Last week I started Phase III of the Fat Smash Diet: CONSTRUCTION. Over the previous four weeks I have laid down a solid foundation for a healthier lifestyle that I will now continue to build on. This phase adds more variety to my diet, constructing an eating plan that will allow me to enjoy many of the foods I've enjoyed in the past. The difference, however, is that I now have a greater understanding of portion control and the importance of more fruits and vegetables in my diet. The first two phases instilled some important concepts that will guide my eating behaviors forever.
The same week I started Phase III was also a very busy week for me personally and I kept putting off exercise for ‘lack of time’. Before I knew it the week was over and I had gone the whole week without exercising! I know it is tremendously important for me to maintain regular exercise not just during my weight loss plan but also throughout my life and I have to discipline myself to make the time to do it - no excuses! Even if it's an extremely busy week there is always a way to make time for a workout. Even a mini workout is better than no workout at all. It is especially important now that I am consuming more calories than I did in Phase I or II.
The end result of these circumstances is that I've hit my first plateau. I weighed in yesterday and stayed exactly the same, 237.5 lbs. I realize this is a critical point because most people get frustrated and disappointed when they hit a plateau and they quit. THAT WILL NOT BE ME! I understand how these things work and why this happened. As I mentioned before, not exercising at all last week was a detriment to my weight loss despite all the healthy foods I’ve been eating. The human body is a very clever machine and while we think we can fool it, we can only do so for short periods of time at most. The body becomes accustomed to a new way of eating and if you don’t burn extra calories with a regular exercise regimen then the body decides that it's not going to keep burning calories by shedding fat. It's an important protective feature of how our bodies operate. The human body is designed to conserve fat as long as possible so that you can survive without food or water for a prolonged period of time if it becomes necessary. Well, that certainly is a nice feature to our bodies if we are stuck on a mountain somewhere waiting until a rescue team arrives, but unfortunately it's also that very feature of our bodies that kicks in when we’re doing so well at trying to lose weight!
Therefore by hitting this plateau it means that it's time to mix things up, kick it up a notch! My first plan of attack is to increase my physical activity. During Phase I, I was only capable of exercising for 10-15 minutes, and then in Phase II, I had increased my stamina and ability to 20 minutes. Now that I am in Phase III it’s time to increase my workouts to at least 30 minutes. It's also time to switch up my activity. Up until now I had been mostly working out on my elliptical machine. I'll still be doing that, except I'll also ride my mountain bike more often, walk the track at the high school, or other activities for more variety.
Two months ago my husband and I bought inline skates which I tried once and cried because my legs hurt so badly. Now that I weigh less than I did when I tried it the first time, I want to try it again and see how the weight loss may have helped my ability. I would eventually like to be able to get good at inline skating and incorporate that into my exercise regime as well. It’s a great calorie burner! There are numerous ways I can get in a good workout and mix it up to keep it fun and interesting.
I believe the increased time and variety of exercise is a big part of breaking through my plateau right now, but I will also attack the plateau from both ends by mixing up my diet as well. Trying one or two days of Phase I during each week of Phase III will cut the calories down for a few days and shake my body from its comfortable routine, which can kick-start more weight loss as well.
It is also positive to note that during the last two weeks I successfully navigated a few more social challenges:
I went out to lunch and a movie with a friend who is also trying to lose weight. We shared weight loss ideas and ways to stay motivated. We enjoyed a healthy lunch at YouYou Japanese restaurant - teriyaki salmon bento boxes which came with lots of veggies and also white rice and two fried chicken bites. I took one bite of the rice for a shot of carbohydrate to help keep my blood sugar level sustained and boxed up the rest of the rice along with the fried chicken bites to bring home for my husband. I am learning that I should get into the habit of asking more questions when I order. Maybe something healthier could have been substituted for the fried chicken bites and maybe they could have given me brown rice instead of white. If that were the case I could have eaten more of my meal. You just never know unless you ask!
After lunch we went to see a movie and because we smartly ate lunch before going to the theater we weren’t lead into temptation by the concession stand. Not even the delicious aroma of hot buttered popcorn could sway us! I did come prepared for when my sweet tooth hit by bringing Welch’s Fruit Snacks – only 90 calories, packed with Vitamin C and Fat Free! They are yummy!
I also went to “Girls Night Out” (a monthly gathering with a group of former coworkers whom we all have remained friends). We went to 900 Degrees which is a fabulous wood fired pizzeria. Oh the wondrous aromas and all the pizzas in front of me at our table! But, I reminded myself of my goals and that one day I can enjoy a couple slices of pizza with a salad, just not right now. Instead I ordered a Mediterranean salad, tomato basil soup, drank water with lemon and was satisfied with my meal. I even avoided the fresh baked bread with herbed olive oil and dessert when everybody shared a dessert pizza. WOW! I was so proud of myself for staying strong!
Then last weekend I went to Maine to visit my Dad and we went to the fair. Now that was a HUGE challenge! But if you stay strong and take the time to search for healthier options nothing is impossible, even eating right at a fair. I ate a large garden salad, and roast beef with veggies. I didn’t eat the mashed white potato smothered in gravy that came with it. For dessert I had a single scoop of fat free, sugar free vanilla ice cream. It was farm fresh and actually tasted quite good!
Last night my husband and I celebrated our four year wedding anniversary and went out to dinner at The Melting Pot, a fondue restaurant. I passed on the white potatoes, drank water with lemon, and we skipped dessert. I ate lots of veggies and steamed seafood (scallops, salmon, I even ate a couple of steamed shrimp! Normally I don’t like to eat shrimp, but for some reason it tasted good last night so I ate it!).
The common factor in all of these social challenges was that my focus was not on celebrating via food, but celebrating via the company I was with. The food was secondary to the celebrations rather than being the center of it. Enjoying the moments of laughter and joy and the time spent with the people I care about.
Now I’m off to do some exercise… :-)
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