I adjusted the original
Flourless Zucchini Brownies recipe from Delighted Momma to reflect some changes to make it taste more like the brownies I made from scratch (you know... the Southern girl, unhealthy style brownies). Here's my version of the recipe:
Paleo Zucchini Brownies
-1 C. almond butter -1 tsp baking soda
-1 1/2 C grated zucchini -1 tsp cinnamon
-1/2 C organic/raw honey - 1 Tbs cocoa
-1 egg - 1 C dark chocolate chips
- 1 tsp vanilla - 1 Tbs olive/safflower oil
-PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees.
-Combine all ingredients (except chocolate chips) and mix until blended.
-Stir in chocolate chips.
-Pour mixture into a greased 9x9 baking pan (I used a glass Pyrex dish).
-Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. (35 minutes was not long enough and, at 45 minutes, the toothpick came out clean but it was a bit cake-y. Suggestion: 30 minutes for gooey brownies).
This recipe was delicious... It was a bit unusual at first but once you get a few bites in (middle portion of brownies), it was rich, smooth, and extremely tasty. I liked this recipe because I ate two small pieces (I cut it into 16 small pieces), and didn't feel the need to eat another bite! I am a HUGE chocoholic and almost always need something for my sweet tooth. This worked out well because I am thoroughly satisfied and don't feel the need to eat the rest of the batch. I'm interest to see what my husband thinks of it when he gets home. I'll get his reaction and add it later. ;)
If you try this recipe out and modify it any, please let me know if you like it better... I LOVE having the absolute best recipes and if your version is better than mine... I want it. ;) Thanks in advance!
This is the equivalent to how many pounds lost... Amazing because you don't realize what you're carrying around on your body!
1 pound = a Guinea Pig
1.5 pounds = a dozen Krispy Kreme glazed donuts
2 pounds = a rack of baby back ribs
3 pounds = an average human brain
4 pounds = an ostrich egg
5 pounds = a Chihuahua
6 pounds = a human skin
7.5 pounds = an average newborn
8 pounds = a human head
10 pounds= chemical additives an American consumes each year
11 pounds = an average housecat
12 pounds = a Bald Eagle
15 pounds = 10 dozen large eggs **WHAT I'VE LOST 3/7/13**
16 pounds = a sperm whale's brain
20 pounds = an automobile tire
23 pounds = amount of pizza an average American eats in a year
24 pounds = a 3-gallon tub of super-premium ice cream
25 pounds = an average 2 year old
30 pounds = amount of cheese an average American eats in a year
33 pounds = a cinder block
36 pounds = a mid-size microwave
40 pounds = a 5-gallon bottle of water or an average human leg
44 pounds = an elephants heart
50 pounds = a small bale of hay
55 pounds = a 5000 BTU air conditioner
60 pounds = an elephants penis
66 pounds = fats and oils an average American eats in a year
70 pounds = an Irish Setter
77 pounds = a gold brick
80 pounds = the Worlds Largest Ball of Tape
90 pounds = a newborn calf **WHAT I WANT TO LOSE**
100 pounds = a 2 month old horse
111 pounds = red meat an average American eats in a year
117 pounds = an average fashion model (and shes 5'11")
118 pounds = the complete Encyclopedia Britannica
120 pounds = amount of trash you throw away in a month
130 pounds = a newborn giraffe
138 pounds = potatoes an average American eats in a year
140 pounds = refined sugar an average American eats in a year
144 pounds = an average adult woman (and shes 5'4½")
150 pounds = the complete Oxford English Dictionary
187 pounds = an average adult man
200 pounds = 2 Bloodhounds
235 pounds = Arnold Schwarzenegger
300 pounds = an average football lineman
400 pounds = a Welsh pony
Oh...my...word... That was a killer workout and it was only week 1 day 1!!!! But, then again I did workout longer than I was supposed to because I was trying to calibrate my new Nike+ shoes and tracker thingy. My time was horrible but at least I didn't quit. I'm already a winner because all I wanted to do after a long, stressful day at work was go eat and sleep! But I ate a small snack and got to working on my goals.
My endurance was ok, but the day 1 looked pretty easy since it was rotating between walking and jogging. My biggest struggle was pushing through when I got tired. It would have been nice to give up when I reached 15 mins and was exhausted. I felt the burn around 20 minutes. And I kept telling myself that I will never accomplish anything noteworthy if I quit. How amazing will it feel to complete a 5K after once weighing 240lbs! All in the same year!!! I get chills just thinking about it. I don't care about winning or placing in the race. I just want to be able to run in it... To be able to say, "I ran a 5K!"
All of that being said... Here's a pic of my results from my first 5K training day which is also my goal for the rest of the week... Beat my time!!!
I have decided to start training for my first 5K!!! I haven't ran in years but I am determined to start back. I found out my church is hosting a 5K in July for their youth group mission trip to Nicaragua. I thought it would be interesting to see how this goes since I've never participated in a 5K before. I'm not in it to place or anything... I just want to accomplish something great that I've never tried before. I just bought new running shoes since my old Under Armor ones are killing me and downloaded the Nike+ & C25K apps for my iPhone. I think it will be interesting to see how this goes. My first run will be this evening... 30 minutes! I'm nervous!
On to a different subject... I've held steady at 225 for almost 2 weeks now. :/ I'm not too happy but at least I'm not gaining it all back. I'm back on my eating schedule and working out again. I've got my Iodine lined out too. I need to find different ways to boost my weight loss so I can keep losing. I think training for the 5K will help boost it again. My biggest fear about this is hurting myself. I have a healed knee injury from high school that always seems to flair up at the most inopportune time.
Anyways... I just wanted to share my little bit of excitement. Happy Monday to all!
A bit of motivation:
Week 3 on Iodine... Still at 2 drops a day. I found out the hard way that if I do not eat a good breakfast, I will get sick. I'm talking headaches, stomach aches, body aches, flu-like symptoms, dizziness, faint, etc. I was volunteering at the Special Olympics today and almost passed out of the field because I didn't eat enough food for breakfast with my Iodine. I was also severely dehydrated.
That being said... I ate some food and drank a LOT of water. I also drank a celtic sea salt solution (1/2 tsp + 8oz water) called Salt Loading to help reduce detox side effects (mentioned above).
I haven't shown detox symptoms except one the two days that I didn't eat a good breakfast. Since I am cutting out wheat, artificial & processed foods, refined sugars, etc... that means I have very few options for a good and fast breakfast. My breakfast used to consist of greek yogurt but I cannot eat anything with calcium in it with the iodine (which is taken in the morning) so there goes the other half of all breakfast foods. I still eat the yogurt for an afternoon snack along with berries and nuts.
The one thing I need to focus on my eating habits again... I've been travelling a lot the past 3 weeks so I'm out of my eating schedule. (3 small meals, 2 snacks) That has helped so much in the past and I can tell the weight loss has slowed down too. I'm picking it back up this week along with my workouts. Now that I'm home, I can actually use my elliptical again as well as continue my body weight exercises. I'm thinking about adding Bowling and Wii games to the mix... If I can get some friends to go bowling with me. lol
It feels great to be back home and in a controlled environment... I hope it's a long time before I have to leave again! Now, my goal for this week is to get to 220. My weight has been up and down this past week (probably due to travel) so I want to get it back to where it should be.. On track!!! My motivation for this week: This top and those bottoms for my beach trip... I bought them in my correct size which is a little snug so my motivation is to fit better in 3 months.
Just to let you all know... these are super embarrassing for me to post. I am SO excited that I can see a little change in my body from looking at these pics. But, nevertheless, still embarrassing. I'm a very modest person and do not have a lot of self-confidence so this takes a lot of courage for me to post these. These pics were at various stages of my weight-loss journey. The first pic was taken around January 1st 2013 and at the beginning of the 30-day detox. The last pic was from February 23rd 2013. I listed the weight in each photo. I know the difference isn't very noticeable but it's a difference that I've worked hard for. So, below are the pics:
It seems like forever since my last post. I've been super busy that's for sure. Between project management training and being sick, all of my time has been consumed! I'm loving my Sambuccus syrup... It's all natural and made from Elderberries. It helps cut your cold/flu time in half! And it tastes wonderful! Luckily, it's not the flu... It's just a sinus cold. I just have to stay on top of it so I do not get bronchitis.
On the bright side... the detox is officially over!!! I have lost a total of 14lbs while detoxing. I believe my new lifestyle is something I can continue with great ease. I find myself craving blueberry green tea, boiled eggs, salads, grilled chicken, and nuts/berries. I do have chocolate cravings (who doesn't?) but I have some wonderful dark chocolate covered almonds that are divine and a great snack without the guilt.
My goal for February is to lose 7lbs. That will put me under 220lbs. My adjustment to make this happen: Continuing to eat great and adding exercise. At least 30 mins a day of cardio plus some weight training. I no longer have a gym membership so I will use body weight exercises and kettlebells. Once those become easier, I will probably start working out at a gym again. I do miss squats, dead lifts, and bench presses. And rowing!!! But I'm really hoping to buy a house with a gym by then. I will continue to eat wholesome foods. I can tell that food makes a difference. And timing too. I noticed that eating smaller meals more often helps control the hunger and speed up my metabolism.
I also started the iodine therapy on Sunday. Talking about weird! I had a burst of energy that I haven't felt in a long time. Not jittery like an energy drink but happy energy, like a good run or chocolate. I also got very hot for about an hour after I took my first dose. Same thing happened today. I'm still energetic but I got really hot. Not like a hot flash. It wasn't miserable and I didn't feel like I was on fire from the inside out. I just felt really warm like a hot sunny day laying out by the pool. It made me sweat for a few minutes but it went away almost as quick as it came. Kind of like I was nervous and stressed? It's been almost 4 hours since I took the iodine and supplements and I still have energy but my hands are cold (nothing new!) and I'm starving! It's been forever since I've had a legit hunger for food. I can't wait to go home and fix up a ceasar cranberry salad.
I will admit, I've been naughty. I finished my detox and to celebrate, I took my husband and his family to a Tech basketball game. Grant and I were shopping before his family got to town and we passed a local bakery and I just had to stop. They had king cake cupcakes and brownies and EVERYTHING wonderful you can imagine. I asked Grant to split a king cake cupcake with me. It was delicious! I also had a very horrible loaded potato soup at Newk's this weekend (I was sick!!!). That's my favorite soup but it is LOADED with calories and fat that is not needed. But it was very delicious. Now, back on track for February 2013!!!
Motivation:
A friend of mine wrote me a post on Facebook today. She wrote:
"So I've been keeping up with your fitness blog, congrats on the weightloss!! I just wanted to tell you that for the past month, minus 2 or 3 cheat days, I have completely given up bread. Here is a great article about why you should. I thought you might find it very interesting. Keep up the great work girl!!"
Naturally, this made my day!!! I've cut out all bread products for the past month. And, as previously mentioned in an earlier post, I ate a Subway sandwich once after about 3 weeks of no bread... And I felt like CRAP. I totally believe every word of it. I do believe you need grains in your diet in order to fully metabolize and rid toxins from your body. But there are many other grains to get fiber from. You can get fiber from veggies and fruit too! Yes, I will miss eating a turkey sandwich on wheat but I'd rather miss out on a sandwich than miss out on a healthy body.
A few things Dr. Mark Hyman mentioned that caught my attention are three important ways wheat can cause problems (Read article for more details):
- It contains a Super Starch -- amylopectin A that is super fattening.
- It contains a form of Super Gluten that is super-inflammatory.
- It contains forms of a Super Drug that is super-addictive and makes you crave and eat more.
I'm not so sure about gluten-free lifestyles yet. I still have more to learn from them. Until then, I will continue on my no bread, no processed food, no sugary drinks lifestyle.
The key to making a new lifestyle work is to view it in a positive manner. Don't think of the things you can't have. Think of what you can have and soon your body will be craving the good foods instead of the bad. I don't want doughnuts or fried chicken. I want yummy grilled chicken and dried cranberries and dark chocolate or carob covered almonds. I want natural and whole foods. I don't miss Sonic Route 44 Vanilla Diet Dr. Pepper or Coke Zero. I crave water and green tea. It's astonishing. This has been the easiest transition I've ever had. With a detox too! I honestly feel better than I have in years. I still have fatigue and all that but I can walk up 4 flights of stairs and not feel like passing out. It takes me seconds to regain my breath instead of minutes. It gave me a little boost of energy instead of making me feel like I needed a nap.
The best part about this lifestyle is my husband participating. He started the detox and lifestyle with me to make it easier on me. He had no intention of sticking with it after the detox is over. He actually likes the food and helps me cook. Once the detox is over, he will cheat a bit I'm sure... mainly with sweet tea. Sweet tea is the least of my worries. Actually, we cheated last night and got a sweet tea from Raising Cane's. OHMYWORD... I hated it. I drank it and it tasted like straight syrup! And the tea left an after taste that was bitter, unlike the green tea which doesn't leave an aftertaste.
Anyways... my motivation for the day: "The only thing between you and your goal is you." Food is no longer a problem. I've found a way to eat that allows me to lose weight without working out. Can you imagine the weight loss possibilities once I start back working out? That's just another step closer to my goal. Now, I just have to figure out the timing and fatigue issue. And that's all me. No excuses. :)
Some very interesting things happened this weekend. I just wanted to share them and speculate as to why they happened.
- I got numerous headaches and lightheaded...
- I think this happened because I was not eating and drinking enough. I noticed these things happened late in the day (mid-afternoon - evening). They seems to get a little better after I drank some water and ate some food. The main thing I noticed is that these things only happen during the weekend. I am not as focused on the timing of my eating as I am during the week. That is something that I need to learn from. NOTE: I am not intentionally trying to skip meals nor do I have an eating disorder. I just do not have an appetite and sometimes I do not have time or forget to eat. It happens.
- I woke up feeling horrible and sickly...
- I think this happened because I stayed up until 1AM and got up at 8AM. It's a 7 hour difference but I really do need more sleep. Especially since I was extremely active this weekend. I'm pretty used to having to stay up late on the weekends due to work but this weekend was not and I guess that's why it affected me differently. I need to focus on my sleeping schedule and make sure I get adequate rest throughout the day.
- I had terrible breath odor...
- I had been using my husband's toothpaste since I ran out of mine. He uses Crest with Scope or something. My mouth felt clean when I brushed my teeth but within minutes, it was gross again! I think it has something to do with the detox. My mouth felt nasty, smelled nasty, and even my pearly white teeth looked nasty! I switched back to my Crest 3D white and my teeth feel cleaner but I still feel like my breath is nasty. I really do think the detox has something to do with that though.
- Bad body odor???
- For a while on the detox, I had really bad body odor. Growing up, I was a heavy sweater. My mom and sister didn't sweat at all. I've used heavy duty antiperspirant since I was 16. It was great!!! Now, still using the same things that worked for sooo long, my pits began to stink and kinda hurt! I, naturally, began to freak out. WHY were they stinky??? And could I be developing some kind of cancer? The first think I thought of... Does this mean I can't use my beloved deodorant anymore??? Well, I got a sample from the local health food store. It's one of those anti-body odor crystals. Yeah right... rubbing a crystal under your arms will get rid of and prevent body odor??? Well, so far it's true! I've been using it for almost a week and I haven't had any odor. I haven't noticed any wetness but it is January so I'm sure it will start showing up in March or April. I'll try to find a natural alternative to antiperspirant.
- Weight gain/loss...
- I have weighed myself almost everyday this past week. My weight went down and then went up 2LBS overnight! And then went back down the next day!!! It's been crazy! The only things I can think would cause this would be the fact that I did not stick to my eating schedule on Friday, then I ate a Subway sandwich at 2:30PM, then ate dinner at Grant's parents house at 7PM (homemade taco soup over white rice), drank some coffee and stayed up until 1AM. I mainly think it was the Subway sandwich (Honey Oat bread). I'm beginning to wonder what effects coffee has on me as well. Naturally, I still eat my dark chocolate covered almonds too but in moderate doses. ;)
From all of this, I have learned four very important things.... Sleep is crucial to your well-being, even if it is only one night off schedule. Eating schedules need to be maintained in order to function properly without side effects. Bread is very, VERY bad. What goes on your body can be unhealthy and simple changes can do you good.
The past couple of days have been very good on the detox front. I have lost a total of 13lbs in the 3.5 weeks I've been detoxing. I do not fully believe that the cleanse caused me to lose the few pounds. I would like to think it's my disciplined whole foods lifestyle I have adopted as of recently. I have had headaches a lot today and yesterday but I am assuming it's due to not eating enough food often enough since everything else has stayed the same. I am truly grateful for this new lifestyle because I am happy, not deprived, and enjoying the weight loss. I still have a good way to go but it's getting easier. Slow and steady will get you ready. Fast and crazy will make you lazy. This is a very tiring regimen but what new lifestyle isn't hard to adapt to? This one is relatively easy but the detox itself is a change that the body adapts to. I feel more like I have more energy but I get tired easily too. I haven't been working out during the detox due to not wanting to add stress to my body. I know it could help with the detox process but it's hard enough with my daily tasks. Energy to work out just isn't there right now. I am excited about working out again soon. I am almost done with this detox. About a week left and I will be free!!! Not free to go back to the way I was eating but free from the strictness of it all. I will be relieved when I no longer have to worry about the detox. I will be keeping the diet portion since I have grown accustomed to it and some foods just taste weird now. I will admit that I miss burgers and sandwiches. I didn't eat them often before, maybe one burger a week and one sandwich. But the carbs are still there. With the detox coming to a close soon, I will continue this new lifestyle and add exercise to my routine. Start off slow to build myself back up to when I had endurance and strength. Latest motivation:
So... Today, my dad asked me a few questions. He first asked me about my weight loss and how much I've lost. I told him that I have lost 12lbs since December and I'm am choosing whole, clean foods. He said he noticed that I lost some weight since my face was thinner. (YAY!!!) He also asked me if I was working out and I replied "No... I'm detoxing and working out could be bad. Haha!" He agreed to say the least. ;) It felt great to get a positive compliment from my dad. I told him my current goal is to be under 200lbs by June (which sounds more reasonable than my goal of being under 160lbs by the end of the year). He was excited to hear that my portion sizes have decreased dramatically and that my snacking is controllable. The fatigue is never ending but I feel lighter and healthier than before. I'm focusing on my food and sleeping patterns. Moving my sleeping patterns to earlier bedtime/earlier wake up is really hard to do. I really want to get to the point where I can wake up at 6AM and workout without sleeping through 3 alarms. I really want to have energy to clean my house in a reasonable amount of time and still be able to cook a hearty meal every day. I want to be able to do something crafty/artsy and be able to spend more than an hour on it every night. All of that being said... here's a bit of motivation for the rest of this week (or until something else pops up in my mind).
This week has been super crazy. I've had ups and downs worse than a roller coaster! Of course, I wouldn't change it for a thing. But... the biggest news... I'm am 229lbs! That was my goal for this week. It's been very strenuous to keep my weight there, even with the detox going on. I feel bad since I ate a "Hello Dolly" for dessert today (but it was my Mom's birthday!) I am assuming (never a good thing) that it's due to stress that I haven't lost more weight. I feel like I'm losing focus on my goals and being sidetracked by my very exciting hobby... Photography! (Check out
Nightingale's Lullaby Photography). Anyways.. back to motivation for this new week...
MUFFIN TOP-LESS!!! Savannah is a wonderful and fit woman who is a great motivation for me. She is super adorable and comfortable with herself. She has different ways to give motivation through her sites and always has positive things to say. She doesn't do "healthy diet foods"... just "healthy whole foods". So... a great big thanks to her for giving me great motivation for this week!
To date... I have lost 11 pounds. That doesn't sound like much, but it's awesome to me! I have been struggling with weight for over a year now. I've struggled all of my life but I was able to keep it down until about 2 years ago. It quickly increased (in a matter of months) and the symptoms got worse. But I'm determined to get fit again. Since I made that decision in December and started to act on it in January, I have lost 11lbs. And working on more! ;) I started at 240, out of shape, miserable, depressed, and unhealthy. I reached my 10lb goal on Sunday. My goal for this week was to get below 230lbs. I checked my weight, just checking, and I was 229! It takes time and considering that I haven't fit in a workout this week, I consider that to be a great accomplishment. I was able to lose without a workout! Now just imagine how much more I can lose if I actually do my planned workouts!?!?! My husband is on board with me and he has lost approximately 9lbs in the past 1.5 weeks. (Just from cutting out sweet tea!) If he worked out, he probably could have lost 15lbs!
Now a little motivational picture to get through the rest of the week: I chose this picture because I have a lot of supporters who are pushing for me to succeed. My mom (the "pusher") said she was proud when I told her I lost 10lbs. And she didn't kill the buzz with: "Let's see how much more you can lose" or "Oh wow, 10lbs. I'm waiting for 50lbs before I'm impressed". That makes things a lot easier when the support is positive motivation and not negative interactions that make you feel like your worthless. Good things in, good things out!
My husband and I took our first pill this morning. It's a pretty easy regimen. Eat healthy foods. For the first (3) days, take (1) pill in the morning and (1) pill in the evening. After the third day, take (2) pills in the morning and (2) pills in the evening. If you need to, you can adjust the dosage of the evening pill. Do this until the pills are gone (approx. 30 days). I'm so excited. I haven't started feeling any detox symptoms yet but I know I will soon. I will keep tabs on the detox and update my blog to see how things change. Some of the foods we are making sure to keep in our diet are: eggs, leafy greens, fruits, and whole grains (like buckwheat and millet). Oh, and TONS of water! I am including blueberry green tea that I got from the local health food store to give me antioxidants and give me a little energy since one of the side effects is fatigue. On a wonderful, yet unrelated, note... I've lost 8 lbs since I've started this blog! It's been approximately 2 weeks with a lot of ups & downs due to the holiday feasts but it's official. My goal is to be in my old jeans by the time I go to the beach. I know I won't be toned and skinny, but I'll be happy and confident enough to put on a swimsuit! I weighed around 180-200 lbs when I wore those old jeans. So, I think that would be an excellent motivation and goal. This detox isn't supposed to make you lose weight but I hope it helps me drop some pounds. I'm going to do everything I can to make that possible.
I recently purchased this book from Amazon.com. After receiving it in the mail two days ago, I have finally began to read it. Talking about information I need to read! I have a hormonal imbalance which is causing my weight issues. I have not seen an endocrinologist but after reading the first two chapters, I am beginning to think I should. I've had multiple tests conducted by a NP who specializes in hormones and allergies. She has hit a dead end. I am going to begin a 30 day detox on Monday (5 days from now) to flush all of the toxins out of my system. Once that is finished, I will begin an Iodine regimen to help my body "reboot" itself. I have been researching my problems for the past year and have decided that almost everything points to the iodine deficiency. We will see what happens!
As for the book... Jillian, I have high expectations! I am hoping to find information that will help me fix my wonky body and feel great again. I can't wait to have a better figure and clear skin! And energy!!! I get excited just thinking about it. Once I finish reading the book, I will post a review of what I think and any helpful points I got from it. But, if I deem it as useful, I would expect you to find your own copy. ;)
Holiday feasts are troublesome for me. So much food and desserts. I have a massive sweet tooth too! Fun times with the family and not enough time for fitness. Healthy lifestyles go on hold. Christmas festivities are worse than New Years because there are no resolutions attached to the indulgence. Time spent with family is more precious and wanted than time spent with the elliptical or running shoes. The motivation is only there when a belt is let out a notch or sweat pants are dragged out because the fat jeans are a little snug. Now that Christmas Eve/Day is over, it's time to get back on board. And I am not talking about a New Years Resolution either. I'm talking about a lifestyle change that doesn't come and go with your triumphs and failures. I will set a resolution this year. But I will not set my life upon it. It will be a goal of not how many pound I lose or what size I want to be, but a goal of what kind of life I want to have. The new lifestyle. The healthier choices. My resolution for 2013 is to find out what is wrong with me and fix it. I have gone through many different treatments in attempt to find and resolve my health issues. None have solved the problem, just merely stuck a band-aid on the symptoms. My resolution for 2013 is to get my weight under control and feel better about myself. My resolution for 2013 is to detox my body, adapt my food intake and exercise regimen to make my body better and stronger. Beginning in January, I will begin a 30 day detox. The purpose of this detox is to refresh my body in preparation for iodine therapy. I will post more about the symptoms, causes, theory, and treatment as the days go by.
This image is my motivation for the moment. Once I get into something and make a good habit, I'm pretty good at keeping it going without any major problems. My biggest struggle is the beginning. It takes me a long time to find what works... a routine, a plan, a lifestyle. I have to feel comfortable with it and not stressed by it. Start slow... build up strength and speed and endurance. If I start off to fast or heavy, I will hurt myself again. I have a history of knee pain since I was about 13 years old. I hurt my knee during a softball game and it hasn't been the same since. It really inhibits my activity sometimes. For instance, I cannot play racquetball or basketball with my husband or my dad. It hurts me to do lunges (but not squats??? Weird). I have good form when I work out but do to injuries and increased strain due to weight, it makes it hard to keep going on a good path. My husband bought me an elliptical trainer for this reason. It hurts to run on a standard treadmill or pavement and I love to run. I used to just run a mile whenever I pleased during high school and a portion of college. Now, I can barely make a half mile jog! But that's ok... I knew it would take a while to build my body back up to the level I was a year ago. I just have to try... and keep trying... until I get to where I need to be. As for my knee, I'll just have to keep going and focus on my diet to lose the weight until I can push harder.
This is SO true. There will be a challenge in everything you do. I believe that if you work for it, you deserve it and respect it. It goes for everything in life. But for a woman to fight for her body, it shows she cares and will not take a load of crap. You can put her down but she's just going to fight harder. I feel the same. I have to fight for my body. I gave up for a short amount of time and lost it all. Now, I have to fight harder for what I want. And believe me, it is a lot harder than before. It's depressing when you can't do the things that used to be so simple last year. Yes, I have a medical reason as to why I gained so much weight in such a short time... but that will not be my excuse any longer. That will be my motivation. I will beat this problem and heal myself. I just have to keep my head up and focus on the goal. I just have to make it through the holidays first! :/
I found this pic today and it made me start thinking... Do we really know the difference between cheating and accidents when it comes to a diet. I would like to say yes but some people are in denial about it. Cheating is a deliberate act of eating trash foods and slacking on workouts. It is an accident when you eat something you shouldn't have when you were really hungry and there were no healthy foods around. You don't starve yourself. When you hungry and you know you're not going to be home for another 2 hours... go drink some water and eat the healthiest food you can find. Go take a picture of a vending machine and go look up nutritional values to find what's healthiest. It's a completely different story to tell yourself that eating an entire slice of cake for dessert at a office party is ok when there's a fruit and veggie tray right next to it. It's not horrible that you get a cookie and take a few bites or eat the chocolate chips out of it. It's actually healthier to do that. It shows you that it's ok to indulge as long as you don't overdo it. You don't want to deprive yourself of treats you gave yourself all the time. That will make it easier for your new lifestyle to backfire in your face! Talk about losing 30lbs and gaining back 50lbs all because you didn't give yourself a little something. Find a healthy alternative to snacking. For instance, instead of eating cheese dip and chips, try homemade salsa. Or, switch out chocolate for carob! They're remarkably the same yet carob is a healthier alternative (better for diabetics too!) Keep yourself away from temptation but restrain yourself to the point you binge. If you have a craving, only get enough to satisfy that craving. Need something crunchy? Put away the chips and get carrots or celery. You can spice them up with some seasonings instead of fat dressings! My biggest craving is chocolate. So, sometimes (when I decide to have chocolate in the house) I get a bar of DARK chocolate. Break it into little chunks, and freeze it! That way, when I have a craving, I just open the freezer and pop one of those chunks in my mouth and let it melt. It last longer and you think your eating more!
