Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Day 129 aka WEIGH IN DAY!

Dried Mango and One Cherry Snack!
Sooo..it has been 23 days since I last weighed in - crazy!  During those 23 days, I spent time in Nashville and in NYC.  Sooo...I lost a total of 5 pounds since then...that is a grand total of  ***56 pounds*** since I started this journey 129 days ago!  I cannot believe I am 4 pounds away from 60!  Wowza!

Sooo...I have signed up for Crossfit fundraiser that makes me both very excited and extremely terrified.  On the day I registered online I contacted my trainer Catherine and begged her to take my spot...I TOTALLY chickened out!  But, of course, she did not....so I am going to do it!

This fundraiser is nationwide so Crossfitters from across the country will be getting together on September 17 to raise funds that benefit soldiers wounded in combat.  I am trying hard to raise funds this event..my goal is $200.  PLEASE spread the word...any size donation is greatly appreciated!!!

CLICK HERE TO SEE MY DONOR PAGE (and see a photo of my dad when he was in Vietnam)

Here's the WOD I have to do in front of strangers....

“Fight Gone Bad!”

Three rounds of:
Wall-ball, 20 pound ball, 10 ft target (Reps)
Sumo deadlift high-pull, 75 pounds (Reps)
Box Jump, 20” box (Reps)
Push-press, 75 pounds (Reps)
Row (Calories)
In this workout you move from each of five stations after a minute.The clock does not reset or stop between exercises. This is a five-minute round from which a one-minute break is allowed before repeating. On call of “rotate”, the athletes must move to next station immediately for best score. One point is given for each rep, except on the rower where each calorie is one point.

Thai food..Paleo style
Scary, scary, scary!  And, of course, my mum wants to come and see me!

I CAN do this....I know I can.  I just never thought that I would ever be able to actually do a workout fundraiser....

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Days 120 - 128 aka to NYC and back to my routine

I cannot believe that I have forgotten to weigh in for the last couple of weeks!  That is incredible to me...I have been travelling so much with work; I just have not had a chance to think about it!  Sooo..tomorrow is the day.  I am feeling pretty good about it.  Sure, my eating when I was in NYC was not perfect (can anyone say roasted pork belly with a fig glaze??) but I am still proud of how I did. 

I got back from NYC on Sunday and am sooo happy to be able to get back to my routine.  I know that routine is key....as soon as it is gone I feel like I am losing control.  Travelling is so hard.  I hate to say it but I just couldn't not make myself exercise even once when I was there. 


Today's WOD ws a "Crier"

I finally got to go back to Geaux Crossfit this morning.  When I checked out the WOD I was happy that I would be easing into it with a short workout.  Amber, apparently, had other plans for me.  When I walked in she told me that I would be doing a different workout then everyone else.  I figured that meant she would be scaling the WOD for me.  Oh how wrong I was.  Today's WOD became what I consider a crier - I didn't think I would make it through but I did.  When I got to my car I had to call my good friend Kelly P. and cry to her about it - it's a combination of exhaustion, happiness, and feeling so, so lucky to have Geaux Crossfit in my life.  Okay...so here's how today's WOD went down:

run 3 laps then
Workout of the Day
Bench Press 5-5-5 - 65 pounds (and it was not easy)
Then
“Grace”
For Time:
-30 Clean and Jerks (135/95)
I did clean and jerks/run a lap.. 10 - 9- 8 - 7 - 6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1
TOTAL run 2000 meters (holy shit...I just looked it up and that's over a mile!!) and 55 clean and jerks (55 pounds)


bacon, watermelon chicken, sweet potato breakfast

Everyone else was done with "Grace" and I was not even halfway through with my WOD.  I cannot even describe in words the support the other members of the gym and Amber gave me.  Tom, Lee, and the others all talked me through it.  And, this is where I really want to cry, Lee (a strong police officer who can RX just about every workout) ran the last few laps with me.  If he didn't I know I would have given up and walked.  He ran 6 laps with me in all.  He was done with his WOD and stayed until I finished.  Pretty much everyone did.  They stayed just to support me.  I am, once again, overwhelmed with emotion.  I am succeeding because of them.  How can I ever thank them?  I tried to thank Lee for helping me through this morning and he wouldn't accept.  He acted like it was no big deal.

Paleo chef salad lunch

When I was in NYC, I got to spend time with my brother Matt and his soon to be wife Sarah.  I haven't seen Matt for months and months...not since I started Crossfit and Paleo.  His reaction was amazing!  He couldn't get over how different I looked - he said I looked 10 years younger than the last time I saw him... I am so excited because his wedding is coming up in October and I have really been motivating myself to look and feel good then! 

Eating has been so much better now that I am back home.  Kelly P. was kind enough to prepare some meals for me for the beginning of this week since I was away for work.

Sooo....tomorrow morning is weigh in time! I cannot wait to find out the results!

NYC Rooftop Pool = Perfection

Sunday, July 17, 2011

June 12 - 17 aka 114 - 119 aka a high high and a low low


About 6 years ago, before we were married, Jason took me to Clarks Creek to go hiking...it's only about an hours drive from Baton Rouge and is really, really beautiful - there are a series of waterfalls you can hike to and then swim and relax in....I remember when we went I was nervous that I would be super out of breath or sweaty but I was excited to go...I packed a big picnic lunch and we headed off!  The hike down to the first waterfall wasn't bad...it is a series of steep hills going down...down...down...some are so steep that they built big staircases to go down.  I remember getting to the first waterfall and being too worried about the walk back up to the parking lot to even really enjoy it.  The hike back was even worse than I imagined.  I was so out of breath...my back and legs hurt...there was a point when I told Jason I was afraid we would need to call the paramedics.  I truly didn't think I would make it back up to the top.  Well I eventually did make it...but we never went back.  I don't have any photos from the trip.  I tried my best just to forget about it.

A perfect moment


But for some reason yesterday we decided to go and bring the kids....it had been raining the night before so it wasn't quite as hot as it has been.  We wanted to do something different...so we picked up my dad to join us on the adventure...and hit the road!

It was really almost magical...we hiked down to the first waterfall and the kids LOVED it!  the water was ice cold and it felt amazing.  I was a little nervous about the hike up but the kids helped distract me....eventually it was time to head back up the steep hills to the parking lot.  Now I will admit there were times I felt winded...but NOTHING like before.  In fact, most of the way back I was carrying a 35 pound weight - LUCAS!  If the kids weren't with us, I would have begged Jason to continue on....its moments like those where I am so proud of myself....I felt so strong!  I woke up this morning feeling fine - but poor Jason woke up with achy legs! 

I could have done better
But...this week has not been full of accomplishments.  I feel myself slipping.....it has been 17 days since Geaux Crossfit's paleo challenge has been over.  With each day I catch myself making more and more allowances....a little hummus...creamer in my coffee....just one bite of frozen yogurt...a few fries...a sip (or, in my case, gulp) of diet coke...I know I am losing control of my eating...Kelly P. was on vacation last week and I was out of town for work and I leave on Thursday for another work trip...as soon as I am out of my routine I start to get more and more relaxed with my diet.  My body is feeling it too...I am tired..I feel agitated...my stomach's upset...ugh.  I finally got to go back to Geaux Crossfit on Friday and I felt like I didn't give it 100%.  I left feeling disappointed in myself...it is like a vicious cycle...my routine gets screwed up..my eating and exercise gets more relaxed...I start feeling blah...and it becomes harder and harder to break out of the cycle.  The cycle of my life.  I have had success dieting before..but something always happens that throws me off course.

This time I have got to fight it.  I want to feel strong and proud.  I want to be able to hike with my kids..to show them what healthy living should look like. 

Spaghetti Squash
I have probably overly prepared for next week - boiled eggs, turkey bacon, spaghetti squash, paleo stew.. I know the key to my success in planning out EVERY meal...especially if I leave for NYC on Thursday....

I know I write about Geaux Crossfit and how amazing it is..but seriously.  On Friday I told Amber what was going on with my diet and struggle.  She has been doing the strict paleo thing for 45+ days now - with the gym's first paleo challenge and now she's in the middle of the second paleo challenge.  I know she wants a break.  She told me that she would stand by my if I want to start strict again on August 1.  She would do it too and we could hold each other accountable.  I am just so truly, truly thankful...I never thought that it would be a gym that would change my life.  Geaux Crossfit is not only changing my life, it is saving it.  Seriously.

I had a check up with my doctor last week - she was amazed with my weight loss...she asked me why now?  After years of her telling me how important it was to lose weight, why did it suddenly click in my head?  I think she was surprised when I told her it was the gym I have been going to....

I get my blood work results back tomorrow - she checked my insulin, cholesterol, etc to see my improvements.  I cannot wait to find out! 

A contstant struggle
This is all a struggle..a difficult struggle.  I feel like you hear success stories - about people losing all kinds of weight...but it rarely talks about the struggle. I am ready to get back on the right path....tomorrow HAS to be a better day!

Monday, July 11, 2011

Days 109 - 114 aka On The Road Again....

Well, I am back in TN - this time for a work conference.  There are about 50 of us from Louisiana here.  I flew with a group that left out of NOLA.  I couldn't sleep the night before because I was so afraid the seat belt in the airplane wouldn't fit.  I didn't want to have to be sitting next to a colleague and have to ask for an extension.  The one time I had to ask, I was sitting next to my mum and I pretty much cried the entire flight.  It was awful - I actually stole the extender so I would have one to travel with.  It made me miserable.  And before that there were times that I would try to hide the seat belt under my shirt so the flight attendants couldn't see....Or I would stand up just enough so I could get it fastened and then sit down and be in misery the whole time...On what flight I actually had cuts in my skin by the time I got home because my seat belt was so tight.

Just looking back on it now makes me feel so embarrassed.  It is always at those moments where I would wonder when did this happen?  How did I let myself get this way?

I kept on telling my mum how scared I was to fly to TN and she repeatedly told me not to worry...the seat belt would fit.  I thought she was just doing the mom thing and telling me what I wanted to hear... but she was right!!  It fit!  Seriously...it has been a long time since I felt comfortable on the airplane! 

So the opening dinner was a little tough.  It was banquet/buffet style and when we sat down the desserts were already on the table - chocolate cake, lemon meringue pie, etc...pretty much whatever you wanted.

When I got to the buffet, I pretty much broke out in a cold sweat.  I had been travelling all day and was starving.  The options were: salad with caesar dressing, grilled veggies, veggie lasagna, sausage and penne, garlic bread (which, pre paleo, was my all time favorite food).  I did the best I could and had a big salad with a little bit of dressing, the grilled veggies, and the sausage out of the pasta.  I know people probably thought I was crazy...I am at a crowded buffet, people waiting in line, and I stand there and carefully pick out a pile of sausage to eat.  A few months ago, if I saw someone do that, I would have thought they were being CRAZY!  hah 

I offered my dessert up to my non-dieting colleagues and got it away from as soon as possible.  Considering the situation, I am proud of my eating for that meal.

When I got up this morning, I met my colleague and friend for a WOD outside on the campus where we are staying.  She had never done Crossfit and I was excited to show her what a WOD could be...we did:

Travel WOD!
For 2 minutes each (30 second rest in between)
jump rope
sit ups
squats
push ups

2 minute rest

do it again!

It was great - we both enjoyed it....it helped me feel energized, and then I was done with my WOD for the day!  I think my exercise partner underestimated the WOD because it is only 16 minutes of actual exercise.  But we just got out of a meeting and she was saying that her legs STILL hurt from the exercise!  I just texted her the information about the CrossFit NOLA...we will see if I converted her!

Breakfast was great - big buffet with eggs and lots of meat options.  Lunch, on the other hand, was a disaster.  It was box lunches with a delicious looking sandwich, potato chips and a cookie. I knew the sandwich was mostly bread and eating the meat inside would not fill me up.  I also knew that if I got the box it would be very had to resist the chips and cookie.

thank you Quiznos!
So I left the conference and ate by myself at a Quiznos.  It was a bummer to have to eat alone but the salad was super delicious and filling.

Dinner took a little more will power....the meal started with some unbelievable looking bread that I think was more like fried dough then rolls.  From what I understand (I did not sample, just made everyone tell me every detail..hahah) they were great and came with a honey butter...  :(  There were two left in the basket that I know were meant for me!  The main course was easier - I had a small steak and some steamed broccoli and carrots.  I wouldn't say I was full afterwards - when you aren't eating the bread or dessert you have to eat more of the veggies/meat to be full!  But I couldn't really ask for a second meal....I'm glad I packed some raw nuts!

Thank You Robb Wolf!!
I did have one alcoholic drink - I stuck with one I read about in Robb Wolf''s book.  He calls it the NorCal margarita.  It is low in calories and very, very delicious!

The dessert was either cheesecake or key lime pie..I LOVE key lime pie.... but I didn't do it...not even one bite!

One thing that motivated me today was the pants I was wearing.  They were 3 sizes smaller than when I started and I bought them about 2 weeks ago specifically for this trip.  They were actually a little tight when I bought them but was sick of wearing baggie things.  Well, I seriously spend the ENTIRE day pulling them up!  They are almost too big to stay on me at all! 

So, I am here for 2 more days.  So far, I am VERY proud of myself.  My eating/exercise was VERY different when I went to a similar conference just about a year ago!!

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Day 108 aka WEIGH IN DAY!!!!

So it has been 108 days and, I am very happy to be able to report that I have lost a total of 51 pounds!  I feel so much better - no more aches and pains, I have more energy, I look forward to going to Geaux Crossfit!  Life is very good!  I feel like I am on the right path to reach my goal - 100 pounds by January!  I am over halfway there and still have about 6 months to go!!!  I don't want to sound too much like a cheeseball but I am thankful to EVERYONE that has supported me during these 108 days - my family (my mum, jason, molly) , my colleagues (kelly p, pam, cami, kristen), my friends (amy and others who I have never met).....my Geaux Crossfit family - Catherine, Amber, Paige, Melody, Brad, Will, Tom, Grant, Lee...you are what keeps me motivated.  Thank you for that!!  Because of all of you I feel like 2012 is going to start off being a really amazing year!  Woo hoo!  51 pounds!

 
Here is a picture of me during my first week (left) and from last week!

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Days 103, 104, 105, 106, 107 - aka one day till weigh in!

Zucchini stuffed with meat! yum!
Sooo, people have been asking me what kind of preparation I do to stay on Paleo.  I know each person does it differently but I basically try to do all my cooking (at least for lunches) on Sunday.  Or, in this case, on Monday since it was a holiday.  I made a few different things.  I try to cook enough extra:

1. to share with Kelly P.  We swap leftovers so we don't get sick of eating anything.  For instance, I may make 2 dishes for the week and she may make 2 dishes for the week so then we have 4 different choices for lunch each day.

2. for Jason to bring to lunch.  While he is not fully paleo, he is working towards it.

3. At least 2 meals for me.  I get sick of eating the same thing but can definitely do something twice a week.

4. enough for the kids to eat for dinner - they are pretty picky so they might eat the chicken out of one dish or ground beef out of another....but I am trying to teach them to eat healthy right along with me!

5. enough to put at least one serving in the freezer.  That way, I have no nights where I just want to say f--- it, let's just order pizza.  Instead, I can say f--- it let's just take something out of the freezer and put it in the microwave.

no way this is "diet"

Ready for the week!
 First, I had some paleo/Italian seasoned ground beef in the freezer.  I defrosted that and added some veggies to make stuffed zucchini.  Delicious!  Then, I boiled enough eggs for Kelly, Jason and I to have for breakfast/snacks for the first part of the week.  Finally, I made a chicken/paleo sausage (nitrate free) dish with lots of peppers and onions.

I put everything in separate containers and clearly labeled our "meal" shelf so Jason doesn't eat my food...hahaha  The meal shelf really helps because then I can easily see when it it time to make more food.  Tomorrow I know we are having steaks for dinner - I will cook one each for Jason and I to eat then, and 1 extra for each of us to bring to work.  Kelly and I will probably end up slicing it up and sharing it on top of a salad.

SOOOOO GOOOD!
I put a lot of thought into what my diet should be now that the strict Geaux Crossfit Paleo Challenge is over.. I am still trying my hardest to drink Diet Coke.  I haven't had hummus or black beans yet but plan to soon.  I had my first cup of coffee w/non-dairy creamer today and it was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

I have also programmed (under p for paleo) a list of restaurants that I can eat at and still remain paleo.  This was totally Kelly Ps idea and it is FABULOUS!

Wow, when I write it all down, it totally sounds excessive.  But even with all of this preparation, I still have moments where I feel like I don't know what I am going to eat!  It is soo much easier to get a frozen dinner or go through a drive thru.  I wish Baton Rouge had a paleo fast food place....life would be so perfect then!

a GREAT TREAT!
Seriously, the weeks where I have really struggled are the ones in which I am either not prepared or away from home.  That is why next week makes me sooo nervous.  I am attending a conference for work in the Nashville area.  We are staying in the dorms of a college and have no kitchen and I do not have a  car while I am there.  Our meals are included but they do not take into consideration diet restrictions.  I have come to terms with the fact that I have got to just do the best I can to stay away from foods that will make me sick....it is going to be hard!

Fourth of July is one of those holidays that's pretty easy to remain paleo - grilling up some meat and veggies is what everyone does!  My big luxury item for the holiday was some really amazing, Louisiana grown watermelon. 

I have decided to switch my weigh-in day to Wednesdays since some of my coworkers (all of us doing different diets but having good success)weigh in on that day.  It is fun to be able to share that moment with others!  I am sooo close to losing FIFTY pounds!!  Hopefully it will happen in the a.m.!!

Happy Fourth of July!!