I starting working for the Census this week, and all we're really doing now is training. Luckily we've been getting an hour a day for lunch, and I train about 5 minutes from my house, so I've been able to stay on the diet while working. Keeping on the diet during a full time job is my last big worry/hurdle to overcome, so clearing this smaller obstacle makes me optimistic about the future of my diet.
In actual weight loss news, I weighed in this morning at 375 dressed, which is a slow down to only about 5lbs a week. I still haven't been exercising as much as I should, although my eating has been in line. I feel that I really can't complain too much when I'm not meeting my exercise quota, but I miss the early days when I was losing water weight.
At this point, every pound I lose is true fat, and that is one reason I'm staying positive and committed. The other reason is that while I have lost a lot of weight (roughly 55lbs), I haven't met any real goals other than basic health goals (losing 10%). With the true slowdown here, getting to 250lbs means at least 25 more weeks of this diet, compared to only 8 completed so far. On the flip side, 26 weeks is six months, which allows me to bail on the diet in early November, or in time for the holidays. Given that even "phase two" will be strictly regimented, it's looking like I won't be completely off until at or past the New Year. I would like to be able to eat normally by Christmas (or even Thanksgiving), but I'm not sure I should stop a good thing to indulge in the worst food time of the year.
Time is a weird thing on this diet, even more so than normal. I don't feel like I've been dieting for nearly two months (even though I have been), yet I barely remember how I used to eat. The closest comparison I can think of is the transition to college life after high school. It's so completely different, and so positive, that you barely remember life before. Another thing that comes close is after breaking up with a girlfriend: after a few weeks, you stop even thinking about calling her, and get used to a new routine.
The thing I'm most grateful for in this diet thus far has been my ability to not get bored with the foods I can eat. I still get excited about steak, or chicken. I've added some more fish so I can make the doctor happy, and honestly it's pretty good covered in garlic with a little low carb ketchup.
In recent days, the thing I am least happy about with the diet is a lack of "free" foods. Outside of iceberg lettuce, there is nothing i can eat simply to satisfy that sort of vague hunger/boredom that afflicts me in mid afternoons. Pickles come close, and I've been eating a lot of them, but even they're technically restricted. Many diets allow "binge items", be they veggies on a high fiber diet or lean meat on Atkins. I've been drinking a lot of water, crystal light, and soda, but I've been craving food a lot lately. I'm guessing my body has simply acclimated to the current intake, and is operating more efficiently and thus I'm losing less weight and feeling more hungry.
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The Eating for Life plan revolves around five small, high protein meals Monday through Saturday and taking Sunday off to eat whatever you want. Here's how it works - if you diet every day of the week, your body goes into "starvation mode" and actually starts retaining fat to keep from starving. When you give yourself one day to eat anything (and I mean anything) it wards off "starvation mode" and helps your body keep shedding fat.Here's what a sample of my diet will look like:Breakfast: 2 eggs, two slices of peanut butter toast and a glass of Kefir Snack: cup of lowfat yogurtLunch: grilled chicken salad with lowfat dressing and water Snack: Apple wedges with peanut butterDinner: Chicken breast, veggies, brown rice and waterThe above is a very basic example of what I might eat throughout the day. The recipes in the Eating for Life book really are delicious. Check out a few of them at this website to see for yourself. Also, I feel the need to mention how important portion sizes are. You can eat as healthy as you want, but if you eat too much of it, you won't lose weight. As a general rule, portions should be about the size of your fist.So, if you've stuck with me this far, what are you waiting for? Let's get our diets on track so we can start shedding the pounds! Good luck to everyone! I'll be posting workout plans next week.
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