gradually testing the waters and doing my research on the Primal way of living. I have to admit I was a HUGE skeptic at first but I knew that everything I had been trying previously to loose weight and get into better shape had failed. I spent over a thousand dollars on a personal trainer who had me in the gym 5 days a week kicking my ass - It did work while I was there but my body was always sore, I was craving carbs like crazy, and I was constantly in a state of exhaustion. I also joined and rejoined Weight Watchers 4 more times over the course of 3 years. I did experience success with each attempt but as soon as life threw me a curve ball things went down hill every time. I would get frustrated and give in to weight loss pills such as Health-e-trim, and Ally but my conscience told me (after spending major money every time) that I knew better and I still have full unopened bottles of the stuff in the back of my medicine cabinet. As I did more research and digging, it soon became very clear that there is a lot of science behind this way of life, and It makes a lot of sense to me. (I will dig deeper into the basic science behind Primal living in my next post.)

Now after months of testing the water, encouragement from a few of my friends already living primally, and reading books and blogs such as Why We Get Fat and What to Do About it by Gary Taubes, The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson, and marksdailyapple.com also by Mark Sisson, (these two books and the blog I HIGHLY RECOMMEND if you want to learn more about Primal/Paleo living) I am ready to fully commit to the primal way of life.

In this blog I intend to chronicle all the struggles and successes I face as I begin my primal lifestyle. I am going to be as honest as possible with each post because I want it to truly represent my journey. Feel free to post questions, comments and encouragement (I may need all the encouragement I can get) as you read.