Navigation

So much of life is about navigating the ups and downs, ins and outs of life.  There isn't much in life that is firm, most of it we have to adjust to, after all the planning we do... and if there is no planning, if we decide not to captain our own ship(be pro-active), then much of life's navigation is reactive.

That is what my weekend was.  Reactive navigation after not pro-actively planning.  But, despite all of that, I feel like I did fairly well keeping to the diet rules... I'm not going to say that I wasn't flexible, that I didn't color outside of the lines, because I did push the lines out a little bit... but at least I was still on the same page/chapter/book of the diet guidelines (within the realm).  It would have helped if I had actually brought my own piece of chicken, or even some of the food my diet plan provides (they are so easy to take everywhere with you, already packaged and ready to open and eat.)  but I decided rushing and getting there was more important than being prepared.  Life is full of all sorts of good lessons, isn't it?

It's really perverse of me to talk about dieting and then post a picture of chocolate cream pie.  Walk away from the sugar , walk away from the sugar, when it's staring you in the face.

But more important than navigating a weekend of potato salad, grilled hamburgers, chocolate cream pie, pork ribs and soft drinks I was able to celebrate with my family the importance of Fathers.  Here are some cool statistics that speak to how important fathers are.

http://www.fatherhood.org/media/consequences-of-father-absence-statistics

I'll share a few that they shared on their web.

Even after considering things like poverty, statistically speaking, without a father in the home (biological, step, or adopted I believe) children are more likely to be incarcerated.
Infant mortality, in fatherless relationship, is 1.8% higher.
Children without a father in the home are 4 times more likely to live in poverty.
Children without fathers in the home are more likely to struggle emotionally...

The list goes on.  The power and influence of a father should never be underestimated.


P.S.  I cheated by eating the pork ribs and a sugar free pudding.  So, yeah, I flubbed a bit, but I could have flubbed worser.  And I still lost 2lbs this week.  hurah. on target for this diet.

Flip Flop Inspiration

Never give up,  you're almost there

" Once more from the Rogue River...... We watched a mink emerge from the water  and place a small fish on  a huge flat rock and disappear behind the rocks.  The small fish flopped and flipped and flipped and flopped for about three minutes and worked its way to the very edge of the rock very near the freedom and safety of the swirling Rogue. 

Then it stopped its flip-flopping.  

The mink darted from the rocks---- a crunching meal began----the drama was complete.  Stunned we realized that we should never, never  stop flip -flopping...(The next flip might be the one to bring us to safety.....)" 

Is there something in your life that you feel like giving up on?  Don't do it!   Keep working.  You never know how close to the edge you are!  

Have a great day!  Keep flip flopping!   

My health coach Karen Perry sent this to me.  There have been a few days where I've been ready to phone in, send a text, take a hiatus, eat the cookies... just lose the weight on my own in my own way (it takes forever... I've done in 2 weeks what took me, on my own, 2 months)... and then I remember what I really want, I remember my goals, I step on the scale and see that all my hard work is paying off... I remember other times, with other diets or exercise,  feeling like, ugh! I've worked so hard to get here and this is all I get??? not even a 1 lb?  So, then I think, all right. Just like the other things you've done, this isn't a walk in the park yet, but the results are better. Just keep moving forward, keep swimming, keep breathing, relax, let go of all the negativity, be flexible with things as they are and don't let go and don't stop flip flopping or working to where you really want to be.

masochism

Last night, I made chocolate chip cookies for my kids and for my niece Maurya, who is in the MTC (missionary training center).  She's about to serve a mission for the LDS church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day saints).  Actually, she is going where I went on my mission, New Jersey.  How cool is that?

It was almost torture smelling the cookies bake.  BUT.  I didn't even lick my fingers as I rolled them up into a ball and placed them on the cookie sheet.  I didn't even eat ONE crumb that fell off the cookies when I took them from the cookie sheet.  I did splendidly well for a masochist.

Also, I did my yoga.  Yoga almost always gives me perspective, helps me to breath and relax and let go of the things I don't really have control over.  The only real power I have, the only real control I have in this world, is the power I carry within me.  The power to choose and the power to change myself for the better.


Sometimes I try to be a super woman and get it all done, all at once, according to my desire.... and perfectly... and then, I remember... like yesterday when I was cleaning the bathroom... it isn't perfect, but it's better.  And, I'm okay with that.

Also,  the eliptical was NOT made to be used barefoot... I remember every time I get on and it hurts my bare feet, and then, as soon as I'm off... I forget.  So, the next time I get on the elliptical barefoot, it hurts again. Is that a life lesson?


And, it's really not a good idea to watch the Food Channel... or Diners, Dives and Drives while dieting.  I got hungry... is that Pavlov in effect?

Losing Weight

not really

So, it's been a little bit over a week and I've been weighing myself every morning religiously.  And then I bought a new weight machine (so bad with words sometimes, what is it really called?) and I'm heavier on the new one than on the old one.  Poop.

this isn't me, and this isn't my pic

AND, my last weigh in with the dr. 2-3 weeks ago was different than the old weight machine I was using.  So, if I calculate the right machines to my advantage( dr's weight minus old machine)... I've lost about 10 lbs since the last time I weighed myself at the dr's.  :)  If I use a different set of calculations (dr.'s weight minus the weight of the new machine) I have lost 5-6 lbs since I last saw the dr.   If I use the old machine minus the old machines new weight I have lost 6-7lbs.

it's all good.

I think it's safe to say that I have lost at least five pounds.  Which is a faster weight loss then when I killed myself working out with Jillian for one week, and it killed... I don't even know if I dropped a pound that first week working out with her.  One work out with her should equal 5lbs lost, it's intense. I think it took a month to see a difference.  So, even though I haven't been running the course as smoothly as I could have, ie: no mistakes made, I'm still making the sort of progress that is pleasing and motivating to me.

serenity moving in the direction I have chosen

better

today was better than yesterday.  I love all the support that comes with this diet.  Not only the free health coach and dietitian but the FB group too! It really does help.  :)

Decisions

So, I was doing the diet incorrectly.  Mixing things up a little bit.  I was mixing the 4 and 2 and the diet program for nursing women.  Byy the end of the day I would have 300-500 more calories to consume... almost flippantly, oh, yeah, I can eat more bwahahaha....  I took care of all my calories at first, ate them all, but recently it's become one of those problems most people don't consider to be a problem.  But, when you're cranky because you didn't get enough food and ready to eat your way through the candy isle (or The Cafe Rio menu)... it's not so great.  Anyway, I have talked to my health coach and a professional dietitian.... both a free part of the program and this is what I have learned.

we all make mistakes, it's just a way of life teaching us how to do better next time

PROBLEMS

1.  For the first 3 weeks it's better not to exercise and let your body adjust to the decrease in calories  (I thought I would be okay, because I had been exercising (3 weeks ago(moving made it almost impossible to exercise), and I had started working out again before the diet)

okay, it wasn't this, but it wasn't easy peasy... one day, I will do this though

2.  If you're nursing, and I am, you need to gradually decrease the amount of calories you are taking and then start the diet.  Luckily, I have not lost any milk supply... I may be weaning soon, but I want to do it on my own terms.
3.  I started my diet after about a five day weekend engorged with an unspeakable amount of calories... and then came home and jumped feet first (not head first, because I didn't use my head) into the diet.  I can now tell people not to do what I did.

Pancakes and Nature go together like peanuts and butter

4.  I tried exercising on an empty belly with a drastic caloric decrease.  Brilliant.  Morning used to be the optimal time to exercise... but maybe I should eat first while on this diet.
5.  I may not be hydrating properly, which can cause the same sort of symptoms that deficiency in calories create.
6.  Not spreading my caloric intake properly throughout the day

Brilliant

SOLUTIONS

1.  Stop exercising or keep exercise to a minimal.  The diet is supposed to go into a fat burning mode, even without exercise.  So, for some people loosing the weight first and then beginning a true exercise regimen is better.   This is difficult for me because exercise helps me with my mental well being.  (I have ADD, with some anxiety and depression... it helps me focus, and gives me energy and endorphins).  So, Ill probably cut down but not give it up.

gonna keep it chill

2.  I'll try drinking more water and a few people have told me to drink Powerade Zero to help out, to make sure I have the electrolytes I need to keep me balanced.
3.  I'll need to choose a diet program, 4 and 2 or Nursing Mother's diet and then stick to it.  Follow the guidelines, get the majority of my calories in before 5 o'clock
4.  Better sleep.  They say  you need adequate sleep.

sleep vs. children, isn't he a doll, love my Aiden

5.  Also, there's a maintenance phase to this diet, which is a lot less stringent, still effective, but with results coming slowly.  I don't think I'll do this one
6.  Just stick with it, the best as possible... If I'm not doing better soon, after making these changes, then I'll have to rethink things

choices we make, make the difference in what and how we learn

WHAT I'M GOING TO DO

1.  Eat before I exercise.  I'll keep it to a light work out on the elliptical, my flexibility Yoga and abs, until I feel I have energy to do more.
2.  Make sure that I'm spreading my calories out, throughout the day correctly.  I'll look at my list of food suggestions every meal, until I am comfortable enough to figure it out on my own.  This is a new way of eating for me, and I need to have my brain wrapped around things before I try to fly solo.
3.  More H2O and more Powerade
4.  Sleep?  we'll work on it.  :)
5.  I'm getting good results, better than  the results I get on my own.  Being healthy, and getting to the size I want to be is what I want.  I'm okay making sacrifices
to do be able to achieve my goals, because, in the end, the rewards will far out weigh (pun intended) anything I gave up.

but, trying gets you to do... 

solving the problem

So, now I am working on solving the not enough calories problem...  who ever knew that that would be a problem for me :)  It's always been the other way around, too many calories for me.  It's emotionally nice to be on this side... Oh, you mean I can eat more??? instead of, oh, I ate too many and gained 10 lbs during one dinner.  well, poop.
My goals are not to just loose weight, but to be strong and healthy too... so, how I lose the weight is just as important as losing it.  I have talked to my free health coach and she is steering me in the right direction to find the answers I need.