Saturday, November 17, 2012

Starting maintenance phase of ASAP, avoiding sugar and starch

I am on my third day of maintenance now and my weight has been across the board. On my final day of ASAP, my weight was 153. On my first day of maintenance, it was 155 (I had tuna casserole for dinner and pumpkin pie... BIG NO NOs..) My energy level plummeted after I ate and I just wanted to curl up and go to bed at like 7pm! I woke up that day at 9am, so there was no reason for it other than my  body shutting down by having to process all that sugar.

Yesterday I woke up with the scale reading 156 after breakfast (I usually weigh first thing in the morning since it gives me the most optimistic results).

So yesterday I only had coffee for breakfast, 2 apples and beyond tangy tangerine for lunch, and a small square of casserole for dinner with the rest of my supplements. Today I weighed in at 153!... So I am a little confused what my results have been.I think its safe to say 153-155, which would  be 10-12 pounds off in 3 weeks!

I am thinking I haven't been drinking enough water on my final days of ASAP so my  body started to store it. Yesterday I drank plenty and this morning I was pleased with my weigh in.

I have been checking measurements too and everyday they have been the same except my waist after I  had that casserole on my first day was a .5" bigger until it all got digested.

We got the SlenderFX Chocolate shake in the mail a few days ago so I will start taking that instead of lunch. This is how I like to make it:

1 cup almond milk
2 scoops mix
1.5 cup ice
1 Tablespoon of peanut butter
 BLEND until smooth

I think I will opt out of the peanut butter if I am gaining too fast. And perhaps use water instead of almond milk. Either way I like to give it volume by blending it. And since I have those sweet drops maybe I'll add some english toffee to it. That flavor is my new fav.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Day 19, weight rebounded to 13 lost

I had a good feeling that 150 was too good to be true and I was right! Yesterday the scale read 154 and I was totally bummed that my fast day didn't produce a 5 pound loss, but really it wasn't for me to lose 5 pounds, just to break my plateau. So it was still a success! Today the scale was around 153.5... so still losing!

I went shopping very hungry yesterday and ended up buying tons of sweet things. Its strange- I had a desire to buy it, but I am so strong about this diet that I was able not to even think about eating any of it. It was some sort of hypnosis! I had a chef salad from the deli with no cheese or dressing. Just lettuce, diced ham, and a bit of chicken. Then I bought more stevia drops for my black coffee at lunch: English Toffee.

A bit got on my ring finger and my finger was slightly sweet ALL DAY. I know - gross - she's licking her fingers... but anytime I wanted something sweet all I had to do was lick my finger. It was magical.

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Day 17, Down 15 pounds... what?!

So between yesterday and today I lost 5 pounds. I... am sort of at a loss of words. I think I may have been looking at "150" as if it were "155".. whoops!

So no plateau? That's great news! Furthermore I can say I have reached the number I wanted to reach in 21 days and I still have 4 days to spare. I am sort of thinking some of this is water weight and I will gain it back. But hopefully not. I am going to drink my 80 ounces of water and Beyond Tangy Tangerine today and hopefully the scale won't magically read 155 again tomorrow.

My plateau breaker of a steak and an apple may have worked then.

I had 4.5 ounces though, and my apple turned into  an apple AND an orange. Because I knew if I didn't have just a little more of something before bed I would be weak in the morning.

My breakfast was wonderful, two egg whites and about an ounce of diced steak with spinach was yummy yummy. Filled me up good even though it was served on a tiny saucer.

For lunch I'll have some Wedding soup, I saw it on an asap website: EFENTERPRISES

I think I'll make it like this:

cook the lean ground beef, drain the fat.
boil water and add beef stock concentrate
add spinach, add 3 oz. beef, EAT!
Probably an orange on the side too.

Honestly I'm not sure if that is how its made but it looks like it from the picture and that sounds good even if its not wedding soup.
 
Then for dinner I'll have a nice salad with chicken and pear.

Measured myself today, 24" off my whole body. I am starting to feel like I was prepregnancy!

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Day 16, down 10 pounds

So today I am trying to break my plateau - again. I think the eggs in the morning have something to do with it. And for some reason I think that if I'm not feeling SOME hunger pain, then I am not really losing weight, and my scale readings reflect this. If I have one or two slight hunger feelings a day I'll drop a half a pound.

I wonder if making cream of mushroom soup and taste testing it had an effect. Either way, I didn't eat it for dinner, I had a spinach salad with oven roasted chicken, carrots, and sugar snap peas. Yum dee dum, I'm guessing 300 calories?

Today I haven't had anything to eat yet and I am going to have a steak and an apple for dinner. I guess I was supposed to eat 6 apples to get rid of my plateau, but I don't really wanna eat that much sugar. And I haven't been hungry all day until right about now (4:30pm)... so time to throw the meat in the oven.

Tomorrow am I will have two eggs again because I'm certain I'll be raging hungry in the morning. My daughter keeps waking up very early and I wake up with her. Before starting the diet I was sleeping in until about 10am, granted the time did change, so I guess the "time" was 9am. Now I am up at 7:30am and stirring around the kitchen making everyone breakfast.

So not only am I living a life with more energy, I am also living with less sleep and more time to my day. Hooray!

I am "STUCK" at 155 now though. But I don't know if I can say that if I dropped from 156 a few days ago. Its as if my weight loss is incremental, not stalled, like .25 # a day? I am hoping tomorrow will be 154 and then I can push the boundaries of my body's set weight. 5 more days left and then I will be starting the maintennance phase. Please please please be 150 by the end! That'll mean 15 pounds in 21 days. And I think I can get out another 5 pounds with the SlenderFX shake and by managing my portions.

I made a video blog/vlog for youtube (sorry no makeup. I'm not lazy - no oils/lotions for the program remember?)

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Plateau?

I'm not sure if I've hit a plateau or not. I am still losing, but it seems like it may be incremental (.5), instead of the "pound a day" I was having before. I have to admit this is a bit disappointing. I was hoping I'd be around 21 pounds lighter at the end of my 3 weeks. For today, Day 12, I weighed in 156 from 165. So that's 9 pounds! Woohoo.

I have been making food I can't eat: brownies, pasta, pancakes. I am baking them for my family, of course. But why even tempt myself? I think I am trying to sabotage myself by providing foods I want to eat but am not supposed to. And saying no to them is empowering, but I felt my strength waning yesterday and fled for some sweet-eze to help me fight the craving. I want to drink Zevia, but I only have had 2 so far and I know that the chemicals will also stop my weight loss process, so I'm avoiding them as best I can.

Not sure why, but I think this might be a coffee diet for me. I am drinking so much of it (3 cups a day). I know that part of getting off my semi plateau is to drink more water. I can't help but think the coffee is working against me. I also don't want my weight loss to be only water loss. That would be horrible! So: more water, more water, more water!


Sunday, November 4, 2012

My "Notice Number" - Losing Weight But No One Notices

There is something to be said about losing weight and having it come full circle. My partner says he notices, but I've also told him, so that's to be expected. But what about when you lose weight and no on notices? I suppose I'm still only 5% down in weight, so that's not going to be an extreme change.

Even the slight Japanese woman who works across my mother on the weekends was sure to notice I thought. She's the only one I know gutsy enough to say when I'm getting smaller or bigger. Was there a special "notice number" where all my hard work would go recognized?

But there was nothing! When I got home I looked in the mirror. I guess I was wearing like 3 layers of clothing, but still to ME I looked smaller. So what's the deal, why do I need to have outside acknowledgement?The weight loss won't be any more real because someone tells me "good job." Maybe I'm better suited for Weight Watchers?

When I really think about it, I am not losing weight for them. I am doing it for me. And this morning I actually looked cute coming out of bed with my hair messed up, no bra and mascara residue smudged on my eyelids.

I am very aware that this is the half-way point. I figured there would be something my mind would invent to stall me. I am going to look at it objectively, though and move forward. I know that people don't like to talk about weight because its a sensitive subject. I know they can tell something is different but maybe not that I lost weight, I just look better for some reason. And if they do decide to "bring it up" I will take my opportunity to disclose my success. I guess this is blog is my main motivator. If others are thinking about doing ASAP or an other weight loss journey, it is very helpful to have a place to talk about it, diary/journal/blog.

Saturday, November 3, 2012

900 cals a day or 2500?

I have been very careful to read about claims of how ASAP only works because it is extremely calorie restricted. Yes, it is. I am averaging 900 cals a day, but I also  know I do not have any hunger pains for that extra 1100 cals. And if my calculations are correct, shouldn't I then only be losing 3500 cals (a pound) every 3 days? Not every day! And these claims do not account for the 1400-1600 cals of fat that I'm burning everyday that are released into my bloodstream. That's why I am heavily avoiding any fatty foods (avocados, high fat meats) - I am already getting PLENTY of it.

Well I've been losing about a pound a day on this diet, with little hunger.

I saw Cloud Atlas tonight (IMAX experience - great!) And after, my mother, sister-in-law, and I went to a burger joint. I actually felt fulfilled with my chicken salad sin dressing and tiny bowl of chili sin cheese. I am so happy with how ASAP has guided me into making the right food choices.

It COULD be the dumbofeather. I do not deny that. That does not make me ignorant if the product works. If I had a chance to do it again, I would, even knowing what I know now. You buy an $80 bottle of "magic potion"... but the ingredients DO fend off your appetite and according to my above math, it may also be assisting in the weight loss 3x faster than it would be normally.

It says it only blasts away abnormal fat and not muscle. Well I got news for you: any weight loss is great! haha. When you are losing fat you also lose lean muscle because your body doesn't need a 120 pound lean frame to carry around 140 pounds, it only needs a 90-100 pound lean frame.

The location of the fat I'm losing seems to be my legs mostly, which honestly, were fine to begin with!! My belly button measurement has only gone down a 1/2" but then its my most "problem area" being postnatal 8 months. I was hoping it would be the first thing to magically waste away. No luck there, I'm hopeful still though.

I am on Day 8 and down 8 pounds - 32 sticks of butter! Where the heck was I carrying it all?!


Thursday, November 1, 2012

I survived Halloween without candy

This has been my first Hallween ever without eating a single candy. Wow was it hard. I looked into my daughters candy bucket, amazed at the colors and smells. I admit I did smell her Kit Kat bar and allowed my mind to do the rest about pretending I was eating it. I think it helped to fend off the cravings. Success!!

My Mom is in the habit of these large "family suppers" every Thursday night, though. Essentially it is a Holiday dinner every Thursday night. Last week I was on Day 2 of the ASAP regimen which allowed for "eating whatever you can't have" during Days 3-21. But I still remained vigilant about my plate and only had a little roast beef and potatoes.

This time, a BIG HONKING TURKEY DINNER!

I skipped lunch in preparation for spacing out my calories.
What was on my plate? One large slice of white meat (less fat? seemed dry so I assumed it was), 1/4 cup green beans, 3 Tbs. of mashed potatoes, 1/4 cup fruit salad (only fruit), 1/2 cup GF stuffing, about 3 Tbs. of cornstarch gravy.

I am very proud of myself!

This morning on the scale I weighed in at 158.5 (Day 7 and 6.5 pounds lost)!


Hooray for progress!