11 Plateau Buster Ideas!
by Christine on February 7th, 2012
filed under Christine's Life Updates, Diet, Food, Nutrition
Are you stuck in a weight-loss plateau? Were you experiencing some kind of regular weight loss, and now you’ve stalled out? You’re doing everything the same, you’re being consistent, but the weight just isn’t coming off anymore? (If you’re curious about what causes a plateau, including all the hormone changes, read this article from the Mayo Clinic.)
You need a plateau buster! Here are a few plateau-busting tips that will get you into your skinny jeans by summertime!:
- Incorporate high intensity interval training. Read more about that here.
- Drink more water. (And no, caffeinated beverages don’t count!)
- Be sure that you are eating protein at each meal. Looks for choices like egg whites, turkey meat, and whey protein.
- Trade your starchy carbs in for veggies. Replace your servings of bread, rice, pasta, and potato in for dark green veggies.
- Pump some iron! Lifting weights builds muscle, and muscle burns fat more efficiently. So build your muscles up!
- Double-check your portion sizes. Maybe you’ve stalled out because your portions are getting bigger. Remember to measure and weigh everything you eat! You may want to consider recording all your food intake. I personally find this very helpful.
- Mix it up. If it’s not working for you, change it up. Switch up your exercise program and your food regiment. Sometimes your body just needs a kick in the butt when you change life on it.
- Get more sleep!
- Try “calorie cycling.” Let’s say your average calorie intake is 1200 calories. Try consuming 1000 calories one day, 1200 the next, and 1400 the third day, then repeat the cycle.
- Eat slower. You might find you eat a lot less if you just slow down a bit.
- Recharge your motivation. Write down all the reasons why you want to lose weight, buy yourself a dream pair of pants to wear, take photos of yourself, measure yourself, etc. Do whatever you need to do to reinvigorate your commitment to lose weight!
Super busy start to the new year!
by Christine on January 30th, 2012
filed under Christine's Life Updates
I’ve had a few wonderful people (Kriz & LapBand Gal mainly, thank you!) ask me “where the hell are you? Are you okay?” Thank you for checking in with me!
Yes I’m okay! And I’ve just been AWOL…haven’t posted for a few reason. (1) I’ve been busy, and (2) I feel like I don’t have much to add about the whole weight loss/gastric banding discussion at this point. That’s not to say that Maintenance Mode doesn’t have its challenges–it challenges me every day!–but I feel a bit redundant saying the same thing all the time on here. I’ll try to write more often though and come up with something clever to write about.
Here is a quickie little update on what’s been shaking in my world…
Weight/Food
My weight is holding steady in my maintenance range…128. (My range is 125-130). Clothing is still fitting just fine at Size 4. My band the last few weeks has felt a little bit looser, which is a Catch 22. On one hand I can eat healthier foods with more ease (salads, veggies), but on the other hand I can overeat easier as well. I notice that as my band get looser, I gravitate towards carbs more than I otherwise wood. This weekend I had a dish with rice, and dammit I ate all the rice! It was totally subconscious too. Some habits will never be broken, I think.
A few weeks ago I had some dentistry work done on me. I had a baby tooth pulled, a root canal, my jaw packed with bone dusty stuff to regrow my jawbone, etc. When the doc got in there, he discovered the void under my tooth was much larger than he anticipated, so he had to cut my lip and cheek to get to everything. The procedure was more than 3 hours, 10 shots of novacaine…I passed out when I stood up and went to go pay…it was quite a process!
Consequently, I’ve been eating more mushy foods than normal–apple sauce, oatmeal, more soups, etc. I can start to eat chewier food (meat) now, but every now and then something pokes me in the owie area and it’s…ahem…a bit startling in not quite a pleasant way. I hate dental work!
Mental Health
My mental health is FINALLY much better. I was really teetering on the edge for a few weeks there. I was quite worried about myself. I met with my GP though, and we switched medicine, and it’s fantastic. I feel human again. I don’t feel like jumping off a bridge the minute I wake up. Relief!
I had started to see a counselor, but then work got a bit crazy and I had to cancel an appointment, and then I had the dentist work done and had to cancel my 2nd appointment with the counselor guy. I have an appointment today, and I still don’t really know what to expect or hope to get out of this.
Exercise
My exercise is not as good as I hope it would be, but it’s getting better. I signed up for a yoga class, and OH! How I miss Yoga!!! SO MUCH!! I have been really sore after the yoga class, which is simultaneously an indication that it’s a good workout for me as well as an indication of how out of shape I am! I will be getting some snowshoeing in this weekend as well.
Work
Work has been very busy, but it’s been really good. I’m finally getting a LOT of positive feedback. And I got a raise. So all things are good there!
Fun
So much fun stuff, so little time. I’ve been busy with: (1) New years eve party; (2) concerts; (3) volunteering with the Future City competition (4) yoga; (5) girl’s night-in parties; (6) pub trivia; (7) ski trip weekend to New Hampshire; (8) playing online poker, etc.
(at Chutters, home of the world’s longest candy counter! Egads, it’s food porn!!)
Starting out 2012
by Christine on January 3rd, 2012
filed under Christine's Life Updates
Well, New Years was more of the same. It was hubby’s birthday, and I got him (er, got us!) a ski weekend away in New Hampshire at the end of the month. Then we went over to a friends’ house for drinking & merriment. I was playing DD, so I sipped some Red Bull and diet coke and ate entirely too much finger food. I eventually tore myself away from the food table and laid down on the couch. We got home around 3 a.m. I spent the next two days sleeping a LOT. I think my new anti-depressants make me sleepy, so for now on I’m only going to take the medicine at night, before bed.
I’m starting 2012 off at 127.0 pounds, which is right in my maintenance zone.
So far I’ve done fantastically eating healthy foods. I’ve opted for salads three times instead of soup or appetizers or whatnot. This won’t always be so easy; salads can be tough for me when my band is extra restrictive. But…so far so good.
I have been busy today planning out my schedule. I am trying to fit in more exercise time into 2012. I signed up for a yoga class today (Tuesdays) and plan to do volleyball on Thursdays.
I haven’t really set any 2012 goals for myself, but if I did they would probably involve eating healthier, exercising more, and continue breaking the nail biting habit (which I think I’m in the process of beating, FINALLY!).
I hope you all have a great 2012!
A very weird Christmas
by Christine on December 23rd, 2011
filed under Christine's Life Updates
It’s been a really weird week, and a really weird Christmas.
First of all, I found out this morning that my 2nd cousin was killed in a car crash yesterday. She was only 21, and had just gotten married about 5-or-so weeks ago. My parents cancelled our usual Christmas in Illinois so they could spend some time with our Texas family. It sounds like instead of celebrating the holidays, they will be attending memorial services instead. It’s a terrible tragedy, and my heart goes out to my wonderful, beautiful family in Texas. Here’s a picture of my 2nd cousin and her daddy just a few short weeks ago, on the big wedding day. Isn’t she absolutely beautiful???
On Monday I had my first appointment with the counselor. It was just an overview session, a get-to-know-ya kind of thing. I think he was a little surprised that I have, as he said, “So many things going on in your life right now.” But I feel pretty good about the guy, and he thinks he can help me. He wants to see me two times a week for a while, so I have my 2nd appointment this afternoon.
Afterwards I talked to my mom. They had opened their Christmas presents at my cousin’s house, so she was calling to say thank you. It was actually a nice conversation. I’m glad that they are with the family down south and spending some quality time with that side of the family.
Monday I kind of wiped out my Facebook and deleted all my old posts, deleted some people that I either never speak to or don’t really want to know what’s going on in my life, etc. I’m not sure why I got a little spazzy about Facebook. When I’m depressed, I want to isolate myself and cut off all contact from the world. I think that’s what I was doing.
Tuesday we had pub trivia. We won at the end of trivia, but we didn’t collect our prize (a gift certificate to use next week) because I don’t want to go back again, so we wouldn’t use it. Without going into too many details, going to that pub trivia makes me feel bad about myself, so we’re going to find a new bar and new trivia to check out in 2012.
Wednesday my co-worker and I met a client for lunch, which turned into a 7 hour lunch, and we were all drunk as skunks by the time we left. My co-worker shouldn’t have driven. I think we all shared a little bit too much about what’s going on in our lives and in our heads, and now we’re all acting stupid towards each other. Ugh.
Yesterday I had my appointment with my GP to discuss my depression. God, I love my doctor. I didn’t have to try to defend myself, justify how I’m feeling, try to convince her that I’m not making shit up, etc. I just said, “Hey, I’m feeling depressed and my current meds aren’t working. I need some help.” So I’m going to take some blood tests today to check my thryoid levels and vitamin levels and whatnot, and then she switched my meds to another type of anti-depressant, which I’ll pick up and start trying this weekend. I sure hope the new meds help!
Yesterday evening my hubby had his company holiday Christmas party. They gave the guys those remote controlled helicopters, so there were like 8 of those things flying around the restaurant, flying into our hair and landing in the food, etc. It was a very strange little gathering. I was extremely tired, I ate way too much food, and I felt socially incredibly awkward and self-conscious.
But the important part is that I’ve survived the week. One day at a time.
Today I’m at 129.0, a little on the high end of my maintenance range. But I’m no doubt bloated from PMS, too much food yesterday, etc.
1 year goal weight anniversary & 5 tips for beating holiday weight gain
by Christine on December 19th, 2011
filed under Christine's Life Updates, Gastric Banding Surgery
Yesterday marked my 1 year anniversary of making my goal weight. I was banded in February of 2009 and I reached my goal weight in December 2010. It took me just about 2 years to lose 100 pounds. I started at 225 pounds and I reached my goal weight of 124 pounds last year. In the last year I have fluctuated in weight a little bit, less than 10 pounds worth. I have for the most part maintained my weight loss for the last 12 months. I hope I can maintain my weight loss for the next 70 years. Yikes that sure seems like a long time.
My 1 year anniversary passed by with no recognition or celebrating. While I am proud of my accomplishments, they seem bittersweet at the moment, especially because I’m learning that I’ve lost more than mere weight over the past 3 years.
Today I have my first appointment with a counselor. I’m anxious about the appointment and cannot concentrate on my work today. But, I’m also excited about the appointment, and I am feeling optimistic that maybe this guy can help me sort through my multitude if issues swimming through my head and heart at the moment. I’ve been to counselors in the past and have had zero luck with them, so I’m not holding my breath. Still, I’m hopeful. I’ll tell you what, something has got to give with me at right now.
I was reading online about what to expect with your first counseling session, and most articles say that you should come to the appointment with a solid understanding of what your problems are and what goals you hope to achieve. Well, while I can pinpoint some larger problems and long-term goals, I haven’t got the slightest idea what my problem is right now. But I can say that I would sure love to pull myself out of this depression and be able to be happy in general, focused at work, and able to develop healthy and rewarding relationships with people in my life. Lofty goals, I know.
Wish me luck.
In the meantime, here’s a few tips for trying to avoid packing on the pounds over the next two weeks:
1. DO remember to wear tight fitting clothes.
That’s right, even to the office party. Choose a fitted dress or pencil skirt with a snug sweater. Wearing body conscious clothes will serve as a reminder that you can’t overeat. Shift dresses can be paired with a wide belt notched one size smaller than usual for a more tapered look. Guys, you don’t get a free pass here.
2. DO delay gratification and wait at least 20 minutes before eating at an event.
Make at least one full lap around a party before starting in on the appetizers. Think about it: It’s rude not to greet people when you walk in, and how are you going to do that with a mouth full of food or hands compromised with a beverage and a canapés?
3. DO keep your hands to yourself at all times.
Keeping a drink in one hand and a cocktail napkin in the other will make it difficult for you to keep reaching for those mini quiches we all know and love.
4. DO ruin your appetite.
We won’t tell your mother. It’s far better to go to a party on a half-empty stomach than an empty one. By eating a pre-party snack you have the opportunity to make a sober food decision based on your preferences and not based solely on what’s offered at the party. Consider it nutrition pre-gaming. (Added note from me: Make sure your pre-party snack is healthy! Eat a big handful of carrots!)
5. DO start now.
If you had even a one-fourth pound weight loss for every time you said “Oh, I’ll start tomorrow,” you’d be a skeleton. Waiting for a New Year’s resolution is just delaying your goal by that many more days. It may not be feasible to lose weight during December, but there’s certainly no reason why you need to gain weight. There will never be a perfect time to eat right — you have jump right in and start with your next meal!
(stolen online from here.)
