Starting Off October 5, 2007

So I’m starting off again.

I weighed in around 136-137 yesterday. More than every, ugh ugh – but I’ll get back on track soon and get the weight off. I suppose my goal weight is the same as it was previously 128-130lbs. That 6-9lbs is going to be work and definitely take time – a full month at least of hard work. Anything, anything to get rid of the newly appeared cellulite on my thighs. I finally get IT now, because I have IT now, and eh eh cellulite be gone!

I ate completely raw yesterday and plan on just eating light today. I used to be very preoccupied with working out, but I think the best route for me this time around is to just eat less. The New York Magazine article in my last post talked all about how exercising doesn’t make you lose weight (the author was obviously trying to make a strong point – I have no doubt that exercising helps your body stay healthy and go through the transition of losing weight better) and it made me realize that I cannot just try to exercise those slices of pie. (My new boyfriend works at a restaurant famous for its pies. Off course as his lady, I get free and unlimited pie – so bad, but oh soo good… a la mode s’il vous plait) I think I might have better success trying to limit my calories a little more rather than obsessively go to the gym. Considering how I’m so busy, I think if get gym-crazy again, I will 1) Have no free time ever 2) Get stressed out and eat more 3) Get overwhelmed and give up on my diet.

It’s always good to use moderation in hopes of a gradual change, then get all crazy-like trying to turn into Jane Fonda in a week. Wish me luck!

Back to Black (or perhaps back to RAW?) October 4, 2007

So my first post in months, hurray. Been so busy, that it didn’t seem like I had any time to post. Priorities= school, job#1, job#2, boyfriend, getting ass to gym… seemed like posting got lost!Anyways, my weight loss goals have gone gone gone. I am around the same-ish weight, but I think possibly even more fat ehh. Posting (as fellow bloggers know) is so great because it increases my consciousness of how much I eat, what I’m eating, how much exercise I’m getting etc. So, I tried out a full week and a half of raw foods a few months ago and it truly truly felt great. I am actually giving a persuasion speech all about raw foods today (wish me luck). For this speech, I did in depth research about the raw foods movement and actual studies contrasting raw foods with cooked etc. What I found is that there really isn’t much pro-raw foods research. There are a few studies who say that raw food diet isn’t necessarily more nutritious. From my own experience, I felt SO amazing eating raw, but I don’t think I am ready to attempt a full raw diet (The transition is supposed to be gradual). I would like to do at least a 50% raw diet, however. I have never digested food as well as when I was eating raw (even for the short period of time). Oh and as far as my measurements go, I don’t even want to think about it. I have really lost my waist. Back to the gym. Eating less. So simple, but damn, it’s hard. Also check out this article from New York Magazine!     

The Scientist and the StairMaster

Why most of us believe that exercise makes us thinner—and why we’re wrong. http://nymag.com/news/sports/38001/ 

Goal Guzzling Gal May 17, 2007

Start Weight = 136lbs
Waist = 29″ Size 8

Goal#1 Weight = 132lbs

Goal#2 Weight = 130lbs

FinalGoal Weight = 128lbs
Waist = 27.5″

Ideal Weight = don’t really care
Waist = 26″ Size 4-6?

There should be rewards along the way, no?
Massages are a way I never justifying treating myself, even though I love them so much (but who doesn’t). I believe that the best way to judge that I have reached my goal is through waist measurement, but I think I will go by weight primarily because it’s easiest for me to track. Overall, I will try to go by both. One massage everytime I reach a goal – woohoo!

and the PLAN?!?

Interval Training and strength exercises 3x a week
Class of some worth (pilates, gym, etc.) 1x a week

Moderation May 16, 2007

So I got some good advice recently and I really have realized that I AM that ill fated yo-yo dieter. Going on health binges, then party binges then food binges.. Enough! I just need to set some very reasonable goals that will help me slowly get in shape.

1. Eating when hungry – don’t starve, don’t binge, eat healthy or just small portions of calorie dense foods and I’ll feel good
2. Interval training. The last few times I’ve gone to the gym I’ve been doing interval training on the elliptical and stationary bike. I just feel like I’ve really WORKED something. It takes more motivation then just pumpking away at the machine but I’m going to stick with it.
3. Go to classes. Yoga, pilates, at gym, whatever. I am a Crunch gym member, known for their great “Superfun” classes and I never go. I want to try out some new ones, spinning and yoga (even though I hate the idea of doing yoga at the gym – it’s free cause I’ve already paid for it!)
4. Drink less. School is over, summer has arrived and I’ve just been going out out out! What can I say I love to go out and have fun and in nyc drinking is always part of it. My solution – as stupid as this sounds is that I think I’m going to try to get another job, just part time in the evenings. This will be a great distraction for me, great excuse for me, and I’ll get paid in the meantime

As of today i weighed 127lbs. OUCH! But honestly I just died my hair dark brown (I’ll upload a pic soon!), I have my two potential boys, and I’m feeling sexy and feeling good. Gotta love the summertime!

bingeing, bingeing: Must stop! May 9, 2007

Ahh I’ve been eating so much lately, just gorging myself on fancy dinner of guacamole stuffed mexican food or piles of sushi. I have gained so much belly fat, it is just embarassing. Must get to the gym soon. I’ve been trying to have fun, which I know should be something you TRY, but I have been severly restricting myself for I suppose over a year now to Calm my life down, party less, be more responsible in school etc.
But I have been well-behaved and responsible for TOO long and with the summer apon me i need to learn to balance both, just like I must stop this yo-yo healthy dieting/ bingeing. Ahh but it’s so hard. How do you socialize without food or alcohol? Seriously.

Gone for a little, now I’m back! May 8, 2007

Hey! sorry I’ve been absent from the web for a bit. I just finished up my finals yesterday and now post-celebrating, I’m back! The week has been rough, I’ve been eating a ton-going out to dinner, brunch, and not going to the gym. I’ve been having long partying nights too, which just kill your energy, looks and everything. Ahhh, all the lightness of my post-Master Cleanse self is gone.

I went shopping for shorts yesterday and was stunned to see that I have gone UP a size. I am no a sz 30, up from a 28 last summer. I wonder if all my dieting worrying is sabotazing me! My real goal for the next few weeks is to get to the gym at least 5 days a week. I am working more at my job (at a branding company). Luckily my hours are very flexible, I can work either 2-4 days a week, half day or full-day, whatever. So there is really no excuse I cannot get my butt to the gym. I think I’m going to organize a reasonably strict schedule for this week, plan out fun classes to do (I am a crunch member, afterall and they are known for their “superfun classes”).

I’ve been thinking about the Master Cleanse….
One of the reasons I was so happy on it was that I was calm, finally not stressing for once over calories, nutrition and food costs. I was thinking that incorporating similar simplicity into my life might help me lose the weight the best. I was thinking that protein shakes might be the way to go. Limit myself to 1 or 2 protein shakes and as many fruits and veggies as I want. As much as I HATE processed things, protein shakes are very nutritient rich and would help me get necessary protein (and even fat) into my diet. I would do soy protein shakes a la Whole Foods, not SlimFast etc. Anyone have ideas for a similarly SIMPLE diet plans. Honestly, I’d do a mono diet (all apples all day) but it’s not an effective long-term eating plan…ideas?

Bikini Pics: Post-Cleanse April 29, 2007

I almost realized that I haven’t given you guys after shots! So even though I’ve broken the cleanse and have some water back in my system, these are the before and after shots..

As you can see the only real change is that I lost some water weight, but am enjoying that After-Side shot thank you very much.

I am going back to normal healthy food. I am going to really try for small portions, eating slowly, not eating when I’m not hungry anymore, etc. Going on the cleanse really makes you want to keep your stomach light! It just feels (and looks) better. Also, one of the best things about the cleanse is that not only did my body get a rest from the normal processes of digestion but my mind got a rest from the process of eating! While eating has always been a pleasure for me (I love delicious foods), I am constantly stressed by it, counting calories, calculating nutrition, food costs, etc. etc. When I was on the cleanse, I had no stressed and it felt great. For a little while I was attempting CRON (Calorie Restriction Optimal Nutrition), but the precision and the worry and the counting calories was giving me a disorder. I want to live without counting calories!

Back in the Saddle: I think I’m addicted to lemonade April 28, 2007

So after horribly breaking my cleanse last night, I drank my herbal laxative tea and proceeded to sleep HORRIBLY. I guess it was the food, especially the drastic change in food, but though I slept a full 10 hours, I still feel tired. I feel tired, gross and have a headache. It’s making me want to hop back on the horse and start cleansing again.

I just did my salt water flush and I am going to prepare some lemonade for the day. One of the best things about the cleanse is that you are able to keep your energy levels up so well. Imagine if you could take a single bite of you lunch every 10, 15 minutes. You’re sugar levels would be as stable as mine on the cleanse. That’s one of the most alluring parts, as well as never feeling hungry and never being Stuffed.

I think I might try to incorporate the lemonade into my diet for a little while. Perhaps lemonade in the morning and a light dinner of fruit and veggies. I’m not sure. I will just listen to what my body wants for a little while and see, it’s just that all my body wants right now is LEMONADE!

And, of course, a little Fonda on the side…

Day #5: Oh No I Broke It April 28, 2007

Just as avocadogirl was saying that I had willpower…

So all day today i was just fine. I went and had a soothing back massage with my friend to clean out my toxins. It was 8pm and I was getting hungry while waiting to meet my friends for a movie. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any lemonade left. The Stupid Move: I WENT INTO WHOLE FOODS with my friend who needed to pick up a few things and I started to crave. As you guys know, with the fast you don’t crave sugar or pizza you just crave healthy things like a juicy apple or a fresh salad. My stomach and mind went off, I was literally salvating over the vegetable stand. There were samples and i couldn’t resist. From there I got a tiny takeout container and promised myself that would be it. However, I got to the movie and was still hungry and STILL didn’t have my lemonade. It was there that it all ended… I’m talking a lemon bar, popcorn and later a veggie mozzarella wrap.

I am sitting on my computer now after this episode and not killing myself about breaking the fast, but regretting that I ended it so rashly and horribly. I wanted to ease myself back into food, go for a raw food diet afterwords, maintain a light stomach, etc. Now, I am lying here with a TOO full belly and not feeling cleanse-tastic anymore. Shame, shame. I have just decided to go through with it and drink my herbal laxative tea tonight and salt flush in the morning, then see how I feel. I want to get my light stomach back so I can either start my cleanse again or start my healthy eating on the right food.

My main problem with eating by the way is not the wrong food, just that I eat TOO much. I generally eat very healthy-consciously and nutritiously. The only complaint I can think of is that I drink too much. But hey, justified-I’m young and most of my socializing happens at bars (even though i am starting a revolt to change that). The best thing about the cleanse is that I had a light stomach all day. Eating too much gives you a heavy stomach that makes you feel sick or just tired. I’m not saying a STUFFED stomach, I have just realized (even more so through the cleanse) that I feel happiest and healthiest when I have a light stomach. Small portions is really the way to go.

My god, I have eaten so much food and so unproperly – I don’t even know what my body is going to do with it! Plus the laxative tea… wish me luck. Not to beat up on myself too hard, but I guess the AM will be a punishment for the mistakes of PM.

Master Cleanse: Day #4 April 27, 2007

I just lit a small tea candle and am relaxing in bed. I just worked out a tiny bit and sat in the sauna. Ah…..

So, today there was a struggle. I was surrounded by food all afternoon. I had a special class meeting today where we were given a free pass to the dining hall (buffet, a pretty good one too) so everyone else loaded up. I was crAVing vegetables and was just imagining the huge salad I could have made for myself. Also, I had an early dinner with my dad who sat oohing and aahing about how delicious his falafel sandwich was. Falafel is my favorite food, ever. I got home and was about to dig into a salad, when my willpower prevailed. I stopped myself and ran for computer where I sit now and am feeling fine and confident again.

This! is why blogging is great. It makes you accountable and gives you support. Thank you for everyone who has commented here, because I don’t think I would have felt such accountability or support if I didn’t know people were reading and interacting. So thanks!

I felt slightly dizzy today. I haven’t been drinking much of the lemonade at all. I’ve had 4-5 glasses a day Day#1-3, which is very low. I am drinking my sixth glass of today now, and I feel much, much better. All day I was imagining doing just this; curling into bed, lighting candles and calm. I don’t know if it was just me feeling dizzy, but this cleanse makes you very very relaxed. I’ve been feeling a strong sense of “calm” since I started. I think it is a mix of pride and pleasure-and it’s feeling great, especially now after I’ve conquered my first big hurdle! (I weighed in at 131lbs today-all that water weight I suppose but I’m down 4lbs)

I was wondering about how much weight I will lose on the cleanse.
I found this on therawfoodsite.com..
“The informal survey of 141 Master Cleansers mentioned earlier discovered that the average woman completing the Master Cleanse lost about 12 pounds and regained about 6. The average man lost about 16 pounds and also regained about 6. Interestingly, most people reported they ate a healthier diet after completing the cleanse.”

C’est moi, bon soir..