Just Lose It!!!

I entered the summer with a expectations that were just a tad unrealistic.  I thought that maybe, just maybe, I could lose 30 pounds.  Give or take.  Yes, I know, you are all shaking your head right about now.  I am smh at myself.   I just found out that smh = shaking my head.  Had to use it.  :)   The thing is, I had never really voiced those expectations.  I am sure if I had someone would have laughed corrected me.  I was not really saying anything to anyone because, well, I did not want to fail.  I hate failing, maybe more than anything.  How silly of me...I don't want to fail but I set expectations that would have been impossible to meet.  But I had mentioned to a few people that I wanted to take the opportunity of working in a structured, busy environment to start anew on my weight loss journey.

So the results are in...I lost 15 pounds from the beginning of camp.  Yay!!!  I ate healthier than I had been, was working outside and on my feet in the heat for 8 hours a day and walked a good bit.  So now here is where the real work is going to begin for me.  I am home for the next 3 weeks before the school year begins again.  I have lots of time to snack.  I am not sweating on my feet for 8 hours a day.  If I am hungry, there is food in my house, unlike camp where I brought my lunch and any snacks.  Even though I was cooking all day and even tasting small bites many times through the day, I did not eat what I was cooking all that much.

I know I have to move.  That is always a big part of weight loss for me.  I also know that I need to pack and bring my lunch to work.  I found a few lunches that worked for me this summer.  it can be a little boring, but I think that's actually a good thing for weight loss.

The big change I have made since I am home now is that I am diligently tracking all my food and exercise.  I had used this app before but then this summer it was more difficult because we were not allowed to use our cell phones during camp.  Plus I was taking lots of "tastes" but not full servings, so it was challenging.  The app I am using is Lose It.  I find that it is easy to use and I love that I can scan foods.  I have also put in some of my "usuals" in the recipe section so that instead of adding my coffee, cream and sugar separately I can just add my coffee for which I already measured and calculated everything.  Additionally, when I scan in, say 2 chocolate chip cookies, and I see that I just ate 160 calories, I am less inclined to grab a few more.  A cup of grapes for 62 calories versus 2 cookies for 160.  There is a reason why the author of the "Eat This Not That" cookbooks is doing so well.  I just needed to see it for myself.

Along with using the app I am measuring most things again.  Years and years ago I lost a lot of weight by measuring and writing it all down.  That is how I will do it again.  I know it might take me a long time and I might even have setbacks here and there.  That is just being realistic, and I really don't want to trick my mind into thinking I can lose all the weight by Christmas.  It's just not going to happen!

I know beyond a doubt, that this is a journey.  And I also know I have to be patient with myself and have realistic expectations.  And also, like a journey, there are twists and turns, valleys and mountains but I just have to continue along.

One more note... Whenever I am tempted to think that 15 pounds is nothing compared to what I need to lose, I remember what my BFF Michelle told me another time I was on WW.  I think of a 5 lb bag of sugar, even pick one up next time I am in the grocery store.  It's heavy!  That is a lot of weight that is no longer surrounding my organs!

Acupuncture and me

I am so excited!  I had my first acupuncture session today.  I have wanted to try it for some time because I really do believe in it.  My new insurance is apparently very generous when it comes to out of network providers so I was just looking into it.  Imagine my delight when I found that there is an acupuncturist in Maplewood on Springfield Ave!  I gave her a call a few weeks ago and spoke to her at length.  She has space 2 days a week inside Shakti Yoga where I took prenatal and Mommy&me yoga.  (Man, I miss yoga!)  Because the first visit is so long I could not get in till today.

I had to fill out an extensive health questionnaire before hand that the practitioner and I went over in detail.  We discussed my asthma and allergies; digestive issues; menstrual issues; stress and my desire for weight loss.  She let me know that she can definitely help me with all of the aforementioned issues except weight loss.  Rather, weight loss could be a side effect of the other issues being corrected.  That was what I had figured, but I was happy for the clarification.  Some recommendations she made initially are to cut out dairy as much as possible for both the asthma and digestive issues; try to have gluten-free pasta instead of regular; cut out the diet soda; have a warm breakfast, like oatmeal; and to look into Dr. Weil's anti-inflamatory diet.  Apparently conditions like asthma cause the body to have inflammation on a cellular level and it is helpful to eat foods to reduce it/avoid it.

Most of the needles felt either like a prick or nothing as they went in (or came out) but 2 in particular stung a lot as they went in and as they came out.  During the session (about 45 minutes) I did not feel them at all.  In fact I went into a state of deep relaxation and almost fell asleep.  That feeling lasted most of the day.  Even when Lilly was having a meltdown I was able to keep my calm.  I know that this is not  necessarily going to last all week, but the feeling of calm was nice.  I know nice sounds kind of blah, but since my norm has recently been stressed and edgy, calm is really nice.

I am very hopeful that my allergies and asthma will improve.  I know that I have frequently mentioned in this blog (here and here and here for example) that I want to lose weight and change my diet.  I am hoping and praying that this is the time that I can make that commitment and stick with it.  Giving up diet soda...no problem.  Eating a warm breakfast...same, in fact, delicious!  Giving up dairy...oh lordy.  I have done it in the past and my digestive issues did get better.  I just LOVE cheese and ice cream.  I think that I could still have the cream in my coffee since that is minimal.  At least for the beginning.  I am not so keen on soy substitutes so I would just do without.  She did say that if I was going to have dairy I should try to have sheep or goat's milk.  I am not sure how I feel about that...but I am looking forward to my next session already!

Does anyone else use acupuncture or other complementary medicines?  Tell me!