week 3

Week 3 weigh-in. 0 pounds, 0 ounces. Same weight down to the .2 and I’m a bit bummed. I definitely overdid it Sat night with the drinking but stayed very sane on Sunday.  It’s that time o’ the month so maybe that is adding to my general bloat and water retention (oh and crankiness) but I was really looking forward to a few more pounds off.  Yesterday was kind of a white-knuckle day where I really wanted to go off plan completely and I didn’t. I really feel like if I HAD had a huge dinner or just snacked away my hangover I would have definitely posted a gain this morning.   Therefore, I am trucking ahead with Week 4 of Shakeapalooza ’11 and will be at the gym tonight at 8.

Here’s to 7 days of hard work.  Any words of wisdom or posters featuring the ‘Hang in There’ cat would be greatly appreciated!

write or eat?

last night my husband and i went to a concert and i had more wine and beers than i planned to have. i worked out and had 2 shakes during the day- usually i do three but because i knew i'd be spending some cals on alcohol i decided that 2 was sufficient. pre-concert we had a little picnic of subway subs, wheat thins, and laughing cow cheese. we also polished off 2 bottles of red wine. during the concert we each ordered a round of beers. i was definitely buzzed on the drive home and that's probably why i didn't talk my husband out of stopping at a grocery store. we came home with a california pizza kitchen thin crust pie and bottle of bailey's. i know, what? i have to say that my typical MO would have been to hit the candy aisle, and definitely the ice cream aisle before exiting a grocery store at 11:30pm on a saturday night.  anyway my husband made the pizza and i slugged down a few bailey's on ice. i wanted to completely abstain from any 'extra' food at that hour but i did have one quarter of the pizza, which was about 240 calories. the bailey's was probably 600 and i am paying for some of that with a killer headache this morning.

so there's my story about last night; i wanted to get it out but i'm okay with it. i think for a drunkish post-concert episode, it could have been a whole lot worse. what i'm not okay with is how bad i want to eat heartily RIGHT NOW (i got up, took ibuprofen, made coffee, and had a vanilla protein shake).

i am writing instead of eating because i refuse to let myself ruin a great week.

i am writing instead of eating because i plan to see another 3-4 pounds off on monday

i am writing instead of eating because i have a good thing going.

i am writing instead of eating because i want to tell my trainer how much i lost this week when i see him next.

i am writing instead of eating because dinner is in 6 hours, i have two more shakes to drink before then, and i'm a grownup with self-control.

i am writing instead of eating because i know a few people out there know exactly what i'm going through.

thanks for reading.

tops and temptation

 The tops and sweaters and the capris have arrived from Macy's and its definitely interesting to see how different a '3x' size can be from another 3x top. The top shirt, black and white but mostly white fits now and is almost roomy. The one that is black with white circles is supposed to have a 'bubble' hem and be a little roomy but it's not roomy on me...yet. The blue mixed pattern top to the right is very very pretty but I got that one in a size 22 and that, too, is too small. All three tops are the brand Alfani, which I really like but is usually out of my price range. All were under 30 a piece and they are definitely shirts I can wear to work or on a Saturday night. Oh, just in case you were wondering about the sleeveless theme, I have an extensive collection of shrugs, cardigans, wraps, and sweaters that will indeed be worn with these.

So in fun/motivating news, the size 22 capris and bermuda shorts I ordered both fit easily and will be too big soon! that, by the way, is a testament to my Apple-shaped body- gorgeous 3x tops are snug but straight-leg size 22 capri pants are loose; classic.  I usually meticulously remove my jeans/pants from the dryer and hang them up since I'm so afraid the cotton will shrink and not fit but these two purchases will be hitting the dryer. sweet.

Anyway, I need to stop with the online shopping.

In Shake World, things are still going strong- on Thursday at work our boss announced free lunch from California Pizza Kitchen and I politely said no thanks. Everyone ordered not only pizzas but random appetizers like eggrolls and quesadillas.  Drinking the cappucino Somers shake was a little tough during that hour, but I kept telling myself that I was going to have a great dinner and that I was only temporarily depriving myself. So today is day 20 of 3 protein shakes plus dinner each night and I'm not interested in changing tactics. This week I've only worked out twice so I plan to get to the gym today and tomorrow.

yesterday i did the 'last chance workout' that was available for free on exerciseTV and it was a classic Jillian Michaels routine- basically intervals of high intensity cardio followed by 60 seconds of compound movement strength. i used 5 lb weights. the whole thing was under 30 minutes but i was soaked in sweat. if you have directv, it's in the on demand section and i recommend it,

Weigh-in Monday. Let's keep up the momentum over the weekend, blogosphere!

5. More. Pounds!

Monday weigh in = SUCCESS!!  5 lbs off for a total of 12 means the ‘shake plan’ is absolutely working – to recap, I’m drinking my breakfast, lunch, and late afternoon snack in the form of protein shakes (Muscle Milk brand in a bottle, or a blend-your-own using Suzanne Somers mix) and then having a ‘balanced’ supper every night. Now that I’ve been on this train for two whole weeks I think it’s important to point out that I do not deviate from the shake plan. I’m not highlighting this because I think everyone should drink protein shakes and be just like me, but I think that it’s worth saying that I did not, for example, decide to go out for lunch one random day this week  or have a bagel one morning because someone brought them into the office and I’d just have my shake for lunch instead or breakfast, etc.   My dinners have been varied and there were definitely a few nights over the past week that I didn’t feel like I was ‘dieting’- especially at Outback Steakhouse, and then again Saturday night when I had curried chicken, rice, and three glasses of red wine.  What I’ve gotten good at is just dealing with only drinking my shakes during the day, even when I could really go for something else. I really look forward to basically having whatever I want for dinner but I don’t go crazy and if I want some kind of sweet I have it right after dinner, I don’t allow myself to snack at night and pick at anything.  I ordered a bunch of shakes online Friday and I am geared up to do this plan for a long time.

My husband and I are going to his parents for Memorial Day weekend and I am planning to bring a case of protein drinks with me and power through the holiday weekend and beyond. The part that’s cool is that I will be able to share dinner with the family and even indulge a bit without feeling like I am making life less fun for people. When I told my hus that I would be taking shakes up to Livermore he was a little surprised and actually said ‘you’re going to do the shake thing for THAT LONG?’. My answer was, um, yeah, I’m going to have to do this for a long time-if I were doing a ‘plan’ like optifast or nutrisystem or even weight watchers I would have to keep at it for a long damn time, right? Anyway after quizzing me on the nutrient facts in the shakes, he acknowledged that the ‘best plan’ is the one you can stick with.   

Also, I did workout and plan to up the frequency now that I’m getting used to this lifestyle.  This past week I got in four workouts- trainer Tuesday, then gym Fri and Sat on my own, plus an hour walk on Sunday.  

Anyway I will be back tonight to create my pounds-off milestone fun-time sidebar!! hope everyone is having a good Monday so far!

chain restaurants, internet bargains, and milestone plans...

ah, friday. this work week was pretty epic. i stayed on the '3 shakes during the day' plan and even busted out the sharper image personal blender to make my own shakes in addition to my usual rotation of muscle milk ready-to-drink bottles (and that's RTD if you're a serious body-builder type like me- just kidding). today is day 12 of my Lazy Girl's Shake Diet (patent pending) and i feel really...relaxed about the whole thing.

i will confess that on thursday night i probably had what some serious dieters would refer to as a 'high calorie day' since i had my shakes at work but then met a friend at...Outback Steakhouse. i know, i know, not ideal but i do like a nice steak so i agreed to the uncouth choice. well, first of all, in california there is a new law that basically makes any eating establishment with more than 10 locations PRINT THE CALORIES of every single food item on the dang menu. this practice is eye-opening to the point of being ridiculous. i opted for filet mignon, baked potato, and mixed veggies, but by picking at the soft, warm bread and having not one but two 'skinny' (ahem) margaritas i definitely had a 1500 calorie supper. the cool part is because i'm only taking in about 660 cal during the day with my three protein shakes, there is a possibility that i actually lost a tenth of an ounce on thursday.  some might remember a book/diet plan that came out maybe 10 years ago called the Carbohydrate Addict's diet which basically instructed people to eat 2 very low-cal, lowcarb meals (like sliced turkey and celery or two boiled eggs, etc) for lunch and dinner but you got to eat 'whatever you'd like' for dinner as long as you keep dinner to 60 minutes. i remember reading that book and thinking it was a great concept but i never really pulled together the low carb breakfast and lunch part. i also think the authors rewrote the book like a year later and they kind of reneged on the 'whatever you'd like' part and gave some guidelines on how dinner should be balanced and shit, but basically the idea was still the same. i feel like my current plan is kind of similar, where i am super controlled during the day and i let myself really ENJOY dinner.

so onto internet bargains, just in case anyone got paid today and is looking to order stuff. first, macys.com has a good amount of plus-size clothing on clearance and i picked out like 3 shirts, 2 sweater/shrug things, and a pair of capri pants and only spent a hundred bucks. at checkout it said i saved $293...yes, two hundred and ninety three. that statistic is exactly why i rarely shop at macy's in real life or online unless there is a good deal but today, ladies (and potential gents), the deals were good.  THEN i started googling protein shakes and the good folks over at GNC are having a buy two get one free sale on RTD protein shakes, kids!  so 36 muscle milks are coming my way and instead of paying 3-4 bucks a pop, i paid just over $2 each (including shipping). i love a good deal, but i also really liked feeling confident about the fact that i will be utilizing all of those shakes and that they will be helping me stay sane and full during the day but also will be allowing me to lose 150 odd lbs.

so milestones. i really (really) want to cross the 10 pounds lost mark on monday. when i do, i will be adding a sidebar of milestone pounds-off things i would like to do and the first, which i am going to put after 'removed 10 lbs' is...create blog sidebar of milestone pounds-removed!! see, i can't create it til i do the first one. then, it's on.  i am looking forward to rewarding myself in random ways.

so the weekend plan is to stay on the shake train, enjoy some dinners with my husband, and get myself to the gym on saturday and sunday. i refuse to let the weekend interrupt my focus and i hope anyone who feels like slacking off on the weekend absolutely does NOT.  i'll be reading your blogs tomorrow and catching up.

and finally, seriously, thank you to all who have taken the time to say hi or follow. if you haven't already,definitely check out rejecting300, lookingformyfeet , projectlookgoodnaked , fluffygirl , and shewhodiets ...they all clearly have excellent taste and have already posted some amazing numbers.

good night!

since when did every blog become food porn?

day 9 of protein shakes for breakfast, lunch, and snack and a nice homemade supper. tonight i had a taco salad with ground turkey, refried beans, lettuce, salsa, and a couple taco shells smashed on top. i then had a skinny cow dessert and i was actually super FULL. i also hit the gym and did some circuit training that involved ten lb weights, abs, the treadmill at 10.0 incline, the elliptical, and wall pushups.

so yeah, i'm trolling around to blog after blog and in the year since i've been blogging i've noticed how many more people have smart phones now since EVERYONE POSTS PICTURES OF THEIR FOOD. honestly, during the day when i'm doing shakes only i can't take it. at night when i'm nice and full it's fine, but really people.

(kidding!)

seriously, whatever it takes to stay focused, on track, and motivated y'all should do it. the pic above is one of my favorite 'breakfasts'. i also do a shot of metamucil, take 2 fish oil pills, and sometimes i'll chase the shake with nice cup of tea. all at my desk at work. tomorrow i might post a pic of my suzanne somers protein powder.

week 1 results and pre-emptive jeans

so the official updated weight: 349 for 7 lbs gone. please, hold your applause. har. i was actually a hair under 349 but i have decided to round up or down, biggest loser style. i am motivated to keep up this regimen of protein shakes during the day- its easy and even though technically i am 'depriving' myself of actual food during the work day it's so novel and low-maintenance that i'm really enjoying this approach. since my inaugural follower, maggie, asked i will let anyone who might be wondering know that i have indeed tried most of the basic diets/food plans out there- including weight watchers, atkins, southbeach, deal a meal (aw that ages me, doesn't it?) and i've definitely done calorie counting- i use myfitnesspal to track my shakes and dinner so i know what's actual happening with the calories. during the week the shakes during the day is great but the weekend was definitely tough...but except for a few glasses of white wine i am very very proud to report that i stuck to the plan.

to make my liquid 'meals' more interesting i ordered some stuff online last week and today at work my sharper image personal blender arrived along with some suzanne somers protein shake mix, and i tried my hand at my first 'homemade' shake. the flavor was orange creme and it was pretty good, made with just the powder, water, ice, and two 10-calorie half and half containers.  tomorrow there is a cappuccino flavor to try and then of course the usual rotation of banana-flavored muscle milk shakes and the oh yeah! brand strawberry and chocolate.

so the other thing i did yesterday was visit lanebryant to finally get some bras...i am not (yet) in the market for smaller bra sizes but i definitely needed new ones. while there i checked out  the clearance rack and boldly picked a pair of size 18 seven brand jeans that with an extra discount came to under 30 bucks. they're dark denim and have a slight bootcut and the back pockets just look like cool-kid, STYLISH jeans. looking at them made me realize how long it's been since i've really rocked an outfit with confidence. right now i am a solid size 24 (on a good day) so i have a waaaayyys to go before getting into those pants but i bought them knowing that i'd put them on on 2011. for the past year or so i've felt very complacent and resigned with being a very, very heavy person butgetting to an all time high of 356 really woke me up, and i no longer feel okay with letting more of my life slip by.

here's to an amazing week #2....

post the first: what i look like, what i'm doing, what i weigh

this blog aspires to be straightforward. i started a new weight loss plan this past monday april 25th. today is sunday (day 7)and my first weigh-in day is tomorrow morning. i fully expect to post a 7 lb or more loss, and i anxiously await updating the weight ticker at the header.

356 is the biggest number i've ever seen on the scale, and as they say, i will NEVER see that number again (on a scale, while i'm balancing upon it, anyway).  looking down at those digits kind of took my breath away. i'm super familiar with seeing a '3' on the scale, but a 3 and a 5 was something new and bile-inducing.

356 is five pounds more than the last time i stepped on the scale, which was at the very end of February. at the end of Feb i started working with a trainer (more on that later) and as of April 25, despite working out over 40 times in two months, i was UP 5 lbs. now i do not blame my trainer, nor will i use the 'building muscle' excuse. i gained because my eating has been off the charts.

so seeing 356 set off some serious alarms for me, and i reacted by starting a new diet plan. what i've been doing for the past week is drinking 3 ready-to-drink high protein/lower carb shakes during the day, and enjoying a balanced dinner in the evening. it sounds a little bit like ad copy, but it's how i would describe it to anyone. right now the choice to drink fixed calorie shakes rather than prepare and eat a healthy breakfast, lunch, and snack can be explained by the convenience factor as well as the 'i'm over it' factor. i work about an hour from my home, and i'm there 9 hours a day, so there's the convenience. the 'i'm over it' factor refers to my general failure to stick with the many many MANY food plans i've started in the past 25+ years.  i truly wish there was a pill you could take in the morning that would make all food taste like sand so that you would eat only what you need to survive and not be bothered with tastes, cravings, insulin resistance, and everything else that goes along with eating when you're a food addict. since that pill has yet to be invented,  i started researching Lindora, Medifast, Optifast, etc. and  for the first time, the idea of just checking out and removing a good chunk of food anxiety by doing shakes during the day just...made...sense.

so all week, beginning Mon 4/25, i've had three protein shakes during the day and a dinner at night that's heavy on protein and veggies but usually includes a small serving of rice or starchy veggies. i got my shakes at the grocery store or gas station and paid about $10 per day for the shakes. i did have a few beers on Friday night and drank wine last night so i'm a little nervous about how alcohol might affect my week one weight loss tally, but i'm pretty confident that i will be happy tomorrow morning.

i'll be back to share.