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...