Month: July 2021

To scale or not to scale

/ Rachel H. / Leave a comment

I love weighing myself daily. I totally agree the number isn’t everything. But I also realize there are times that number doesn’t move! I read an article about how using a fat caliper is a better measure. I’ll try it out in coordination. This week, I wasn’t very useful and I had a sore back too.

I am not giving up on the scale because I don’t want to live and die by that number! Seeing weight loss around my waist would be ideal. I’d be ok with it if things fit better. I feel trimmer today, despite having a higher measure from my weekly measurement. I’m still down a lot. There is the potential that I had too much sodium too.

Honestly it’s all good!

The F**K It Diet

/ Rachel H. / Leave a comment

About two years ago a friend of mine mentioned this great new approach called intuitive eating or the no diet diet. This friend had always struggled with her weight and she thought it was great! So I thought well maybe? Anyone else try this out?

So I bought The F**k it diet book and the concept of saying to heck with it and actually seeing results sounded great. But honestly, I didn’t like it! Everyone is different but for me this approach seems bleak and aimless. The who cares mentality seemed like following the approach of how I gained 20 pounds to begin with! Its like saying my plan for exercise it to not actually exercise but let it happen naturally. And honestly after reading the book I felt like it messed with my mind! Because when people talk about how great something works for them, you are open to that suggestion and consider it. I am not the yo-yo diet type, and I don’t binge eat. I never suffered from bulimia or anorexia.

I don’t know if its successful for anyone? Maybe it is, but it didn’t work for me and actually felt like it made a negative impact on me. The psychology behind it is to not think about it and thus you balance out to your normal weight and some actually lose weight. Sounds great in theory but most of us gained weight doing this! So based on the theories in this book, my normal body weight for 5’6 is 175 lbs (and rising)? I don’t think so and its not comfortable, its also not healthy.

And if the concept is to make healthy choices then that is actually a diet for the no diet but just not counting calories.

I had zero interest in this after I started reading this, and it wasn’t for me. I thrive on being structured and working on something consistently. It helps me to be guided and remember my sense of purpose. But again, there is something for everyone and maybe this works for you? What plan do you have to be healthier and more fit?

Get Off Your Sugar

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I started reading this book called Get Off Your Sugar, its very interesting. I have not finished it yet. When I started eating healthier as of June 27, I have noticed my sugar intake is usually 12 grams under the goal. I didn’t intentionally do this. I just knew I had to cut out the desserts made with flour and limit junk. I do still eat fruit though, bananas, strawberries, blueberries and grapes. There is so much hidden sugar in our food. I have also limited eating cheese, though sometimes I have cream in a coffee. At home I try to stick with nut milk. I never drank soda. My biggest culprit of sugar is probably if I have drinks. That could of also been why I was craving drinks the first two weeks I started eating better. The sugar in the alcohol. I was thinking it was weird I was craving it so much and wonder if I was addicted drinking. Now that I am thinking about it though….it might have been tied to the sugar aspect. Because I did eat a lot of sugar before.

I recommend this book. I believe it uses kind of a keto / vegan approach. I wouldn’t say I follow that exactly but its important to read why sugar is so bad and how it impacts you. Maybe get some ideas to push for change.

Tired today

/ Rachel H. / Leave a comment

Yesterday I had ice cream for “dinner.” Every once in a while I just want to have it so I did. I had peanut butter oreo with chocolate sprinkles. Today I woke up grumpy and my back hurts. Should I blame the ice cream? YES. Okay maybe its not that but it seems weird when I have been limiting my sugar intake to feel so crappy today. I am not going to lie it was delicious.

My weigh in for today 167.6. I am so proud of myself I know it takes time. Weighing daily has that draw back of why aren’t the results coming faster but its important to keep this in mind when you get like me, antsy and unrealistic expectations. I am down 6.4 pounds in a little over one month. I could be up 6.4 lbs instead that would bring me to, 180.4 lbs! Another key factor to keep in mind is yes its a slow and subtle journey but it needs to be because if we could do it over night we would not learn from that. Honestly, this is something I have to remind myself often. I lose a a pound on the scale I am on top of the world and think its going to melt off, then as the days tick by I realize and I start wondering why I weigh daily!

Do you think my small ice creamy yesterday is making me feel hungover today?

The Spirits

/ Rachel H. / Leave a comment

I started searching youtube videos and articles about alcohol and how it effects weight loss and brain chemistry. I found a fascinating article that explains how the feel good receptors are working over time when you drink so the next day they are tired (my very lament reading of it). Its called hangxiety! And I also thought it was interesting seeing the videos of people who quit drinking for 30+ days noting how much of difference they felt both mentally and in weight loss. I have noticed a significant change in measurements, with my current weight loss, I don’t know that its alcohol related for me.

I can’t let this topic go because I felt so horrible the day after, and regretful. But not regret because I was embarrassing, okay maybe a little. I didn’t enjoy the rest of my night after the second drink. Its so strange because back in the day I could drink 12 or more drinks, and I was fine.

Cocktails

/ Rachel H. / Leave a comment

This is truly my favorite, even more so than dessert! But since I’ve been eating better and only having drinks twice a month I’ve noticed when I do drink, and I’m talking only two drinks, it’s too much! That I’m quite tipsy! The last time I went for drinks they hit me so hard and the next day I felt mentally terrible. It makes me wonder if my brain chemistry is different since I’ve cut back, it just seemed odd.

Does anyone else experienced depression and anxiety the day after drinks?

One month anniversary

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Here to celebrate 30 days of being healthier. I am definitely not perfect but I love trying my hardest.

Night time is always a challenge for me. I’m most hungry and stressed. I’m proud of my changes and I will keep doing my best.

Any tips for when you question your decision? I feel like I’m struggling the same as I did when I first quit smoking. I need to remind myself daily why I want to make better choices!

Healthy Recipes Needed

/ Rachel H. / Leave a comment

Whenever I try to eat healthy I am at a loss at what to eat. What’s worse is I have a child who doesn’t like anything and wants none of it. When she was little I was better at it but the struggle became real when me and my ex separated. I used to cook a lot of diverse meals when I was with my ex, because I like cooking dinner. Now, I do nothing because I am the only one who likes to eat. I’ve tried those meal delivery services but find them to be salty. And I don’t know about you but I want to know where my food is coming from before I buy it. Hungryroot was pretty good, I loved HomeChef but again the sodium seemed on the high side to me.

Listen up today I weighed in at 167.3, I am amazed. My exercise pants that were tight on my waist have a little space now! I am feeling so much better. I am so proud of myself taking these steps to be healthier and stronger!

Up and down

/ Rachel H. / Leave a comment

Tonight I ordered my daughter pizza 🍕 for dinner. I ordered me a chef salad. Meat tasted gross in my salad, so I opted for a slice of pizza with salad. After that I had my usual dark chocolate (so I feel like I had dessert). I am 200 calories over and feeling like I failed! I know I didn’t and it’s ok!! Nothing and no one is perfect. I didn’t keep going with it. I’d say I was a success despite going slightly over. I am ok. I’m doing a great job,

One of the hardest things about changing how you eat is not letting it roll into days, weeks and /or years when you make a misstep. Like today I had this and I didn’t deprive myself. I realize that you can’t have pizza or junk every meal.

Why do I like to weigh in daily?

/ Rachel H. / Leave a comment

I am not a doctor, nutritionist, or psychologist but I am going to explain why I weigh in daily and how it helps me stay focused. I’ve worked to a lose weight a few times in my life and I have found that this technique has helped me for a few reasons. Some of the reasons I like weighing in daily is because it keeps me focused and motivated and it also helps me to understand my body better.

Staying Focused

Whenever I stop looking at the scale, things always fall apart. I guess its kind of like getting rid of your gas gauge or speedometer on your car. Let’s just say things snowball for me and the less I do this, the less I want to get back on the scale. I start to speculate how bad it is and obsess about how terrible I look and feel. Basically self destructing. The scale helps to keep me on track by showing me that the slice of frozen pizza I ate is much worse for me than fresh pizza. And the pros of daily weigh ins, out weigh (no pun intended) the cons for me. Yes, when I had week long stretch of my body resisting any loss it was frustrating but it made me realize I was doing something wrong and I needed to adjust things. I also think it is very important to include a weekly measurement of key areas and a photo. Seeing your progress even if the scale does not change is amazing.

Please don’t think I am totally obsessed with that number because I am not. I don’t expect perfection. I don’t want perfection. I do want good health and comfort.

Understanding Your Body

I know if I get a good nights sleep, and sleep in later (which doesn’t happen often), the scale will reflect a lower number. Stress is a big culprit, but I am also guessing its water retention. When you weigh in daily you start to see patterns and notice how thing affect your body in positive and negative ways. And of course its a unit of measure, its you know… SCIENCE. If your body is resistant to weight loss efforts you could have a hormone imbalance or need to make changes.

So that’s it for me? Maybe you prefer a once a week weigh in? How I do this really helps to keep me focused. Please tell me what do you do?