Some of you may remember my foray into the "30 day fitness challenge" that included a Protein Shake for breakfast, one for lunch and a "sensible" or "healthy" dinner. The extreme version of the challenge called for eating vegan, completely cutting out animal products and proteins. I couldn't go that far, so I continued to eat meat and cheese and eggs, but in more limited quantities. I gave up soda "cold turkey" for the first 15 days, and during the same time, I had 1 small piece of bread (and no sandwiches.)
The results? Nothing. No movement on the scale, no massive sliding of the pounds from my body. Nada.
At the same time, my Sunday basketball league started back up and I was asked to join a Tuesday night volleyball league. So it is not like I have been sitting at home on the couch, waiting for the weight to find somewhere else to sit. I have even kicked up the running a notch, as I train for the 1/2 marathon at the end of August.
Fast forward 30 days. Depending on what I consider my "starting weight" to be, I have either lost 4 pounds or 8 pounds. I think I'll go with the 8. I haven't done my measurements yet, I'll do that tomorrow morning. But I am still not entirely happy with the results. Yes, my clothes do seem to fit just a bit better, but not as well as I'd like. Yes, I do seem to have a bit more energy, but after 2 long days this week, by Wednesday I needed a nap. Yes, I find myself being able to run a little farther, a little faster, but that is because of training and not because of any significant weight loss.
As I look back on these 30 days (which seemed to have just flashed by), I think that maybe my eating habits weren't all that bad to begin with. (I'm curious to see what the doctor says in a few weeks at my annual physical - I'm wondering where those cholesterol numbers are after this 30 days.) I mentioned it before, I went cold turkey off of the soda. Most weeks, I would have at least 1 Pepsi a day, although some days were filled with water and iced tea. Despite quitting with no warning, my body didn't seem to miss it. I did not really have any withdrawal symptoms and did not really feel sick. Same thing with bread. Most days, I'll have a sandwich for lunch, or a piece of bread with dinner. Yet after cutting it out, I did not notice any significant cravings or feelings of withdrawal. What does that tell you? Some women who are doing this challenge are talking about the massive weight that they are losing and about the withdrawal symptoms they are experiencing and the headaches and the feeling sick. I don't know how much weight they had to lose or how bad their eating habits were, but maybe my problem is perspective.
I certainly won't be in any hurry to start eating sandwiches on a regular basis again. But I did start to work a Pepsi back into my diet here and there, around day 20. I did not see the weight come back on and I continue to play hoops and volleyball and go running (shin splints aside.) I am still trying to get rid of the "muffin top" (to the extent I see one) and I still have jeans in my closet that I would love to fit back into. So those are my goals.
A friend (who has recently sculpted her body with the help of a trainer) and I were talking. My response to her comment of "you should work out with my guy" was that "I don't have time!" She said that his response to adults saying that they don't have time to work out is like kids saying "the dog ate my homework."
I'm not sure I agree with that 100%, especially as I consider the 3 silent auction baskets that I need to put together by Sunday, the baby "burpies" that I was asked to make that need to be done by the 20th, the travel scrap project that I need to have done in the next 2 weeks, the classroom yearbooks for B's class that need to be finished by next Wednesday, the wedding things I am working on for a friend, Father's Day gifts to shop for, a full time job, and 2 kids to get to school and gymnastics and everything else. Oh yeah, I suppose I should sleep and eat in there somewhere too, right? So.... we'll see.
