Well, I worked out three times a week pretty much every week this summer from the middle of June onwards, and in eight weeks I’ve lost a grand total of… two and a half pounds. That’s a hell of a lot of work with rather unspectacular results, so I’ve gone ahead with what I’m calling Plan B.
I had an appointment yesterday with Dr Douglas Bishop (thus, plan “B”), a local MD with a specialization in internal medicine who has his own weight-loss clinic. It’s pretty much like medically supervised weight-watchers, from what I’ve gathered so far. I’m on a 1400 calorie per day diet, including 200 extra calories because I’m still nursing, bless Lucas’s hungry little heart. Rather than counting calories, I’m supposed to count portions. For instance, I’m supposed to eat three fruit portions (an apple is a portion, as is two kiwis or a tablespoon of raisins), and two portions of dairy (more than half of which is comprised by the milk in my coffee.) I get five portions of “good fats”, which I’m going through a lot faster than I expected (one portion of almonds at 10 almonds makes a perfect snack, but perhaps not three times a day, and I simply love my avocadoes a little too much). I also get seven proteins (each ounce of meat is a portion) and one “restricted” vegetable. The restricted ones are the sweet ones like carrots and corn. Things like spinach and — thank the deity of the local farm — tomatoes are “free” and you can eat as much as you can stuff into your face. The two biggest problem areas I can see are that my carbs are seriously curtailed to three portions per day — oh, how I loves me my carbs — and I’m supposed to cut out ALL sugar, including molasses and honey.
I really don’t want to become obsessed with my eating or my weight goals on the blog or in real life, but I think some accountability will do me good. So, in the interest of full disclosure, here’s where I’m starting out. (**deep breath**) I’m heavier than I’ve ever been outside of pregnancy at 190 pounds right now. I’m a shade shy of 5’8″ tall. My goal is to lose 20 lbs in 20 weeks, which will bring me back to my pre-Lucas-pregnancy weight of 170 lbs. That’s a comfortable size 12 to 14 for me, and means I’ll be able to fit back into my work clothes when I go back to work in February.
I had been working out three times a week while Beloved was home for the summer, but I’m just not sure how I’m going to do it when the boys go back to school. They have child minding at my gym, but I’m not sure Lucas will be too keen on the idea. I can get up super-early and work out at 5:30 to be home before anybody else wakes up but — well, that’s possible but probably not too likely to happen. And right now, evenings are just too hectic. We’ll see. If I can do one morning during the week and then Saturday mornings, I’ll be doing okay. And, I hope to do a lot of strolling with my stroller in the evenings, likely with the dog and one or two older boys in tow.
Anyway, that’s Plan B. I’m hoping you’ll be seeing a lot less of me in the future!
So, is this blogworthy material, or should I just let you know how I did at the end of 20 weeks?
Edited to add: had to share this doodle from Lee:
Doodle by Lee. The code for this doodle and other doodles you can use on your blog can be found at Doodles.
Yeah, that about sums it up.
I absolutely want to follow along with you. My baby is one, and I have much to lose, too. I know that the energy it takes to drag around that extra weight is costing me time – time with my kids and time to get “extra” stuff done and off my mind.
I say blog worthy, but then I have been blogging about my fitness and weight loss issues for a few weeks now.
My Captcha is “returns max” guess that is a sign!
I think it’s blog worthy! (And isn’t it easier to stick to a plan when your internet peeps are cheering you on from the sidelines?)
I’m especially hoping you’ll come up with a good strategy to share with us for dealing with cravings!
http://leesvoice.blogspot.com/2007/07/good-intentions.html
I feel your pain, sweetpea. Blog it up. It helps you with your accountability if we’re expecting it.
Sadly, that doodle is my life. Good luck with your plan B!!
Are you kidding? Please blog about your Plab B! Something I can identify with, yay!
Good luck Dani, and we miss you around here!
Let’s hear it, sister! We’re with you on the trials & tribulations of so many facets of your life we all empathize with — don’t leave this big one out!!
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: low carbs (and no sugar) is tough, but the payoff is so worth it for those of us who can’t seem to exercise it off…
Cheering from the sidelines… 🙂
I’m interested. I like to hear about how others lose weight b/c I can never stick to a ‘diet’. I’ve been trying to lose 10 lbs for about 4 years now.
OHDani! I hear you! I have been walking way more this summer than I have in years and I have put on 20 lbs and on my 5’4″frame witht he 40 lbs I already needed to loose it is too much. Liek you I’m almost at the weight I was when I delivered Nathan and Now heavier than my hubby who has lost 15 lbs working on his brothers house.
I hate men’s metabloism. I going to try cut out the ice caps, the chips, the resturant meals (way too many of them this summer) and eat way more fruit, and more veggies. Since my garden is a mess I think that is where I’m running into big trouble this year.
Good luck to you I will be watching closely to encourage and cheer you on.
GO GIRL!
This subject is totally blogworthy, and I definitely look forward to following your progress! I just had my second baby in June and have 35 pounds to lose…so believe me, your writings on this issue will provide other moms in the same boat with inspiration!
My husband (your cousin) has been following this “diet” and I started following it, but unofficially ( aka for free) as well. In 11 weeks I have lost 11 lbs, and I view it as common sense eating. I even lost weight while on vacation, despite having an occasional ice cream and beer. But I think that occasional as opposed to regular, is what makes it work.
Keep in mind that I LOVE bread and sugar, but I haven’t really missed them at all/much because I am usually feeling full.
Good luck – you can do it!
Sooooooooooo blogworthy. Please, please blog. Ah, to weigh what you weigh now! I may have four inches on you but not quite sure it all makes up for the extra.
You go girl! We’ll come along with ya.
I too was hesitant about the child-minding at the gym. When the boys were much younger, I used it, whether ‘they’ really liked it or not (95% of time there were very happy there) but that 30 minutes of *me* time I managed to get was SOOOOOO well worth it. Please try it, you never know!!
Yes please! We can all relate. It will work. Sugar is the devil. You’ll be 20 pounds lighter in no time!
🙂