One of my all time favorite quotes is from The Road Less Travelled by M. Scott Peck, M.D. The quote, paraphrased, is "Every day is a new day, a new beginning. You can't change what happened yesterday, you can only learn from it and move forward." Today I am excited about moving forward.
Jeff and I went on a low carb diet back in January of 2004. I lost 130 lbs., and he lost 70. That's a misplaced overweight person between the two of us. I went from a size 4X (yes, 4x!) to a size 14. I'm only 5'2" and even a 14 is at least 2 dress sizes larger than I should be, but I hadn't been in that size since elementary school! So I was very very happy to be in a 14 for my son's wedding in September 2005. Jeff went from a size 44 pants to a size 34! He's 5'11" and was on the verge of being a bit TOO skinny, in my opinion... I do like a little "heft" on men :) No skin and bones for me to hug, thank you very much! We both worked out a lot -- a minimum of 3 times a week at the fitness center at Jeff's work, and I usually worked out at least 6 days a week.
Since the wedding we both spiralled downward. I don't know the e
xact amount I've gained back, but it feels like every pound and then some. Fortunately, it's not, according to my last trip to the doctor's about a month ago. But I have gained 50 of my 130 lbs back. UGH! Jeff has probably gained back 30 of his. You can see by the photo on the right -- WAY way too heavy!
So tomorrow we re-start low carb. Back to the very beginning and the basics for two weeks. Yes, we do Atkins. You can rant and rave anti-Atkins all you want and I won't believe any of it. My doctor recommended it back in 2004 and it was definitely a huge health benefit for me. My blood pressure dropped from 170/90 to 112/60. My cholesterol dropped 61 points. Jeff had very similar results. And my energy level, which currently seems to be absolutely non-existent, was sky-high. I miss how great I felt while on that diet!
I am excited about going back on this way of eating. We both love the food, we both feel better and more energetic, and the weight loss and medical results are all good. We start right back at Step One - Induction. For two weeks we eat only meat, eggs, up to 3 oz cheese a day, 2 cups of salad veggies and 1 cup of other legal (green high fiber) veggies per day. Even after Induction, we will stay away from all things white -- white flour, white sugar, potatoes, rice, and trans fats. We will eat lots of vegetables and proteins. Our diet will be high in protein, good fats and fiber. We will take an array of vitamins to ensure good health, and add fiber substitutes occassionally. And most important, we will return to our exercise regime.
I know how out of shape I am right now. It's pathetic, to be honest. But I do understand I can't jump back on the exercise wagon thinking I'm going to pick up where I left off. Starting tomorrow I am going to exercise for 5 minutes a day, 6 days a week. Yes, I said just 5 minutes. Why? Because I don't want to hurt and I certainly don't want to damage my back. If I do either of those, I won't exercise at all, and that will be the worst thing. So just 5 minutes a day either walking on my treadmill or outside 3 x week, and doing hand weights 2 x week and stability ball 1 x week. Once I get through that (both mentally and physically) I will start building my minutes up, slowly but surely, by 5 minute increments, or more if it feels comfortable. Once I can comfortably do 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, I'm going to go back to the fitness center for 3 x week x 45 minutes, then work out at home 2 x week x 30 minutes.
I can feel the same resolve I had back in January of 2004. I am going to do this and I am going to be successful at it. I am going to feel that high level of energy again! I am going to be able to admire myself in the mirror again! I am going to feel healthy and in control of what I eat again! It's going to work! There will be one difference -- as I get towards my goal weight (which I haven't determined yet), I am going to my doctor's nutritionist and learn how to make permanent changes in our way of eating so we don't regain this weight again.
So... it's a new day, a new beginning. I can't change what I did yesterday (regained weight) but I can learn from it and move forward... And that's exactly what I'm going to do!
Jeff and I went on a low carb diet back in January of 2004. I lost 130 lbs., and he lost 70. That's a misplaced overweight person between the two of us. I went from a size 4X (yes, 4x!) to a size 14. I'm only 5'2" and even a 14 is at least 2 dress sizes larger than I should be, but I hadn't been in that size since elementary school! So I was very very happy to be in a 14 for my son's wedding in September 2005. Jeff went from a size 44 pants to a size 34! He's 5'11" and was on the verge of being a bit TOO skinny, in my opinion... I do like a little "heft" on men :) No skin and bones for me to hug, thank you very much! We both worked out a lot -- a minimum of 3 times a week at the fitness center at Jeff's work, and I usually worked out at least 6 days a week.
Since the wedding we both spiralled downward. I don't know the e
xact amount I've gained back, but it feels like every pound and then some. Fortunately, it's not, according to my last trip to the doctor's about a month ago. But I have gained 50 of my 130 lbs back. UGH! Jeff has probably gained back 30 of his. You can see by the photo on the right -- WAY way too heavy!So tomorrow we re-start low carb. Back to the very beginning and the basics for two weeks. Yes, we do Atkins. You can rant and rave anti-Atkins all you want and I won't believe any of it. My doctor recommended it back in 2004 and it was definitely a huge health benefit for me. My blood pressure dropped from 170/90 to 112/60. My cholesterol dropped 61 points. Jeff had very similar results. And my energy level, which currently seems to be absolutely non-existent, was sky-high. I miss how great I felt while on that diet!
I am excited about going back on this way of eating. We both love the food, we both feel better and more energetic, and the weight loss and medical results are all good. We start right back at Step One - Induction. For two weeks we eat only meat, eggs, up to 3 oz cheese a day, 2 cups of salad veggies and 1 cup of other legal (green high fiber) veggies per day. Even after Induction, we will stay away from all things white -- white flour, white sugar, potatoes, rice, and trans fats. We will eat lots of vegetables and proteins. Our diet will be high in protein, good fats and fiber. We will take an array of vitamins to ensure good health, and add fiber substitutes occassionally. And most important, we will return to our exercise regime.
I know how out of shape I am right now. It's pathetic, to be honest. But I do understand I can't jump back on the exercise wagon thinking I'm going to pick up where I left off. Starting tomorrow I am going to exercise for 5 minutes a day, 6 days a week. Yes, I said just 5 minutes. Why? Because I don't want to hurt and I certainly don't want to damage my back. If I do either of those, I won't exercise at all, and that will be the worst thing. So just 5 minutes a day either walking on my treadmill or outside 3 x week, and doing hand weights 2 x week and stability ball 1 x week. Once I get through that (both mentally and physically) I will start building my minutes up, slowly but surely, by 5 minute increments, or more if it feels comfortable. Once I can comfortably do 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, I'm going to go back to the fitness center for 3 x week x 45 minutes, then work out at home 2 x week x 30 minutes.
I can feel the same resolve I had back in January of 2004. I am going to do this and I am going to be successful at it. I am going to feel that high level of energy again! I am going to be able to admire myself in the mirror again! I am going to feel healthy and in control of what I eat again! It's going to work! There will be one difference -- as I get towards my goal weight (which I haven't determined yet), I am going to my doctor's nutritionist and learn how to make permanent changes in our way of eating so we don't regain this weight again.
So... it's a new day, a new beginning. I can't change what I did yesterday (regained weight) but I can learn from it and move forward... And that's exactly what I'm going to do!
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