Weight Loss Wednesdays

Last week I promised to tell you about the last “key” to my weight loss.  It’s pretty simple: faith.  It sounds so simple and yet it’s so complex. I knew that The Bible was the best place to start but I never know where to start.  Now that I’m working on this Proverbs 31 thing, I think I’d have a better handle on it now, but this was back in June and I wasn’t where I am today.

Fortunately, I found a fantastic book that helped guide me though the process in a faith-based way.  Candace Cameron Bure, yup, DJ from Full House grew up, got married, became an awesome Christian, lost a ton of weight, kept it off, became a mom, started working on Make it or Break it, and wrote a book (maybe not in that order).   This book is full of tips, tricks, good solid weight loss advice, and best of all, is completely faith based.  I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Here are a couple of my favorite pieces of advice (paraphrased):

–Most people over eat.  When dieting, they replace delicious “bad food” with tasteless “good food.”  They say things like “I can eat all the carrots and celery I want.”  Why would you eat all the carrots and celery you want–you’re not breaking bad over-eating habits, you’re just replacing bad food with good food.  Eventually, you’ll given into your cravings and be right back where you started from?  Why eat all the carrots and celery that you “want?  Why not just eat all the carrots and celery that you need?

–Exercise and healthy eating should be a family affair.  This isn’t ground-breaking, but she’s got great advice on this topic.  She also shares practical advice for Christian working moms.

–God should be a part of your weight loss journey.  He’s your best chance for success.  Candace includes a ton of great scripture to enlighten, encourage, motivate and challenge you with your weight loss and maintenance.

So, if you have the means, go buy Reshaping It All by Candace Cameron Bure–or check it out at your local library.  Mine had a copy and maybe yours will, too.

Weight Loss Wednesdays

My dad has had a life-long dream to ride his bike from Indianapolis to Richmond.  Bike as in pedals, not hogs.  October 15, 2011, Matt, my brother, my cousin & I made that dream a reality.  In three hours and forty-five minutes we rode 60 glorious miles.  It was one of the greatest experiences of my life.

When people find about about it the often look at me and say (sometimes out loud, sometimes in their heads) “Well, no wonder you’re skinny.  You rode 60 miles.”  Let me address those thoughts:

1) Skinny & fat are not words I love using.  There was a time in my life when I had very little self control, didn’t know a lot about food and didn’t exercise on a regular basis.  Now I know somethings about food, I workout regularly, and I exercise self-control to the best of my ability.  Most of the time :).

2) Yes.  One Saturday morning I burnt 3,000.  It was great.  It was one time.  I’m 40 pounds lighter because of decisions I make on a daily basis.

So, what DID I do??  Okay, here goes.  I started drinking Body by Vi meal replacements shakes two times a day.  I know what you’re thinking: that sounds like Slim Fast.  You’re right.  It does.  It’s not.  I’ve learned a ton about this product and I won’t bore you with the details (unless you email me and want them), but I will say this: Slim Fast has almost no protein and absolutely no fiber.  Body by Vi has a ton of protein (20 grams!) and a great amount of fiber (I think 5 somethings–can’t remember if it’s grams or milligrams or whatever.  You have the internets, look it up!).  I replaced two meals that I thought were healthy with two meals that actually were–and low cal.  And delicious.  I love them.

I also started counting calories.  This sucks a little.  I found an app that counts my calories for me, which is really, really helpful.  It’s called “Calorie Counter” and is available on both the Android Market and Apple’s App store for free.  With 3G service, you can access the calorie count in just about any food and nearly every restaurant.  It really helps me make healthy choices.  I mean, I can burn 400 calories working out, but isn’t easier to not consume those calories in the first place??

The third step? Exercise.  I set up an exercise routine and I’ve stuck with it.  We ride bikes when it’s warm enough, I run on my elliptical machine 2 times a week and I’m currently doing a Biggest Loser program on our X-Box Kinect called “Armed & Dangerous.”

There’s one more little thing, but it’s important enough that I think it deserves its own post, and that’s for next week.  See you then :).

Weight Loss Wednesdays

My week at work follows a pattern. A pattern for reading, a pattern for math, a pattern for language, a pattern for planning, etc. I work best when I have a pattern–a schedule. I think it gives me more time and effort for creativity within my teaching and planning. Obviously, this blog is no exception to that rule. I’ve already started my Friday Ladies Room Fashion Show posts and today I’m introducing Weight Loss Wednesdays.

I’m making Matt do it too. Let me know if you’d like to link up with us, too. I’ve eluded several times to the fact that I’ve lost 40 pounds since June, 2011 and promised to share the story of that. Spoiler Alert: I’m long winded, so this is going to take a couple of posts.

January of 2011 I decided to get into shape. I’d put on some weight from what I thought was “ideal” for a working mom and wanted to take it off. I started working out (as we all do in January), but a couple of weeks in I got a really bad sinus infection. Long story short, this was a “traveling infection” that set up shop in my sinuses and neck for about four months. After several rounds of antibiotics, countless boxes of Kleenex, and many, many nights of coming home from school and dying on the couch my doctor put me on a steroid. I gained 10 pounds faster than you can say “Sinus Infection.” Two months later, it hadn’t budged.

So it’s June and I’m now a good 20 pounds heavier than I think I should be. None of my shorts fit. My friend comes into town and has lost weight and looks fantastic. I’m riding my bike some, but my weight isn’t budging. I’m pretty miserable at this point. One night I walked into my friend Christy’s house and saw a bag sitting on her counter. “Please let it be Rob’s, please let it be Rob’s.” I silently prayed.  I couldn’t let my closest friend & mentor go and get skinny without me!

Of course, the bag wasn’t Rob’s and it was exactly what I thought it was–a protein shake. It was a protein shake that, coupled with a few other fantastic resources, changed my life. I’m 40 pounds lighter than I was that afternoon. I fit into clothes I wore in college. Fat me would never admit that it’s possible, but I’m so much happier.

Tune in next week for the second part of my weight loss story–the steps I took to lose 40 pounds. And be sure to check out Matt’s blog for his Weight Loss Wednesday post!