Variation of "The Plan"

My official last day of the Whole 30 Challenge was August 27th. I will honestly admit that I didn't follow the plan exactly. I ran into a small a problem that I wasn't expecting. I just wasn't eating enough calories! I would eat eggs and fruit for breakfast, chicken or shrimp with a salad or veggies for lunch, nuts and another piece of fruit for a snack, and then a lean meat and veggies for dinner. I struggled to find enough things to eat that could increase my calorie intake and still fit "the plan". Every day I was only eating about 900 to 1,000 calories, which just isn't enough for a 5'5" woman! I started adding in some greek yogurt for lunch and some whole grain cereal or toast with my breakfast. It brought my calorie total up without drastically increasing my carbs. I think this is a plan I can realistically stick with on most days, and that's really what I'm looking for. I can't stick to a plan if it doesn't fit my lifestyle or if it stresses me out. As far as my pain levels, which is the main reason I started this, I've seen a major improvement. I had very minor pain this past month, and I just felt better in general. Shocking, right? Eat good, whole food and feel better while doing it. Gasp! ;)

Whole30 Updates

Lately I've been spending a lot of time on the Sparkpeople website to track my calories and fitness. I also blog quite often about my weight loss and fitness progress. Thought I would include my last few posts to give an update on my Whole30 Challenge.


Day #6

So...I slipped just a bit. I was giving my students some Skittles before taking a test this morning, and I started munching on some. Honestly, I didn't really think about it. Then all of the sudden, I realized what I was doing. I'm not supposed to have ANY sugar!!! Now technically, the Whole30 site says that you are supposed to start again at Day #1 if you slip up. Well I'm sorry, but I'm human. Instead, I'm blogging about it so I can confess and be aware of it. And from this moment on, NO MORE SUGAR!!!

Day #8

What a great day so far! Started my morning with 3 eggs and some fresh black cherries, and then had a great circuit workout with a trainer at the gym. I love that Planet Fitness has FREE personal training sessions! The 30 minute circuit alternates between 10 weight machines and 10 cardio stations. Let me just tell you, by station 12 I was ready to call it a day! What a great workout though! It definitely showed me that I need to do a variety of cardio (not just running), that my abs really need some work, and my shoulders are super weak. Surprisingly though, my legs, back, and arms were much stronger than I thought. I looked at the weight that Ronnie kept choosing for me and thought in my head, "You've got to be kidding!", but then I banged out the reps! I plan to do the circuit 2x per week in addition to my running routine. I will then choose a P90x lifting DVD for a 3rd day of strength training. It's my weakness and I know it, so I'm excited to have something new to motivate me to get it done!

When I came home, I decided to take my measurements. I haven't done this in months, and I knew it probably wouldn't be pretty. Overall, I've gained .5 inches in my waist and 1.5 inches in my hips. I've never kept track of my thigh or arm measurements, so I'm excited to see how those change. Here's where I'm at right now:

Bust - 37 in.

Waist - 30.5 in.

Hips - 40.5 in. (Can we say curvy? lol)

Thigh - 24 in.

Upper Arm - 11.5 in.

I plan to measure again in one month. Here's to seeing numbers go down on more than just the scale!

Day #11

11 days ago I started the Whole30 Challenge, and one week ago I started a Biggest Loser Challenge with my friends. I weighed in this morning at...

146.6 lbs!

That's down 3 since starting Whole30 and down 2 since starting the Biggest Loser! Woohoo!

Off to Trader Joe's today to stock up on some healthy food for the week, then circuit training at the gym. I love feeling fit and healthy!

Day #12 - Today!

I went to the beach with my friends today, and it was so relaxing! I know I've only lost a few pounds, but I felt lighter and much more comfortable in my bikini. I packed a healthy lunch of veggies with hummus, strawberries, and some cashews, and lots of water! It was a hot one today! I also joined the My Fitness Pal website, which I'm pretty excited about. I love that I can see my progress as well as my friends'! Pretty cool concept!

Whole30 Challenge

Due to the health issues I've been dealing with, I've been given two options for treatment. Surgery, which I've been told by my doctor, probably won't help beyond providing a definite diagnosis, and hormone therapy, which scares the crap out of me. I contemplated both of these options for a few days, did my research, and decided I couldn't go through with either. I firmly believe there is a more holistic way to heal my body.

I began talking with a friend of mine who is a chiropractor and also studies alternative medicine. He suggested an eating plan called the Paleo Diet, which kicks off with a Whole30 Challenge. He has been following this eating plan for over a year and swears he has never felt better. The plan focuses on the way man used to eat before modern, processed food entered the picture. The first 30 days focuses on just lean meat, eggs, vegetables, fruit, nuts, nut butters, olive oil, and vinegar. You can also use herbs and spices to flavor your food. You can drink water, black coffee, or herbal teas. Absolutely no dairy, grains, legumes, alcohol, or other oils are permitted. After the initial 30 days, some small indulgences can be consumed, including butter, dark chocolate, red wine, and wild rice. The idea is to eat whole foods as much as possible to decrease the amount of inflammation in your body. Also, we consume far more carbs than we need, so this eating plan gets back to the "original carbs" created by nature.

I originally tried to eat a mostly "animal free" diet around this time last year. It helped initially, but what I noticed was that I quickly replaced usual protein sources with artificial sources like protein shakes and bars. I also started eating wayyyyy more carbs than I used to in the form of crackers, breads, and pastas. The result? I've put back on the 6 lbs I lost and added a few more. I feel bloated, and gross, and my pain has returned.

So this new plan is going to be my plan for life. I think it sounds very wholesome, it makes sense for my body and my specific issues, and it doesn't sound like something I can't do with a little preparation. Also, I realize that there will be some times where I just want a cupcake. And I will probably have one. And life will go on.

I started today at Day #1, and besides an annoying withdrawal headache, I felt pretty good. I wasn't hungry like I thought I would be, but I also got to eat A LOT. Here are my meals from today:

Breakfast:
- 2 eggs, scrambled
- Fresh peach
- Cup of herbal tea

Morning Snack:
- Almonds

Lunch:
- Salad with romaine lettuce, shrimp, tomatoes, mushrooms, snap peas, and red wine/olive oil vinaigrette
- Celery sticks w/ almond butter (a little strange compared to peanut butter, but I like it)

Afternoon Snack:
- Banana

Dinner:
- Grilled kabobs with Angus Beef Tips, Peppers, Onions, Mushrooms, Squash, and Zucchini
- Strawberries


Steve is planning to follow this plan pretty closely as well. I love that I have his support. And I just found out that my friends want to do another Biggest Loser Challenge. I have a feeling this diet is going to really help me out. ;)

Humbled

This will be post #1 for the day, because I feel like I have two pretty exciting things to talk about. First, I've been incredibly humbled this week. I was in extreme pain on Sunday night and Monday, and then again on Wednesday. I ended up going to my gynecologist Wednesday, which provided no answers and left me more frustrated, and then I went to the ER that night because the pelvic pain was so severe. No one ever gave me a straight answer of what was wrong. Could be a ruptured cyst. Could be endometriosis like always, but worse. Or it could be fibroids, which I have. I went for an ultrasound today which led to more confusion with my doctor and less answered questions. Through the midst of this I've been wondering, "God, what am I supposed to do? How do I handle this pain and how do I keep dealing with it?" Turns out, I was asking the wrong question.

Tonight at church, Pastor Spells spoke about how we react to situations and the fact that other people are watching us. We may not understand our trials, but we have to realize that others see us going through them and they doubt God if we doubt Him. I can't sit here wallowing in my own self-pity. There is a purpose to this pain or ailment or whatever is wrong. I may not understand, and I don't have to like it, but if I trust in God, eventually I will see good come out of it. I applied the same principle to my self-doubt and jealousy issues lately. Is that really how I view myself? Is it how God views me? No and no. So when those nagging, annoying thoughts creep into my head, I need to tell them to GET OUT! I've been living in FEAR that this pain, or these thoughts, will never go away or be controlled. That fear is not of God.

For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of POWER, and of LOVE, and of a SOUND MIND.
~ 2 Timothy 1:7

This scripture is what I need to remember in these moments of doubt, because I have no reason to fear.

Stuck in a Moment

I'm not really sure what's wrong with me lately. I feel like I've been in a permanent bad mood for weeks now. I've tried to hide it, hold it in, not make a big deal of it. It finally came to a head very embarrassingly at lunch today with a few of my closest friends. Thank goodness it was with them because they are probably some of the most understanding people I know.

Part of my foul mood is due to teaching summer school and taking a second grad class. I'm tired and overwhelmed and I really just need a break. I know that people who are not teachers work all year long, so I really shouldn't complain about not having a summer. The problem is, as teachers, our work follows us home all throughout the school year. It's draining and exhausting. Summer is our only time to try to attempt to recharge our batteries before going through it all over again in the fall with a new group of kids. I'm worried that I'm going to be starting this year feeling exhausted and worn down. Not good when you need energy and enthusiasm to try and motivate a group of 4th graders.

I think the other part of my funk has to do with jealousy. And I can't even begin to say (or write) the reasons that I'm jealous. They sound really stupid when I try to put them into words. I'll just say that there are some things I know I need to get over. I'm too old to be worrying about such dumb crap.

On a lighter note, Steve asked me what I was doing. I told him I was writing. He asked, "Are you blogging? What are you blogging about? Menstrual cycles? The Steelers? Your feelings?"

I couldn't stop laughing.

Icelandic 8K

Last night I ran the Icelandic Seafood Fest 8K in Newport News, VA. This was by far one of the most interesting and fun races I've ever run! The Y-shaped course meant that at multiple times I was passing by people who were either ahead of me or behind me. This was actually really fun because my husband and a bunch of my friends were running the race too. We cheered obnoxiously every time we saw each other. Unfortunately, the mile markers were very random, which messed with my mind a little, and my Nike+ Sensor was really off from what was marked on the road. I eventually just shut the darn thing off.

My first 3 miles felt great! I was running at about a 10:30 pace, and I honestly thought I could keep that up to set a PR. Then around the beginning of mile 4, I realized something funny... I was starving! This race started at 7:15 P.M. which I'm not used to. I tried not to eat a lot throughout the day, for fear that I might upset my stomach during the run. I've never felt hungry during a race before! I pushed through, but I could feel my body getting tired. I walked a bit at 2 water stops, and I was really starting to wonder if I could keep going. Then, a saving grace in the form of a middle-aged woman in blue ran next to me. I was walking fast and attempting to catch my breath when she looked right at me and said, "Oh no, you are not going to walk at this point. We only have half a mile to go. Run with me!" My mood was lifted and I felt speed return to my stride. I ran right beside her for the remainder of the race and slowed up at the finish line so I could politely let her finish first. I touched her arm through my labored breathing and managed to shout "Thank you!" She smiled and said, "Oh I've been there before. We all need a little push sometimes." I honestly thanked God for her right then and there. I finished with an unofficial time of 58:17, which wasn't quite what I hoped, but I was still happy with myself.

I met up with my hubby and friends and we headed to the best part of the event....the seafood dinner! It was hosted by Bonefish Grill and the food was INCREDIBLE!!! We had caesar salad, pumpernickle rolls, grilled haddock with a lemon butter sauce, their infamous Bang Bang Shrimp, jasmine rice, and a brownie. Our group gathered around a big table and ate like kings until we couldn't eat any more. We felt like a big, happy family celebrating a holiday! It was such a fun event, and our Beer Runners Club plans to make it part of our yearly race schedule.

We're all taking a break from racing for the summer since it's so hot and humid here in Virginia, but we have two races already scheduled for the fall. I plan to do some early morning/late evening runs to avoid the heat, and I'll run on the treadmill at the gym when necessary. I'm hoping to work up my endurance enough to be able to keep that 10 or 10:30 pace throughout an 8K or 10K race.


Check out our group after the race!

Chubby Hubby & Wife

I heard of the "Newlywed 9" before. The supposed amount of weight most newlyweds gain after getting married. I just didn't think it would happen to Steve and me! While I don't think it's officially nine pounds each, we've both been pretty lazy about cooking healthy meals and exercising regularly. We're trying, but our schedule gets so packed that sometimes we're just too tired to care. We decided today though that enough is enough! It's almost summer and time to run around in swimsuits. Instead, we both would rather stay in our pajamas. Well no more! We're going back to cooking our own delicious, healthy meals and going to the gym or for a run outside. With school ending our schedule will open up, which should definitely help.

No more chubby hubby or wife in this house! :)