Milking the Milage

The weather is becoming bearable.  It's time to clock your walk.  Grab a paper and pencil, hop in the mini-van and figure out a few routes near your house.  If you can sneaker up and bound out the door, you are more likely to get your 3-4 miles a day in.  So, decide on your routes and set your odometer to zero in your driveway.  I chose three routes and now I know how far I'm hoofing it.  I'm doing the programs on the treadmill, which tear me up!

If you have a park or trail nearby perhaps a pedometer will help you track your milage.  In fact, here is a web site that gives you fun stuff to do with your pedometer Pedometer Fun . 


Listen, if you are out of shape, cardio exercise may be a challenge.  I've been on walking/jogging binges before, so I feel qualified to set down a few rules for you to follow.  

♥ ♥ ♥ Three Little Reminders...♥  ♥ ♥

1. When the going gets tough, remember THE MORE YOU DO THIS THE EASIER IT'S GOING TO GET.  If it feels hard, look forward, pick a sign or landmark that you can make it to.  The next day, try to make it past that, the next day try a speedier walk to it, work your way up to jogging to it.  I promise, if you keep it up there will come a day when your improvement blows your mind (and hopefully knocks your ass right off, right?)
2. If there are other people around, and you feel weird, nervous or self conscious, remember this is about you.  Screw them. This isn't about them.  You can do this. The sweatier and smellier and beastlier you get the better.  Remember we are working toward hottie level.  This is going to take some grossness. 
3. If you slip up, that doesn't make you a garbage bag.  It slows your path to your goal, so try not to do it, but a slip up just means you are learning.

I've been walking for a few weeks now and I'm amazed at how much less exhausted and whooped I am.  It's amazing how our bodies can recover from Cadbury Egg and milkshake abuse mixed with ample ass-sitting-on.  I haven't lost a lot of weight, because I haven't worked on a diet till TODAY!  At the same time, my clothes are fitting better around the thigh and waist.  Woot!

I can't wait to see what the diet part does for me and for you!
Kind regards, 
Rebecca

Sports Bras: More Support & Less Va Va Voom!

I want to talk a little about boobs.  IF you are blessed with perky  itty bitty titties, you have my permission to snicker at those of us who are well-endowed (because it's likely we've turned a few more heads with our cleave than you have, and the following will be sweet revenge.)

When I walk and jog my boobs tend to swing, bounce and eventually escape from my bra, causing double boob syndrome in the cleave, along with a lot of discomfort. My underwire gets sweat soaked and probably rusts.  I can only hope my tetnus is up to date because I'm likely to be punctured by that rusty wire one day.

In preparation for the exercise plan, I went to Maiden Form for a work out bra, which they do not carry.  So I did what most red blooded American women do in times of dire need. I went to the Wal-Mart Super Store.  Somewhere past the watermelons and before the basketballs I found a well picked over sports bra area.  

The Mart I was in was tres chic and had lights around the dressing room mirrors that shut off if you held still too long.  I found myself standing in the dark, shocked at how small my chest looked smooshed underneath sport band material.  And yes, before you begin wondering, I jogged in place to check out the bounce factor.  I liked the looks on the Medium Resistance bras, but the bounce prevention on the High Resistance was excellent.  

I also picked up a couple of work out tops which "wick away" moisture.  We shall see.  

Many years ago, I wore spandex bicycle shorts and tank tops, a jaunty pony tail and a Trek helmet and turned heads on Canandaigua Pier with my BFF Melanie.  Today, I wouldn't mind if a cross-eyed special-needs clerk checked me out in the grocery store, I would be flattered.  Let's see where this Summer Dress plan takes us, shall we?

Many kind and less bouncy regards,

RebeccaFlys

DIET ~DAY 7~ We Made It!

I have a million questions for you. How are you feeling? Are you seeing RESULTS?  Are you proud of yourself? Are you walking tall with a little secret inside you, which is that YOU FEEL GOOD about what you are doing to improve yourself?  That's what this is about.  We as women push ourselves hard, harder than their male counterparts at times check out this study on msnbc.  If you are a guy, God Bless you, I love you too. We all deserve to be proud of ourselves IN OUR SMOKIN' HOT SUMMER DRESSES! (o;

Supplies

Stuff you should have by now

1. Coffee stuff
2. Rice Cakes
3. Almond Butter
4. White Rice
5. Chicken Breast
6. Veggies

New Supplies

1. Fiber One cereal
2. Skim Milk
3. 1/2 Grape Fruit
4. 5 oz tilapia (Aldi's sells these ind. frozen)
5. 2 oz Turkey

Sunday Carb day

Meal # 1

Breakfast: 1 cup fiber one, 1 cup skim milk, with

One cup of coffee, same instruction

Meal # 2           (3 hours after)

Snack:  1 no salt rice cake with 1 tbls almond butter

Meal # 3               (3 hours after)

Lunch:  3oz chicken, ¼ cup white rice, ½ cup veggies

Meal # 4             (3 hours after)

Snack:  ½ grapefruit, 2 oz of turkey

Meal # 5            (3 hours after)

Dinner:  5 oz fish (tilapia), ¼ cup white rice, and 2 cups veggies

*** No dessert today***

You should be proud of yourself for kicking this diet and exercise plan.  It's going to pay off. I just know it.  Course, I saw the pics of my mentor. Which blew my mind.  I am not a naturally a person who wishes they could be like other people, but in her case, I am!!!  I admire a woman who sets her mind to something and follows through.  Who do you admire?

DIET ~DAY 6~

"Dieters, some of whom have tried as many as 20 different diets, reported "tiring of dieting" as a primary reason for stopping a weight loss program" according to MedicalNewsToday.com

Like, duh. Really, in all honesty, DUH.

So, how are we going to combat this... dieting ADD, this malaise?  How are we going to remind ourselves what we are working for!!!  I mean, 6 months from now I really want to have some pictures taken of me that I don't cringe from.  Don't you?  I want to look pretty and feel good.  

My ideas (please comment and add your own)

1. Buy a dreamy summer dress and hang it on my bedroom wall where I'll see it every blessed morning.
2. post a pic out of a magazine of someone who looks healthy and appropriately proportionated (how is that for not saying skinny) on the wall in front of my treadmill, right next to a fat picture of myself, ideally one I've cried over...
3. I am going to pray. I'm a prayer. I am going to pray for strength of spirit and personal guidance to find the best me I can be. 

 Ok, let's see what Day 6 holds for us!



Supplies

1. Eggs
2. Cottage Cheese
3. Chicken or Ground Turkey/Deli Chicken or Tuna
4. Veggies
5. Salad

New supply: Cucumber

Saturday no carb day, no fat day

Meal # 1

Breakfast: 4 egg white omelet, with ¼ cup of veggies

Meal # 2               (3 hours after)

Snack: ½ cup cottage cheese, with ¼ cup cucumbers

 

Meal # 3           (3 hours after)
Lunch: 4 oz chicken, 2 servings of veggies

Meal # 4           (3 hours after)
Snack: 2 hard boiled eggs whites, with 2 oz deli chicken, or 2 oz tuna

Meal # 5            (3 hours after)
Dinner: 4 oz chicken or ground turkey, large salad- same instructions

Dessert: Jell-O (same as on earlier days!)

Home stretch of the first week.  Remember, everything you do to help yourself is one less ho ho down your gullet.  Feel up about yourself, not down!  Being a fat girl down WAS about being down on yourself, how long has it been for you cuz it's been a while for me!  But now, Being a fat girl down is about getting the weight down, and the bad self esteem down so that you can be free of both of those weights!  Now, even if you don't see results on your scale, remember, you are doing your body good.  You will see results at some point.  We didn't measure ourselves, we didn't have The Biggest Loser team evaluate us, we are doing this to make our hearts, organs, skin, teeth, every part of our bodies HEALTHY.  

The weight loss will come, and when it does it will be sweet.

Chins up and chests out! 

DIET ~DAY 5~ WOOT!

If you've made it this far, you should know you get ONE cheat meal today.  If you started Monday then today is Friday.  Make it a good cheat, but nothing fried please. 


Are you starting to crave things?  This is normal, you've kicked sugar's butt and sugar is pissed.  According to EHow, these cravings will come to an end; "Most people find that physical cravings for sugar will end within three to four weeks after complete sugar withdrawal."  I once lost 35 pounds on the South Beach Diet, and I found that I could walk through the check-out line at the grocery store without breaking into a drooling cold sweat craving a Snickers bar, after about two weeks.  I also found that when I gave in and had it, it took several days to stop wanting more.  I was imagining vanilla wafers, slathered in frosting, with a gummy bear on top... just surfing into my mouth.  Yeah, I have issues.

Shopping List

Repeats:  

1. Same old coffee stuff
2. Eggs
3. Low Sodium Deli Chicken
4. Rice
5. Veggies
6. Sweet Potato
7. No Salt Rice Cake
8. Salad with dinner (if you make a wise choice...)

Friday meals and one cheat meal

Meal # 1

Breakfast:  ¼ cup oatmeal with ½ tbls of honey or syrup, 3 egg whites, 1 cup of coffee with 2 tbls of creamer, sweeten as needed

Meal # 2          (2-3 hours after)

Snack: applesauce, 2 oz of low sodium chicken

Meal # 3           (3 hours after)

Lunch:  3oz chicken, ¼ cup rice, OR 2oz sweet potato, 1 cup veggies.  (No salad)

Meal # 4            (3 hours after)

Snack: 2 boiled egg whites, one no salt rice cake

Meal # 5          (3 hours after)

Dinner:       (note, I live in the backwoods of a small town. Sushi is not readily available here.  My ideal cheat would naturally be a piece of pizza and some wings with blue cheese.  I'll be checking on that.)

Cheat Meal

6-12 pcs of sushi- low sodium soy sauce, with salad

 (Please nothing fried)

Well, how is it going?  Tell Me Everything!!!  Now, if it was up to me, I would weigh myself 5-7 times a day, however expert opinions (I'm no expert) vary on weigh ins, for more information check out this EZine article:  How Often Should I Weigh When Dieting?

DIET ~DAY 3 & DAY 4~

Carb Load Days

According to BM's notes, these are our "carb load" days.  As much as I hope to see a half loaf of french bread on this list, I know I probably won't.  I'm two days in, that's when my Dieting ADD tends to kick in and I figure a few bites of something sweet won't hurt me.  But, you know, it does.  I really want to be healthy, and if you've made it this far I'm betting you do too.  We can do this. We WILL do this!

Shopping List (don't be afraid!)   

Repeats:   

1. Eggs
2. Coffee
3. Stevia or Truvia sweetner (are you a Splenda lover like me?  read this and make your own choice Splenda vs. Stevia
4. Non-Dairy Creamer
5. Veggies you like to eat (a couple of cups total)
6. 1% Cottage Cheese
7.  Apple Sauce
8. Salad
9. Olive Oil
10. Balsamic 
11. Small Sweet Potato

New Stuff: 

1. "Meats" 5 oz Chicken Breast, or Ground Turkey. Low Sodium Deli Chicken
2. Strawberries (1/4 cup
3. Ezekial bread

Here we go, Ready???

Meal # 1

Breakfast: 1 egg, 2 white omelets, 1 slice Ezekiel bread-only.

1 cup coffee, 2 tbls of creamer sweeten as need

Meal # 2             (3 hours after)

Snack:  ½ cup cottage cheese, ¼ cup strawberries

Meal # 3            (2-3 hours after)

Lunch:  4 oz chicken breast, large salad, ¼ cup white rice

(Salad same instructions)

Meal # 4              (3 hours after)

Snack: 3 oz low sodium deli chicken, applesauce

Meal # 5                (3 hours after)

Dinner:  5 oz chicken breast or ground turkey, 3oz sweet potato, or ¼ cup of white rice, 2 cups veggies

*** No desert on carb days****

 Well, how did it go?  How are you feeling?  

Are you getting your cardio in? 

I really have a sugar craving issue. Like, I would lick granulated sugar off of a dog hair covered carpet at this point.

DIET ~DAY 1 & DAY 2~

I like to start new things on a Monday.  You can start any day you like!
 

Shopping List (don't be afraid!)

1. Eggs
2. Coffee
3. Stevia or Truvia sweetner (are you a Splenda lover like me?  read this and make your own choice Splenda vs. Stevia
4. Non-Dairy Creamer
5. Veggies you like to eat (a couple of cups total)
6. 1% Cottage Cheese
7. "Meats" Chicken Breast, 4 oz Salmon, 4 oz lean steak
8. Sweet Potato
9. Apple Sauce
10. Rice Cakes (no salt)
11. Almond butter (can't find that yet, I'll let you know if I do)
12. Salad
13. Olive Oil
14. Balsamic 
15. A Sugar Free Snack Serving of Jello YES!!! And cool whip for dolloping.

Here we go, Ready???

Meal # 1

Breakfast:  1 whole egg, 2 egg whites, ½ cup of any veggies

1 cup of coffee, with 2 tbls of creamer non-dairy only, sweeten as needed ( truvia or stevis only)

 

Meal # 2      (3 hours after)

Snack:  ½ cup of 1% cottage cheese

Meal # 3         (2 hours after)

Lunch:  3 oz of chicken, 3 oz of sweet potato, ½ cup of veggies
 

Meal # 4          (3 hours after)

Snack: 1 serving applesauce, 1 tbsp almond butter on no salt rice cake
 

Meal # 5          (3 hours after)

Dinner:   4 oz of Salmon, Tuesday have 4oz lean steak

1 cup salad, ½ cup veggies, ½ tbls olive oil, ½ balsamic

Dessert:             (2 HOURS AFTER DINNER)

Dessert: 1 servering sugar free jello, 1 serving cool whip

What did you think?  How did your Day 1 & Day 2 go?  

Do you have any suggestions or questions?

My Personal Diet

KK peeps, this diet was specially prepared for me by my Bikini Mentor for me. Which means it may not be suitable for everyone, and this site is NOT suggesting this diet is appropriate for you in particular.  Just like the Slim Fast reads, you should check with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise plan.  My mentor also says to take a good multi-vitamin.  Hopefully she will do some Posts here of her own giving us the low down on being a Fat Girl Down!

That said, here is the skinny on my new diet (thanks again BM, uh-oh, not the best acronym...)

Now, I don't know much, but each day seems to have a specific intake game plan.  That's good, because if I had my way my grazing would include Jelly Beans & Grasshopper Ice Cream.  So, there are phases to it.  Does this mean it's "The Zone" or whatever?  I don't know and I don't care.  What I do know is my back is killing me and I really want to look great in that.... You Remember, Yeah You Do!

Summer Dress..... (everyone say Ahhhhhhh)

It was a little daunting trying to figure out how to manage this diet, I am a mom too so full on dinners are expected around here.  So check out the next posts.  They will be labeled by the day, and headed up with a shopping/cupboard/fridge check list for the items you need to have on hand to survive the diet challenge and meet your hottie goals.  Be certain to read the FAQ post, because there are important details regarding work outs and diet pieces.  Check in on it as I plan on adding to it.

If you are serious about making a real change in your weight, let's hop on board, and give this a try... Together!!! 

FAQ

This post area is intended to be a frequently asked question area, which can be updated as each ♥ ? ♥ rolls in, be they my own questions as we get down, or yours, we'll try to answer them together with successful dieters, nutrition information, whatever it takes!

My very first ♥ ? ♥ 

Q.  So, what should I do on the treadmill when?

A. (answered by my bikini mentor) I want you doing everything I did when I first started -I only walked for the 3-4 weeks.  If you can do your cardio in the morning after you wake up- on an empty stomach you burn fat as soon as you step on the treadmill. If you wait to do your cardio in the evening, what happens is the first 20-25 mins is only burning is sugars and carbs, which means you have to work harder and for longer periods of time. Ok, when you are on the treadmill does a workout call speed intervals.  This is going to take fast, then slow, take up and down him start 3.4 speeds at level 5. If you dont have that on your treadmill then look for fat loss. I want you walking 2-3miles a day- that means 10-13 miles week.

Second  ♥ ? ♥ 

Q. Oh, do I drink water before I do cardio or after? I've heard it can bloat your cells or something... Never sure what is good advice and what is bad science?

A.  No thats not true!! drink the water all day all night. Start with half gallon (64 oz). You want at least that much. Drinking will only help you to lose more weight!!!   

Third  ♥ ? ♥

Q.  How much water are we talking about here?  Can I drink other stuff?

A. Please try and drink one gallon of water per day, I don’t expect you to start right away, so start with ½ gallon.  The water is the key to your weight loss; it helps with the skin and flushes all toxins out of the body.

Water does not include tea.  No soda, No crystal light, and use sugar substitutes sparingly. 

Fourth  ♥ ? ♥

 Q.   What about spices and salt? I am a salt-a-holic. I don't care for bland food...

A.  Avoid extremely salty spices, and condiments. NO SALT, NO SPRAY BUTTER- Any Misses Dash is ok for flavoring foods. Sodium per day must be under 150 mg, any added salts will make you retain water, and make you feel bigger, also weigh more. 

Fifth  ♥ ? ♥

Q. Should I take vitamins or something?

  

A. Please take 1 multivitamin per day, extra vitamin C, at least 500mg, and Omega daily.   If you cramps in your legs take calcium at night.

5 Things I Hate About My D&E ADD

 The Honest Low-Down on a Fat Girl Down. 

A lot of things lead to my weight, and if I can be honest with myself, maybe I can curb this problem now, before it hits a size 18.  Being a Fat Girl Down is a combination of being in the dumps and getting the weight down.  I figure if I can do it, anybody can.  It's a journey to make myself look and feel good, and hopefully to help my body recover and grow after a pretty nasty spinal surgery (I'm pretty sure they scooped out my spine with a dessert spoon.)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

5 Things I Hate About My Diet & Exercise ADD 
(though I don't hate myself):

#1 "I'll start tomorrow" syndrome.  As I chug a lug that mocha latte, and lick the cream out of a "manager's special" donut, I always tell myself "this is the last one. I'll start my diet tomorrow." But tomorrow, there's a slice of pinapple upside down cake in the fridge with my name on it.

#2  Delayed Deadline syndrome.  I'm always thinking in fall that I'll lose the weight for my husband's company Holiday Party so I can wear something cute.  As I'm freaking out in the dressing room, finding NOTHING to wear, I tell myself I'll lose it by spring and go to people's weddings in something cute.  May hits and I'm thinking "I have a few months till summer swimsuit time" but then it's fall and I'm back where I started.

#3  I hinted, cajoled, and finally begged my husband for a treadmill for my birthday two years ago.  Then I hardly used it at all (see #1 "I'll start tomorrow" syndrome)

#4 I am too embarrassed to go to the doctor at this weight, so I don't go for check ups.  Well, ever since she tried to tell me some simple diet & exercise tips which could bring my weight down.  I know she meant well, but I worry about this every day, research options, then set a delayed deadline for starting a plan.

#5 Guilty guilterama.  Yeah, I feel guilty being this big.  I know it's not good for me. I want to change it. I want to be in shape and healthy.  I know my burst disk, sciatica, hemi-laminectomy, and spinal stenosis probably imploded due to my tip top weight of 205, at 5'4".  I feel guilty that I'm not strong anymore, that the pain I complain about was likely caused by the whoopie pies I couldn't say no to.

I don't know exactly what the giant secret is to curbing this problem that is causing me to hate my body, I won't say I've tried every diet because I've never stuck to anything I've tried, Slim Fast, South Beach, Hydroxycut...  None of them gave me results fast enough to put down the loaf of french bread I had held to my head.

Pay Attention:

It's time to change...

What I have going for me:

#1  Equipment; A good treadmill, a collection of little barbells I got at a yard sale, a brand new unopened box of resistance bands from Wal-mart, and a brand spanking new pair of Nike running shoes.

#2 A friend who went from fighting junk in the trunk to bikini contests, who is willing to mentor me.  It's a good feeling to know she has successfully navigated her own road, whether it included D&E ADD or not.  I hope she lets me post a bit about her story, the books and things she has found inspirational, OH and I would love to show off her hottie pics!

#3 I am currently unemployed, with no excuse not to spend some time on psychologically whupping this problem.

#4 My little dog, isn't he wierd?  He is spectacularly into walking with me whenever I have the urge.  Not at all like a human partner who may be suffering from the same ADD I am.

#5 A dream.  I have a dream of wearing really cute dresses. Just going right into the shop and finding things that fit me like a glove, like a Marilyn Monroe/Katy Perry/Shania Twain glove.

My mentor has sent me a diet and exercise plan.  These details, along with Q&A will follow.  I am really going to try and stick with it.  I hope you can hop on board too, put in your two cents, and get healthy along with a Fat Girl Down.

And So It Begins