Something in the weigh she moves

The scales at Dr. Poon's offices are the ones that measure your fat and water percentage.  So I had a weigh-in today and I weigh 7 1/2 pounds less than I did two weeks ago.  Good right?  Well not so much according to the scale.  It shows I lost 7 pounds of water and only 1/2 a pound of fat.  So then Dr. Stephen asks me what I cheated on.  I have not cheated.  He insisted that I must have eaten an abundance of complex carbohydrates or sugar because I have not dropped any fat over the last two weeks.  This was the first real disagreement we have had, and frankly I did think of breaking up with him.  However, I was able to convince him (which is the truth) that I absolutely have been sticking to the diet and I have not cheated.  If I cheated, I certainly wouldn't lie about it like some child caught with their hand in the cookie jar...and I'd only be cheating myself.  No one else.

So then Dr. Stephen says that this has happened to a few people before.  Even though they lost water weight and no fat weight, it corrected itself at the next weigh-in.  I asked him why he felt the need to accuse me of personal sabotage.  He told me it's because so many people can't stick to cutting out carbs and sugar for the long haul, so he naturally assumes the worst.  I know that this just isn't a diet I'm going to have to follow for a year, but will have to follow it for the rest of my life.  Just like an alcoholic can't be trusted around vanilla extract, I can't be trusted around carbs.  I'm that addicted. I left the appointment on good terms with Dr. Stephen and told him I did forgive him for his rash judgement of me.  For some reason he found that funny.

After my visit with Dr. Stephen, it seemed that I was in a bit of a pickle.   So I've taken the day to really think about my quandary and the only feasible answer I've come up with is that I just have to keep losing weight or else I just threw a whole lot of money out the window.  Just this morning, my husband drove all, and I do mean all, of my summer and bigger sized winter clothes to Goodwill.  I don't believe I have ever owned this few clothes.  Not since I was a new born and lived at Toronto Wellesley hospital for a couple of weeks waiting for my forever family.  The point is that I would hate to have to buy a whole new wardrobe in the same size that I just gave away.  That would piss me off to no end.  Therefore, the only solution to my problem is to buy the whole new wardrobe in a much smaller size.  It won't hurt (except for my finances) nearly as much.  In fact, I'll likely enjoy shopping for the first time in my life.

So now to tackle the other issue I'm having and really work at getting my fat percentage down in the next two weeks.  The obvious solution for that is to start spending some quality time with my pooch.  A brisk hour walk every evening should be a good start for physical exercise.  Many may think that walking for an hour seems pretty lame, but I am an admitted couch potato.  An hour walk for me everyday is pretty significant.  Movement is key, and I get that.  A lifestyle change doesn't just involve eating better but becoming more active too.  With my new commitment to start moving, I will overcome this hiccup. And Dr. Stephen will be left with egg on his face.  Ha!

Make weigh for fall

So I have, what I think is a bit of a dilemma.  I have to put my summer clothes away, and make room for my fall/winter wardrobe.  I keep telling myself I'll get right to it, but the issue I'm having right now is, what do I do with my summer clothes?  By all my estimations, by summer of 2012, I should be very close to or at my goal weight.  What should happen to my fat clothes?  On the flip side, I'm feeling like I'll jinx myself if I give it all to charity.

I've lost 20+ pounds and can argue that even if I keep my summer wardrobe, it will be to no avail because none of it even fits me now.  This is the hundredth weight-loss program I have been on and what makes me think this one is any different than the others I've tried and failed?   I'll tell you what's different...my motivation and my desire to be healthy.  Check out this link http://www.youmeworks.com/whylowcarb.html. This explained why my addiction to carbs has sabotaged all my past weight-loss efforts.  I am 100% confident that this time, I will continue to remain focused on my ultimate goal.  To be fit and healthy.

This past weekend was one of the many tests of endurance I am subjected to daily.  I attended the baptism of a beautiful baby girl that was bigger than some weddings I've been to.  I drank about 5 Perrier waters, ate 4 slices of roast beef, had two large helpings of steamed vegetables, and two helpings of tossed salad.  There were tons more appetizers, main courses and desserts to choose from and I found that for maybe the first time in my life, I was not fixated on the food of an event I attended.  I ate because I was hungry and was not the least bothered by others indulging on all the other food choices around me.

I have been almost six weeks without sugar and carbs, and I no longer crave ANYTHING.  Maybe hot sauce...if I was pressed to pick something.  I also find that some things are just better left alone.  I tried tofu noodles on Sunday in a soup I made.  I have staunchly decided that I would rather have no noodles than tofu noodles.  On the whole, I don't mind tofu, but the noodles reminded me of slimy worms that were not tender to the bite.  They were a bit hard to chew and made me gag a few times.  Definitely wouldn't be able to stomach them again.

So back to my original dilemma.  I'm definitely bagging my summer clothes.  And by bagging, I mean sending them off to Goodwill.  I plan on being a completely different person by next summer and keeping those clothes will only get in the way of my brand new wardrobe.  My husband is definitely going to have to get a job because I think I could develop expensive taste:)

The Mandarin...and other eating establishments

When changing one's lifestyle so significantly, we always assume the worst and figure that any enjoyment that was associated with food is gone.  No more eating out and enjoying drinks with friends.  Since I have to eat out on a regular basis for my job, I initially thought that this was a difficult hurdle that I was going to be unable to tackle. WRONG!

Since being on www.poondiet.com, I have not only eaten out a dozen times, but I have managed to maintain a steady weight loss.  There is always a high protein/low-carb option to chose from.  I have eaten at Swiss Chalet, East Side Mario's, the Mandarin, Kelsey's, Montana's, Tucker's Market Place, a pizza parlour....there are more that I'm forgetting, but you get the gist. My favourite place to eat (since being on the diet) is by far the Mandarin.

They have shrimp, grilled chicken and steak, roasted chicken, poached fish, roast, and tons of leafy greens and mixed vegetables to chose from.  If I go there for a lunch or dinner meal, I leave feeling quite content.  True, I can't have any carbs, or sugar (natural or refined), no dairy or anything too fatty, but the variety of what I can have is still quite vast.  Everyone loves variety and I love having choices.  The only thing I have to worry about is salt intake and that is easily remedied by drinking unusual amounts of water while I'm there.

Eating is no longer an extra-curricular activity for me.  Eating is done on a regular basis to keep my body fueled.  Going to the Mandarin is no longer a test of endurance to see how much I can pack in.  After two modest trips to the food aisles I am done and quite satisfied with  my food choices.

Other restaurant establishments are more than happy to accommodate dietary needs.  If I don't see what I need on the menu, I just ask the waiter to ask the chef if they can grill me chicken breast or salmon with no seasoning and to serve with steamed vegetables.  I've yet to be denied this request.

I write this because I have gotten several remarks from people saying that even though they need to get into shape, they couldn't do this diet because they couldn't have so many restrictions and couldn't give up eating out.  I am saying you can do this if is something you really want.  As I said in my previous post, I'm done with excuses.  Make a good choice for your health; mind, body and soul.

Dr. Stephen

The doctor that I see at Dr. Poon's office is Dr. Stephen. He is an older gentleman that is very near to retirement.  The first appointment I had, I thought I had made the decision not to do the diet because it sounded like other ones I had tried before (Bernstein) and was unsuccessful at maintaining.  I left the appointment promising to come back in two weeks for my weigh-in.

Dr. Stephen was blunt and to the point but delivered a message to me that others have danced around for years.  He was able to speak to me on a real personal level and I heard him loud and clear.  He's absolutely correct.  I have made more than enough excuses during my life time.  It is time to act because obesity is a disease, and he asked if I would treat cancer as cavalier, as I have treated my obesity. I'm not comparing obesity to cancer, but both have the potential of being deadly.  Cancer is definitely the scarier of the two diseases to have, and something I am hopeful to never have to fight during my lifetime. It is medically proven that people who are obese are more likely to contract other health problems/diseases due to their obesity, cancer being one of them.  Having seen my mother battle and waste away to cancer, it is absolutely not something I want to put my own son through if I can at all avoid it.

I had my third weigh-in yesterday and am pleased to report that I have lost another 7 pounds of fat.  This brings my weight loss to 20 pounds.  This is a huge motivator, because I can definitely see a difference.  Dr. Stephen is a sweet man who is a great motivator and his honesty and bluntness keep me on track.  I am hopeful that by the New Year, I can get off of both of my blood pressure medications.  I owe this to myself and my long suffering body.

Turkey dinner with all the fix'ins

So, I've spent the better part of the morning fixing a huge Turkey dinner for my family.  Sounds delicious.  It smells delicious!  I can smell all the flavours coming together as I type this.  Turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, string bean casserole, baked squash....I only wish I could enjoy it with everyone else.  I am on Dr. Poon's Metabolic Diet www.poondiet.com.  I'm going into my fourth week.  It truly works.  At my second weigh-in three weeks ago, I lost 11.4 pounds.

After a life time of over indulging, I have a high blood pressure that needs to be controlled by two medications.  My goal is to lose enough weight to get off the medication and be a mom that participates instead of watching from the side lines.  I still have time, my son is only turning 4.  By this time next year I hope to have reached my goal weight and be the healthiest I have ever been.

The diet is not easy, I am on Phase 1 and am limited to mostly protein and leafy greens (as much as I want though). I am allowed other vegetables as well, but only 4 cups a day and absolutely no root vegetables.  No sugar, no processed carbohydrates, no dairy, very limited salt.  Thank God I can have diet pop.  I have never read so many labels in my life.

I am not whining about my predicament, nor should anyone pity me.  I'm the one who lived so recklessly all these years and trust me, I have enjoyed every minute of it.  But now, I have to start living a better life for myself, and my son.  I am terrified that he will pick up my bad habits and become "the fat me" later in life.  The best way to lead him in the right direction is by example.  So no more excuses.  There are two people I love more than food, my son and myself.