I Am Ready

Whelp, about time to be turning this back into a *weight loss* blog. Enough with the breaks, time to get this thing done.

My plan is to get back to basics and stick with my current eating plan (Medifast) 100% without any "going off" or "special treats" or whatever until I get to my goal. And then, to do the transition program s-l-o-w-l-y, and on to a lifetime of maintenance. I did pretty well with staying on plan for about three months (no cheats whatsoever) and then the little bits here and there started to sneak in. You can totally tell by the way my weight loss slowed down, too, although I did lose 59 pounds since spring. And really my eating has been a disaster since I hit 175 pounds in the middle of November, for whatever reason. But whether it was physical or mental or a combination of both, I have certainly had enough of a break from strictness now to be *ready* to get back to work. So back to work I go! Back to Sunday weigh ins without gains. Back to the simplicity of eating on a schedule (8am, 10am, noon, 3pm, 6pm, 8:30pm) with no added crap. I do love to cook, you know, and be creative in the kitchen, but I think it started to get in the way of weight loss lately so I aim to simplify. Baked salmon, poached/baked/steamed chicken breasts, canned tuna, lean cuts of beef and pork, and eggs/Egg Beaters will comprise most of my dinner protein from now on. Easy cut and steamed broccoli, cauliflower, and green beans will be joined by salads and the occasional pot of kale or other greens for my veggies. SIMPLE, not complicated. Just stick the meat and the veggies on a plate and eat them. The kids can have their mashed potatoes or wheat bread or brown rice with it, I don't mind. Easy stuff here. No more elaborate recipes with a ton of thought put into them (well, maybe ONCE in awhile, just for fun). I am sick of trying to figure out what's already been figured out. I know what works for me; it is simple: five mini meals a day (Medifast) and one nice sized dinner of 5-7 oz lean protein and 3 servings of vegetables. I do not have to reinvent the wheel here. And if you want to replicate this without Medifast, you can! Count calories or carbs if you like, but eat something small and nutritious every 2-3 hours, mainly lean protein, limited carbs, no sugary crap, lots of water. But, you know, ask your doctor first, because I can't prescribe a plan for anyone but me :)

So that's how it is, right now, no more waiting and having a cookie first. I had my 'break' and now I am on the clock. I will be eating 100% on my plan, and I will be doing my (extensive and getting difficult) physical therapy exercises every day. I may take one day off per week as a rest day depending on how I feel.

The other day, I got kind of ticked off at myself. I hit 175 pounds, my lowest weight in 13 years, on October 30th. At that time I made a goal for myself: to weigh 159 on New Years Day. I figured if I worked hard I could lose about 2 pounds a week, and there were 9 weeks til January 1. Losing 2 pounds a week would have put me at 157 pounds THIS WEEKEND. Instead, here I sit at 185 pounds. Doesn't that just suck? It really does. I had a goal and I lost it. I gained 10 instead of losing 18 which put a 28 pound spread between where I could have been and where I am. Yuck! But then I reflect on this whole, 3+ year journey I've had, with lots of ups and downs and highs and lows, and I realize that even if I *could* take back all the screw ups and have hit 145 pounds in 2008, I would not do it. You know why? Because the *head work* is what is going to KEEP me thin. I had so much stuff to work through and fix. I am sure if I had not done that, and had zoomed to 145 in a year's time, I would have regained and would weigh more, much more, than I do right now. I truly believe that. Maybe it's not true for some people, but for me, I have had some major food issues that had to be fixed. And I am confident they are *getting fixed* by doing this he way I am doing it. I am not just losing weight, here. I am learning along the way... as I've said before... getting a PhD in *myself.* And THAT is a lifelong process... but losing weight doesn't have to be.

I am ready, and I've already begun today. I will keep using Twitter to post my main meal (usually dinner) for accountability and to give you an idea of what I am eating besides Medifast. If you're interested you can follow me on Twitter or you can just look down there on the left side of my blog under "What I'm Eating Now" where you can see realtime updates of my dinners. (I don't Tweet much at all, but I do think it is cool to be able to post your food intake on Twitter and have it post right to your blog! Give it a try, pretty simple!) I use Facebook more often to post what I am up to during the day or some random thoughts or to see what YOU are up to, so friend me there if you like.

I want to thank each of you for the kind comments and emails you have sent me throughout 2010. It is so good to feel supported and know that the time I spend writing here is making a difference. I am so grateful for the wonderful support and friendships I find here, and I wish each of you a peaceful, successful and healthy 2011! And now I am off to go roller skating with my daughter :)


*FTC-required disclosure: Medifast provided me with its products for my personal use for free. I am not paid or compensated in any other way for mentioning their products. Medifast states an "average weight loss of up to 2 to 5 pounds a week."*