Weight Stats February 6, 2010

Wow.  I almost feel like I’m jinxing myself by even typing this, but I weighed 168 pounds this morning.  I haven’t seen that number on the scale since before my daughter, Morgan was born.  As a matter of fact, I was around 165 when I got pregnant with her back in 1999.  It’s so weird to even think about that!  I feel good though, minus annoying post nasal drip (poor Steve has been sleeping on the sofa because I’m snoring all night ).  Anyway, just had to post the good  news.  Now, let’s hope I didn’t jinx it!

I wish my digestive system would figure out a pattern and go with it.  Not to be graphic or gross you out, but I wish my system was “regular” and that I’d not have days with awful gas and bloating.  I even saw a doctor for it last fall and ended up just deciding to play around with my diet until I started being more “regular.”  I had accomplished a little bit of that going from “regular” meaning every 7 days to “regular” meaning every 2-3 days.  I figured I’d take that and be happy with it.  Going a week without “regularity” (sorry, I don’t want to use icky terms, but you know what I mean) is just awful and painful.

So this week I’m on week #1 of the Cheat to Lose Priming phase.  This means I eat a ton of protein, up to 60 grams of fat, no more than 20 carbs, and 1050 calories a day.  As I mentioned in my previous post, I’m kind of sick with a cold that won’t go away, so I’ve been taking decongestants and Zicam all week.  Other than that, I’ve taken no other meds.  Yesterday (Tuesday) was AWFUL!  On top of feeling sick with a cold, my stomach starting churning and having severe cramps.  It didn’t feel like gas, much more severe actually.  But to look at my profile, you would have thought I was pregnant.  My belly was sticking out and was as hard as a rock!  I no longer have a gall bladder, so I knew it wasn’t that.  I just felt terrible and it would hit me in harsh waves where I’d run to the bathroom and nothing would happen – I’d just sit there until the pain subsided.

Anyway, fortunately, Mother Nature finally helped me out a little and after several trips to the bathroom, I think I’m pretty much empty now.  It wasn’t terribly pleasant, but at least I don’t look pregnant anymore .  There is nothing more frustrating that being on a diet where you’ve dropped 6 pounds in a week before only to look at yourself in the mirror and see a big fat pregnant lady.  I cried to my husband about it because it makes me not want to stay on this diet.  The only reason I reverted back to this was to drop pounds quicker and prepare for the cruise.  He suggested that I start logging my “regularity” each day with my food diary (yes, I do know that he’s way smarter than me ).  So, I started that this week.  I’m hoping that if I can find a pattern, I can get my system functioning normally.

I don’t like yogurt, so I will not do the “Activia” challenge.  However, I do put Fibercon in my tea each morning and I drink the Crystal Light with fiber in it.  Anyway, I’ll see if I can work this tummy stuff out during these next few weeks.  I eat about the same thing every day, so this should be a good time to track my patters.  We’ll see.  Sorry to go into personal bathroom habits, but I figured this blog is about me, my body, and being healthier, so there it is!  Can’t get more “personal” than that!

So, my dear husband had a great idea last week.  He suggested we do the “Cheat to Lose” Priming phase and then a couple of weeks of Core phase before the cruise.  I should lose at least 10 pounds doing this, which would be a great boost.  I agreed and spent my weekend iced in my house cooking hamburgers, bacon, sausage, boiling eggs, etc.  I was pretty excited about this, although not looking forward to being so limited in food for three weeks.

Anyway, yesterday started it all and I’ve done great for two days and eaten only what I’m allowed to.  My body is hitting ketosis (I am peeing every 45 minutes, which means I’m getting there) and I’m not hungry at all.  I didn’t weigh this AM, but I feel smaller (could be in my head).  Well, would you believe that I’m getting a cold??!!  Remember back when Steve suggested that we get up at 6:30 a.m. and work out each morning?  And, then, I ended up with a horrible cold/sinus infection?  So, now he suggests another great thing and what do I go and do . . . I go and get a cold!  Another one!

Maybe it’s in my head.  Maybe I *think* I’m jazzed about doing this, but deep down I’m dreading it.  I actually enjoy getting up and working out, though, so I’m not sure if my theory is accurate or not.  All I know is that this stinks.  I’ve been downing Zicam all day in hopes to stave this thing off.  I have a nasty crick in my shoulder/neck to boot (oh, and I had one of those, too, when we started working out in the morning!  Weird!).

Well, wish me luck.  Day 2 and I haven’t eaten my left arm off yet.  I’m jazzed about dropping extra weight before the cruise.  If I can shed 10 pounds, I’ll be less than 15 pounds away from my “40″ pound weight loss goal!  Then, I just need to shed 20 more and I’ll be around where I want to be. 

God made things clear to me yesterday.  I’m right where I needs to be – my church needs me.  I can’t spell out the details, but some things came to light yesterday and my soul was finally at peace.  No matter what happens, my church needs me to stay the course and help her get back to where she needs to be to further God’s glory.  Therefore, I’m where I need to be.  I’m still going to meet with the Conference next week to discuss a new church start, but I feel I’m where God has put me for a reason.  Even if I lose my job down the road due to finances, I can at least know I did what I could do to save this church.  Anyway, that decision is made.

Second, my husband had a great idea.  He suggested we do the Cheat to Lose diet in February to drop some significant weight before the cruise.  Therefore, I’ll be one crabby chic for a few weeks as we go through the priming phase (1 week low carb/high protein & fat, 1 week mid carb/mid fat & protein, 1 week high carb/low fat, then one cheat day).  This diet is brutal for the first three weeks, but if you scroll back to the beginning of my blog you’ll see that I dropped like 8 pounds in three weeks doing that, which was awesome.  I feel like I’ve hit a threshold anyway, so this may kick start things a little.  Wish me luck

I think I literally worried myself  sick last Sunday.  By Sunday night I was not feeling well at all – my stomach was in knots.  I made the executive decision to take Monday off and get my thoughts together – to put in place a “game plan” if I were to lose my job and/or had to take an unpaid furlough.  It’s quite amazing what a day to “sort” can do for a person .  And, to make my day even more wonderful was when I heard the garage door open around 11:30 a.m. and my dear, sweet, wonderful husband comes strolling in with a big smile on his face.  He thought I may need him, so he came home to help me “sort.”  I’m so blessed – truly I am!

Well, I spent most of the day at the computer combing through our finances (savings, pension, checking account, upcoming expenses, etc.).  I felt a little better after doing that because I think we’ll survive if I were to lose my job.  It would hurt, but we’d survive.  I also had a sense of calm come over me yesterday as I exercised in the work out room.  I found the tension in my shoulders loosening and my irritable tummy began calming a bit.  I had been praying all morning that God would help me out, even a little, so I could focus on my current life as opposed to worrying about what *may* happen in the future.  As my husband put it . . . I can’t really worry about something that may or may not happen, all I can do is be ready and make peace with it.

I didn’t eat well yesterday – not that I ate junk, but I just wasn’t hungry for food.  I was a little nauseated, but mostly anxious.  I feel pretty good today, thank heavens, so I did get my work out in this morning, although not cardio.  I will be walking with our “Healthy Living” group tonight.  I’ve also started doing some exercises here at the church during the day.  We have these wonderful long hallways, so I’ve started doing lunges down the hallway as well as doing pushups using the counter edge.  I figure I can spread it around during the day since I don’t have a ton of time in the morning.  We’ll see – I need to get cracking!  Forty isn’t far away now .

Oh, and I ordered some things from Victorias Secret on sale in the hopes that a few of those items can be my motivation to lose weight and get fit!  I do think it will work – I almost didn’t get out of bed this morning, but thought of those pretty things and decided it best to suck it up and get it done!  I still have a ways to go before I look smashing in these shirts and the goodie for my husband on Valentines Day .  But, motivation is a good thing!