First, I want to say that weekends are super hard to find time to post an update; which means that today I have a lot to say, and you might have a lot to read...
On Friday I was super psyched for the weekend - and the excitement did not wear off. After I got home, I decided to weigh myself - and I can not explain how I felt when I saw that the scale stated that I had lost 2 pounds. It might not seem like much - but losing 2 pounds is better than GAINING 2 pounds. I was psyched!!! After that, I made dinner and my brother in law and his girlfriend came over for a game of monopoly. We played until about 1:00 am, and not once did I have a late night craving.
Saturday was hectic, I've noticed that on the weekends - dieting is much more challenging for me. Not so much because of the food, but because I tend to forget to eat. Since I had guests from the night before, I made everyone breakfast. Here's what I made: Hash browns, cheddar cheese scrambled eggs, turkey bacon, and toast. As I cooked them all this food, I did not find myself craving any of it, or sneaking pieces of food into my mouth. I was shocked at my lack of interest in this food, and my will power. That same day, later in the afternoon I went to my moms house. If anyone knows me, they know that my mom makes the most delicious foods, particularly the most delicious Dominican food. She was unaware that I was on a diet and she had made some of my favorites. I was flattered, but again - not craving anything but what was on my diet list. She did however make salmon - so I cut up some lettuce and chopped up some onions and made a salad with some dressing. I ate the salmon with the salad. Once again, I was tempted with all food on the table - and not once did I budge to eat any of it.
Sunday was uneventful, except for the fact that I got my best friend Melanie, to come with me to Trader Joe's, since she needed to stock up on food. She is joining me and the many others that are on the 17 Day Diet. I am so proud of my beastie (yes, you read that correctly - we are beasties, NOT besties).
Monday was more eventful, being that it was the Memorial Day Weekend, we had a family BBQ to attend. I know - *GASP* how would I ever get through it? I amazed myself... I got up that morning, I did my work out, I made myself breakfast and I made my kids theirs. I cut up 2 large watermelons for the BBQ, some strawberries and some grapes that I was asked to bring. Then, I packed my lunch, my dinner, and my snacks. I ate nothing at the BBQ that wasn't on my diet, the only thing I had was water - I had even brought my own green tea, that I had chilled - and drank it cold, like an iced green tea, it was refreshing. I am extremely proud of myself, I got through that day like it was nothing. The one thing I really wanted was an ice cold beer - cause it was a hell of a hot day, but I didn't even drink that, I had some iced green tea and water instead.
Usually on a day like this, I would cave in to the cravings and all the yummy food around, I'd stuff my face, and while I'm busy stuffing - I'd be happy. But minutes later, guilt would set in, extreme guilt and regret at the fact that I caved in. I'd feel worthless, like a loser, a big fat disgusting pig who couldn't control herself. But... for once in my life, I am in control... For once in my life, I am guilt-free...
I learned two things this weekend, 1) I am way too busy on the weekends to update my blog and 2) I can do anything that I set my mind to do. It's all about will power and how bad I want it - and to be fit, is something that I want bad!
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
Day Five, and the beginning of Memorial Day Weekend!
So happy to see Friday arrive, I can't believe this week has gone by so fast considering that I am on a diet. Today is my fifth day and I am so very proud of myself. I have yet to cheat, but my will power is definitely going to be tested this weekend. I have a Memorial Day BBQ to attend and I am sure there will me mounds of yummy and delicious food there and I am prepared to face it all. My plan is to bring my own food so that temptation is easier to manage - I hope it works. I know some might think that I am crazy and that I should stay away from it, but the truth is that I want to go and spend time with my boyfriend's side of the family and enjoy my day off playing bingo. Although I will admit that a part of me does want to go and face the challenge of it all, because truthfully - I have made a commitment to a lifestyle change, and just because I'm not going to eat the same food as everyone else, does not mean that I will have to pull myself out of every social event that presents itself in my life. That would be unfair to myself and my loved ones.
What I have learned in these past five days is that self control is very challenging. Yes, surprisingly I have been able to follow this regimen to the letter, but it has not come easy. The only thing that I can honestly say that keeps me from swallowing an oreo cookie whole, is the outlook on my future. I try to visualize myself at a comfortable weight, I picture myself wearing jeans without having a muffin top hang out of it, I think about myself wearing a two piece bikini on the beach, I see myself wearing a nice black dress that is fitted and looking absolutely adorable in it. The fact that my weight loss is primarily based on my obsession with self loathing is a great motivation. I hate the way I look and only I have the power to change it. Being overweight depresses me and the fact that I have taken on the challenge to change how I look, has been my first step in trying to make the girl I see everyday in the mirror fall in love with herself again.
What I have learned in these past five days is that self control is very challenging. Yes, surprisingly I have been able to follow this regimen to the letter, but it has not come easy. The only thing that I can honestly say that keeps me from swallowing an oreo cookie whole, is the outlook on my future. I try to visualize myself at a comfortable weight, I picture myself wearing jeans without having a muffin top hang out of it, I think about myself wearing a two piece bikini on the beach, I see myself wearing a nice black dress that is fitted and looking absolutely adorable in it. The fact that my weight loss is primarily based on my obsession with self loathing is a great motivation. I hate the way I look and only I have the power to change it. Being overweight depresses me and the fact that I have taken on the challenge to change how I look, has been my first step in trying to make the girl I see everyday in the mirror fall in love with herself again.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Surpassed the 3 day hump!
Good morning! So it's day 4 and I don't know if it's because I survived the first 3 days or because it's Thursday (and one day closer to FRIDAY) but I am an in an extremely good mood! I can't guarantee that it'll stay that way - but I am enjoying it while it lasts...
Dinner was delicious last night - I intended to make ground turkey meat balls, but that didn't really work out (the meat didn't really want to be made into balls). I ended up just cooking the ground turkey and it was delish!!! I served it with a refreshing cabbage salad, and a side of broccoli and spinach. For the boys I made whole wheat pasta and served it with tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese. Just because I can't have carbs (yet) doesn't mean I should deprive them. I saved the remainder of the the ground turkey, to make The 17 Day Diet Taco Salad. This morning I woke up and made some taco salad dressing, put some lettuce in a Tupperware, and ........ forgot my ground turkey in the fridge at home! Yes, I was PISSED - but I'll just go to the supermarket later and get a whole chicken, pull out the breast and use it on the salad, save the rest for my hungry boys. I'm not letting it put a damper on my mood.
I tried Kefir for the first time today...It's a pro-biotic that the Doc recommends in the book. I bought 2 bottles; a vanilla and a plain. The vanilla is very good, the plain I have yet to try, but plan to use it to make "Kefir smoothies". I am totally looking forward to that.
I have to say that since I have started on this diet, and I have to cook all the foods myself, I have been using every pot, pan, and kitchen equipment I have. It's a lot of work, but I admit that it is all worth it. Not just for the sake of losing weight, but the fact that every night, and I do mean every night, my family sits at the table and enjoys a healthy, home cooked meal. Before all of this, there were days where I would be too lazy or too tired to cook, and I would just order from the usual suspects; Italian, Chinese, and Mexican. Sometimes when I made dinner, I would make delicious mouth watering foods - but they weren't necessarily healthy options. I don't want to get ahead of myself, considering my diet history and how I bounce back and forth between dieting and not dieting - but I think for the first time in my life, I have found something that works for me, and something that I can work with. It's a great feeling of satisfaction, when the day is over and I can honestly say that I haven't cheated. Don't get me wrong, I've been tempted - but I've been able to suppress temptation, and I never thought that I would be able to do that. I am weak when it comes to food, but on this diet I am honestly satisfied, and I think that has a lot to do with it.
Tonight I plan on switching things up and making a chicken and vegetable soup. I know it's hot as balls in NYC today, but my apartment AC will be on blast and soup will be just the thing to warm us up.
Dinner was delicious last night - I intended to make ground turkey meat balls, but that didn't really work out (the meat didn't really want to be made into balls). I ended up just cooking the ground turkey and it was delish!!! I served it with a refreshing cabbage salad, and a side of broccoli and spinach. For the boys I made whole wheat pasta and served it with tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese. Just because I can't have carbs (yet) doesn't mean I should deprive them. I saved the remainder of the the ground turkey, to make The 17 Day Diet Taco Salad. This morning I woke up and made some taco salad dressing, put some lettuce in a Tupperware, and ........ forgot my ground turkey in the fridge at home! Yes, I was PISSED - but I'll just go to the supermarket later and get a whole chicken, pull out the breast and use it on the salad, save the rest for my hungry boys. I'm not letting it put a damper on my mood.
I tried Kefir for the first time today...It's a pro-biotic that the Doc recommends in the book. I bought 2 bottles; a vanilla and a plain. The vanilla is very good, the plain I have yet to try, but plan to use it to make "Kefir smoothies". I am totally looking forward to that.
I have to say that since I have started on this diet, and I have to cook all the foods myself, I have been using every pot, pan, and kitchen equipment I have. It's a lot of work, but I admit that it is all worth it. Not just for the sake of losing weight, but the fact that every night, and I do mean every night, my family sits at the table and enjoys a healthy, home cooked meal. Before all of this, there were days where I would be too lazy or too tired to cook, and I would just order from the usual suspects; Italian, Chinese, and Mexican. Sometimes when I made dinner, I would make delicious mouth watering foods - but they weren't necessarily healthy options. I don't want to get ahead of myself, considering my diet history and how I bounce back and forth between dieting and not dieting - but I think for the first time in my life, I have found something that works for me, and something that I can work with. It's a great feeling of satisfaction, when the day is over and I can honestly say that I haven't cheated. Don't get me wrong, I've been tempted - but I've been able to suppress temptation, and I never thought that I would be able to do that. I am weak when it comes to food, but on this diet I am honestly satisfied, and I think that has a lot to do with it.
Tonight I plan on switching things up and making a chicken and vegetable soup. I know it's hot as balls in NYC today, but my apartment AC will be on blast and soup will be just the thing to warm us up.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Day Three on the 17 Day Diet
So, on Monday I began my weight loss journey (again) - but this time I am trying something different. As I was browsing through the list of books on my kindle, I stumbled upon a book with the title "The 17 Day Diet". I was immediately curious and downloaded the sample. Before I began to read the sample, I started looking through the comments made by other readers and dieters of the book; a major reason why it caught my attention was partially because it had four and a half stars. As I read through the comments, I was more and more enthused about reading the book. The sample got me hooked, I liked the tone of the Doctor/ Author - and I was beginning to feel as if this diet has been what I have been waiting for. I've gone on many other weight loss journeys, but I always quit. I always find an excuse, or give up because I am not seeing any progress - but the more I read, the more I was convinced that this might be different. Finally I purchased the book and began - once again, my weigh loss journey.
The 17 Day Diet, is a cycled diet where the dieter goes on 4 different 17 day cycles. The first cycle which is the one I am currently on is the "Accelerate" cycle. In these first 17 days, I am working towards cleansing my body and correcting my metabolism. I'll go into detail about the other 3 cycles in a future blog - but for the moment, I just want to share my experience on this diet and the cycle that I am currently on. On Monday morning I weighed in at 205 lbs, I am a 5'2" female, and according to many BMI calculators - I am obese. Lucky for me, I don't agree, which is why I haven't driven myself nuts, but I know that my weight has slowly been creeping up and I have done nothing about it. If there is a time to do it, that time would be now - I am 24 years old and at 205, I should not allow myself to go any higher. On this current cycle - I am only eating lean proteins, fruits, veggies, probiotics, and tea. Very healthy, I know... But not just any lean meats, and not just any veggies, and not just any fruits - it's a select list of specific foods in these categories that I am eating during this cycle. I have to admit that the variety is plentiful, and I am having so much fun cooking this food. I wake up every morning and I make myself breakfast and lunch. Sometime I make lunch the night before and it's all ready to go. So far, three days in and I have not lost any weight, but here are some improvements:
1. I haven't bought any fast food.
2.Because I bring everything from home, I have been saving A LOT of money.
3. I haven't lost any weight but I haven't gained any either
4. My skin is super radiant - all of the blemishes are gone and I couldn't be happier.
Granted, I am only half way through my 3rd day, and I'm sure that if I keep it up, by the beginning of next week I hope to see some improvements - but so far I am happy on my diet. I eat fresh delicious foods that I cook everyday, and I don't have that sluggish feeling anymore, you know? You know what I mean, that feeling you get after you eat a burger with fries from McDonalds. The one complaint I have is that I have become constipated. Luckily - this same concern is shared by many others on the 17 day diet - which I found out today when I went on the website and the Doctor posted a video about this exact issue on the site. Turns out that green tea may cause constipation - but it is necessary for all the nutrients it provides our bodies with. An over the counter laxative is OK to use on the diet, but I much rather drink some Manasul Tea. It is a natural tea that you take before bed, and in the morning you have a bowel movement.
I look forward to day four with much anticipation knowing that I am only 14 days away from cycle 2 "Activate" and I get to add more food items to my diet.
The 17 Day Diet, is a cycled diet where the dieter goes on 4 different 17 day cycles. The first cycle which is the one I am currently on is the "Accelerate" cycle. In these first 17 days, I am working towards cleansing my body and correcting my metabolism. I'll go into detail about the other 3 cycles in a future blog - but for the moment, I just want to share my experience on this diet and the cycle that I am currently on. On Monday morning I weighed in at 205 lbs, I am a 5'2" female, and according to many BMI calculators - I am obese. Lucky for me, I don't agree, which is why I haven't driven myself nuts, but I know that my weight has slowly been creeping up and I have done nothing about it. If there is a time to do it, that time would be now - I am 24 years old and at 205, I should not allow myself to go any higher. On this current cycle - I am only eating lean proteins, fruits, veggies, probiotics, and tea. Very healthy, I know... But not just any lean meats, and not just any veggies, and not just any fruits - it's a select list of specific foods in these categories that I am eating during this cycle. I have to admit that the variety is plentiful, and I am having so much fun cooking this food. I wake up every morning and I make myself breakfast and lunch. Sometime I make lunch the night before and it's all ready to go. So far, three days in and I have not lost any weight, but here are some improvements:
1. I haven't bought any fast food.
2.Because I bring everything from home, I have been saving A LOT of money.
3. I haven't lost any weight but I haven't gained any either
4. My skin is super radiant - all of the blemishes are gone and I couldn't be happier.
Granted, I am only half way through my 3rd day, and I'm sure that if I keep it up, by the beginning of next week I hope to see some improvements - but so far I am happy on my diet. I eat fresh delicious foods that I cook everyday, and I don't have that sluggish feeling anymore, you know? You know what I mean, that feeling you get after you eat a burger with fries from McDonalds. The one complaint I have is that I have become constipated. Luckily - this same concern is shared by many others on the 17 day diet - which I found out today when I went on the website and the Doctor posted a video about this exact issue on the site. Turns out that green tea may cause constipation - but it is necessary for all the nutrients it provides our bodies with. An over the counter laxative is OK to use on the diet, but I much rather drink some Manasul Tea. It is a natural tea that you take before bed, and in the morning you have a bowel movement.
I look forward to day four with much anticipation knowing that I am only 14 days away from cycle 2 "Activate" and I get to add more food items to my diet.
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