Days 4, 5 & 6

I'm so not a disciplined blogger.  I want to post everyday and think about it but don't make the time.  Anyway, I'm still on the diet (or eating plan as I call it) and I'm still doing okay. 

Thursday and Friday (Phase 2 days) are awful!!  You eat all protein and veggies.  You must have animal protein at every meal and snack.   It was awful but doable.  Even though one rule is you must eat all your meals and snacks, I didn't finish my snack on Thursday.  After 2.5 egg whites I gave the rest to Cupcake.  I was gagging.  Then on Friday I didn't eat a full afternoon snack either.  I'll try harder this week.   Yesterday started Phase 3 and I LOVE Phase 3!  I've eaten things like Sprouted Grain Bread with raw almond butter, avocado, and lots of fruit.  I can get through Phase 2 each week knowing Phase 3 is next!  Just for the record Kim (my friend doing this with me) and I call Phase 2 HELL.  That how we refer to Phase 2...Hell. 

I have really begun to notice how much "mindless" eating I do.  (Well, not on this plan but before and hopefully never again.)   Just eating a little of something because it was there or because someone offered it or because it just sounded good.  It didn't matter if I was hungry.  Kim and I were talking today about how we are going to eat when this is over.  We don't really know but we both agreed we want to not take up the bad habits we've picked up.  We'll see.

As for how I feel, I do feel different.  I was trying to explain it to my mom and all I could say was I feel cleaner and flatter...not bloated.  I didn't eat terrible before.  I probably eat better than most but I still at so much processed foods with chemicals.  I'd love to stay away from that after these 28 days.  We will see. 

I did weigh myself and I have lost 4 pounds.  While that is great I want to see if it's what I call "sustained weight loss".  Meaning will it stay off.   Your weight can fluctuate for so many reasons.  We'll see at the end if there is true weight loss.

One last thing, the restricted exercise is killing me worse than not having Diet Coke!  Friday I had a total meltdown over something that I normally would not have.  I went to the gym (it should have been a day off) and did a weight class and felt 3000% better.  It was very hard for me not to work out today.  Working out keeps me sane.  Really, I'm not kidding it is like therapy for me.  I'm addicted to exercise endorphins! 

That's all for today.  I'll be back...probably not tomorrow but soon!

Days 2 & 3

Sorry, I didn't post yesterday.  I have Bible Study on Wednesday nights and was too tired afterward.  So, I am happy to report I am feeling good...way better than I thought I would feel the first week.  Don't get me wrong I have been fighting a headache since Tuesday and sometimes my neck gets really sore but nothing I can stand.   Who knew even my neck liked the Diet Coke!

The eating plan is going well but it's a lot of work.  Many trips to the grocery store and lots of reading labels...and lots of prep work in the kitchen.  After this first week, I think things will get easier.  Hopefully, I'll get the hang of it. 

There are a few things I want to report so I'm going to bullet it out.  Here we go:

     *I am shocked at how good I feel.  I can feel a difference.  Like I said before I don't feel bad but I
      can tell a difference.

     *I am shocked with my lack of food cravings!!!  I figured I would be going crazy for sugar or junk
      food by now.  I'm not.  The only time I really kind of want something I can't have is when I smell
      it.  Like today I smelled a cake baking.  I wanted cake!  Then, when I walked past the smell I was
      fine. 

     *I am beyond shocked that I have not caved in and had a Diet Coke!!  I am proud too!  I do miss
      but not that bad.  I've drank only water since Monday night.  I did buy some herbal tea today
      and I'm looking forward to that.  I need something besides water.

     *Phase 2 stated today and ends tomorrow and will be my least favorite phase.  High protein, low
      fat, and no carbs.  I'm not a big meat eater in the first place.  But, I can manage for two days a
      week.

     *Even though I'm not craving Diet Coke I do miss the lift it gave me.  By 8:00pm I am so ready
      for bed.  The book says this will improve as your body detoxifies more and you adjust to no
      caffeine and sugar. 

     *There is soy in EVERYTHING!!!  Well, almost EVERYTHING!  My friends, soy is not good
      for you!  I actually thought it was.  I'll post more on that later but I am just shocked at
      how foods and drinks contain soy...tea, tuna, bread!  Those are just a couple that
      really surprised me.

That's all for now.  I'll be back tomorrow or Saturday with another update and I'm also going to
write about "mindless" eating.  I had a revelation about a few things today. 

Day 1

I tried to think of a catchy title for this post but I can't think straight.  I believe this is what they call the "caffeine withdraw fog".  Seriously, I can't think straight.  Anyway, the caffeine withdraw is actually better this evening, since leaving a good workout.  I told it will start getting better on the 3rd day.  I pray that is true. 

Now for the eating plan.  Today was a heavy carb day with very low fat and a little protein.  It was a lot of food but I still felt hungry at time.  You can eat certain foods at any time in unlimited quanities.  Non of those foods sounded good so I didn't eat much extra.  I can't decide if I want to list the food I ate everyday.  Seems boring.  Just know I ate HEALTHY carbs (like steel cut oats), fruit, and protein. 

I also started something else today.  I started keeping a little journal of the thoughts that run through my head (all the time) about food, weight, and self image.  You know that chatter in your head that sometimes you just can't turn off.  Well, I'm journaling it.   I'm not completely sure what I'll do with the journal but part of this 28 days is about changing my thinking.  I'm hoping I can better process the thoughts on paper.  Please don't think I'm nuts.  We all have that chatter in our heads we wish would stop.  What's the chatter in your head about?   I encourage you to journal it...pray over it...see how God works. 

The Do's & Don'ts

Well, I parted ways with Diet Coke earlier today.  Parted ways for at least 28 days.  Everyone says I'll feel so much better that I'll never go back.  I don't really feel bad physically now.  Anyway, it makes me a little sad to think I'm done with Diet Coke.  I used to give up real Coke every summer when I worked at Kanakuk.  But, eventually, I always went back.

Enough of my pity party.  Let me give you the quick rundown of this eating plan.  Here are the things you are not allowed to eat:  dairy, caffeine, soy, wheat, refined sugar, artifical sugar, corn, nitrates, alcohol, dried fruit or juice, or "diet foods".    The sugar and caffeine are the ones that will kill me. 

Here are the things you must committ to doing:  eating every 3 or 4 hours (unless sleeping), eat five times a day (3 meals and 2 snacks), eat within 30 minutes of waking, follow the plan for 28 straight days, stick to the foods allowed when they are allowed, drink half your body weight in water daily, each organic when possible, exercise 3 times per week.  I'm going to do a whole post on the exercise issue. 

Each week broken down into 3 phases.  Phase 1 (days 1 & 2):  High Carb and Low Fat.  Phase 2 (days 3 & 4):  High Protein and Low Fat.  Phase 3 (days 5, 6, 7):  Carbs, Healthy Fats, and Protein.  You have to eat a lot of food each day.  I won't be hungry that's for sure. 

I will admit it has been A LOT of work to get prepared.  Buying food...reading every label...measuring out food and storing in baggies for easy access.  I think once I get the hang of it it will be much quicker.  

One last thing, I am not attempting this on my own.  My dear friend Kim is joining me.  Kim is my "person".  If you watch Grey's Anatomy you know what I'm talking about.  Meredith and Christina are each others person.  I asked Kim last week if she would do this with me and she is all in!  I once asked Kim to run a half marathon with me and she did!  That's what your person does...almost whatever you ask if them! 

Say a prayer for my students...they will have to deal with an in the throws of caffeine withdraws  Ms. Oliver for a few days. 

I can't wait to see how the first day goes! 

Uncharted Territory

I'm doing something I've never done...well, two somethings.  I'm going on a diet and I'm going to post daily on my progress.  Or, lack of progress.  I have never gone on an "organized" diet.  I count calories religiously.  In fact, I bet I could correctly give you the nutritional rundown of any food about 80% of the time.  I'm ridiculous!   Let me say this is not so much a diet but a lifestyle change.  I've done extensive research (and loved it) on this eating plan.  It seems scientifically sound and reasonable.  The worst part will be having to give up caffeine and refined sugars.  Meaning, my love affair with Diet Coke will end Tuesday and Sonic will take quite a financial hit.  If you own Sonic stock sell tomorrow! 

Why am I doing this?  There are many reasons and I'll go into those as I post my progress.   I will say God has been sifting me and part of the sifting has included some food issues I have.  As much as I don't want to, I'm going to share them here.  Why?  Well, because it's what I feel led to do.  So, if anyone is reading keep coming back.  I'll post everyday for the next  29 days for sure.  A big part of me hopes no one is reading because bearing my soul to others is hard for me.  Strangely though, this times it feels almost cathartic. 

Oh, if you are curious about this "diet" or eating plan you should Google it.  The Fast Metabolism Diet by Haylie Pomroy.  I'm certainly not endorsing anything but if you are interested in what I call "cleaning eating" then you might try it.