Wherein I Pat Myself on the Back

You guys? I want to kind of brag a little bit here. Some of you longer-time readers may know that I have been seeing a nutritionist. You can see the post where I first see her here and where she talks me off a ledge here and where I realize I need more help than just her here.

I am not going to pretend I met my weight, and consequently my BMI goals.

But another area I had focused on was triglycerides.  High triglycerides can be an indicator of Diabetes, something that is just rampant in my family. I've always been hyper-aware of the possibility that my weight, though less than it used to be, still puts me in a risk area for this disease. Seeing what my father has gone through, as well as myriad other people in my life,  I just don't want to ever have to deal with Diabetes if I don't have to.

My triglycerides  had actually gone higher from my first biometric screening to the next, so I was concerned about the trend. She immediately suggested fish oil and more fiber.

My screening was in February. I had it retested a few weeks ago. 38% lower.

While I am not proud of my lack of weight loss, I am very proud of how much my health has improved.

My nutritionist and I determined we don't need to continue to see each other, but I told her I owe her a lot, and I know I will keep what I learned going forward as I work on improving my body and my lifestyle.

Some of the biggies I learned:

1. Fiber is key for everything. Healthy digestion, weight loss (keeps you full longer), and lowering triglycerides and even bad cholesterol. My favorite sources of fiber have been high-fiber Trader Joe's bread and spinach.

2. Get water where you can. If you're like me and don't love just chugging boring plain old water, try flavored water or flavored seltzer (watch out for added sugar, though) or decaf tea. Lemonade counts, too (again, watch the sugar).

3. Check your sugar. Have I said enough about sugar? Honestly, guys, my diet focus was always on fat. So I did a lot of those 100 calorie packs and yogurts. But when you look at the sugar content of some of these items, it can be quite alarming. Keeping sugar at or around 6 grams is a good guideline. BUT, some things will be higher. I was nervous about these fruit bars from Trader Joes that I ate.

Source: Yummy Diet Food

Well, I needn't have been. My nutritionist declared them almost the perfect snack. Low calorie, has a serving of fruit and/or veggies, and all of the sugar comes naturally. If you see something high in sugar and it comes from fruit or something else naturally high in sugar, check the ingredients to make sure there's nothing added or processed.

4. Supplements can be your friend. I was a bit anxious about adding supplements to my diet. I mean, I take a multivitamin, but otherwise I'm sort of skeptical about adding a bunch of pills to my life. However, I can now say with 100% certainty that fish oil was integral in lowering my triglycerides. I also am taking Vitamin D. I can't point to any particular effect, but I do feel more energetic.

So overall I feel like I have the tools, and now the key is using them correctly.

Have I convinced any of you to see a nutritionist or dietitian? Do you take supplements? What nutrition fact surprises you the most?

Back on the Wagon

You guys, I had a wee bit too much vacation on my vacation, if ya know what I mean. I drank Dunkaccinos almost every day (please, Minnesota, get a Dunkin Donuts IMMEDIATELY), I drank some fabulous wine on the fabulous porch, and I enjoyed so much fried fish, I may have sprouted gills.

I had to face the music when I got back. I was most afraid of my new personal trainer, John. He was surprisingly easy on me. Easier than I was on myself when I saw myself in those gym mirrors. SHUDDER.

Epic diet fail, people.

My roommate and I also admitted that we spent the day I got back in my parents' hot tub (she's house-sitting) drinking Prosecco and downing a family-size pizza.

Sunday we got together and decided we had to get back on the wagon. We took out my humongo binder of recipes and set about creating a meal plan.

 

Instead of doing just a weekly plan, we decided to come up with entree/side combinations for about three weeks and shop every Sunday based on grocery store sales and what we could get at the farmer's market.

When we were done, we were both sort of shocked we hadn't thought of this before. Meal plans can feel so restrictive sometimes. And sometimes you just can't stomach 3 chicken dishes in one week. Sometimes the broccolini just looks so damn good at Trader Joe's, you must have it.

Anyone with me?

Anyway, it's great. Or it will be when we start it next week. We are trying almost 80% new recipes, including veggie sides. We're integrating some good fall-like foods like sweet potatoes.

It's amazing how having a plan can make you feel skinnier in moments.

We also may or may not have set our weight loss goals based on New England Patriots goals.

What? We're kind of dudes sometimes. It happens.

What do you do when you go totally off your meal and/or fitness plan? Do you dive back in or do you have to phase in? Do you go nutty on vacation or stay on plan?

Working It Out

So, I had another less than pleasant trip to the nutritionist where ONCE AGAIN I hadn't lost any weight. She tried to silver lining it for me by saying it was good I hadn't gained weight, but it was still beyond frustrating to know that since JANUARY I haven't really maintained a weight loss of more than 2 pounds.

I got depressed and when I get depressed, the only way for me to get out of it is to control my life in some way. So I sat and looked at my options and decided the best thing for me was to join a gym.

I've been working out largely to On Demand Comcast workout videos and walking with the pup. In the past, I've had good luck with gyms. I just haven't belonged to one in awhile because a) they're expensive and b) they require time commitments longer than my marriage.

My neighbor and former daycare lady (yeah, remind me to tell you the story of the new daycare dilemma) works out at one of those 24-hour gyms down the street. Most importantly, she sees a person trainer there she loves. I decided this was the way to go. A personal trainer would NOT let me cheat, and while it would be an expense, it would be worth it to get these last 10 pounds out of the way.

I downloaded a two-week pass. I knew exactly how this would go. And I was right on.

You bring in the pass. A very aggressive, very jacked dude asks you about how committed you REALLY are to fitness. He shows you around the club, he highlights the awesomeness of the facility, and then he tells you he has this awesome deal for you if you will only trade in your two-week pass for a membership.

You guys? I told everyone near me that I was NOT going to fall for it. I was going to use my two-week pass and take my time to make the right decision.

But then the guy told me it's only $30 a month for this gym and I get a free personal training session. And I also get 10% off with a company discount.

I figured I couldn't beat that, until I signed the contract and realized it was for 18 months. I balked. The monthly cost would go up significantly if I did anything less than 18 months. But suddenly I became the 16-year-old dude who needs space.

I mean, I like you. I just don't know if I like you that way.

But I felt pressured and signed. And immediately regretted it.

Have you guys experienced this kind of buyer's remorse? Where you're frantically looking through the loophole in the contract?

In my case, the loophole was I had three days to cancel.

I went back to my research and did another calculation and realized that if I bought a membership to the Community Center, it would be about half the cost. In fact, if I bought a family membership, it was still $100 less than this would be.

So I decided I'd do a test workout at the Community Center and do a pro/con list when I was done.

I present to you, my pro/con list. Also known as "Did I seriously choose the more expensive gym because it has ESPN?"

So I talked it over with Scott and he broke it down for me. Where would I actually go? Which gym would really motivate me to show up? Because even if it's cheaper for a year, if I have trouble parking and get frustrated and can't do the workout I want to because of the crowds, is it worth it?

So I didn't exercise (pun intended) my three-day out option and have been working out quite a bit at the new gym. I'm going to pull the trigger on the personal trainer soon and see if that's something I want to add on for a bit.

Have you experienced buyer's remorse? Do you belong to a gym? Do you actually go? Do you make pro/con lists for things?

Part of this Complete Blogfast

Working title: I DID IT ALL FOR THE COOKIES, FOR THE COOKIES, YEAH!

Durst fans out there? No? Ok, moving on.

So on January 1, I got news that I had to do yet another biometric screening to earn credits for NEXT year’s insurance. So of course the screening came back that life is good as far as blood goes, but my BMI is still high. They recommended more nutritionist calls.

Now, it’s not that the calls I had last year were bad. In fact, since I was overweight and not obese last year, I only had to have one call instead of 3. It was a half hour out of my life, I could deal. But they weren’t all that informative.

Anyone who works on weight as a lifestyle change (versus fad dieting) knows the basic rules of nutrition. You eat every 3-4 hours, get a lot of protein, lower intake of red meats, up intake of fruits and veggies, and drink loads of water.

So, once I kind of told the nutritionist I knew all that, plus I work out correctly (circuit training and walking, varying workouts week to week), he was a bit stymied on how he could “help.”

I wasn’t looking for help, I was looking for insurance credit. A little of my hard-earned benjamins back in my plus-size pockets, ya know?

But now? Guys, I’ve been stuck losing and gaining the same 3 pounds since October.

OCTOBER.

 

My arrogance over my nutrition knowledge is waning. So when the BMI came back high, I just wasn’t really terribly interested in having another one of those calls. I felt I needed help! So I asked the guy setting up the health coaching and he suggested I see a dietician. It turns out they’d just hired some at an on-site clinic at one of our company’s offices.

I didn’t have high expectations, really. My friend saw a great nutritionist and got some good recipes, but used her more as someone to be accountable to.

A skinny blond (shocker in Minnesota, huh?) greeted me at the door. I braced for judgment, but she listened intently and then…I got praise!

You guys, I am so 12 years old sometimes, especially when it comes to praise. I so wish I got grades like I used to. The oldest sibling perfectionist in me just craves constant positive feedback.

She told me I was right on in the timing of my meals and called me an “advanced label reader.”

Woo! I am the valedictorian of label reading, people. Suck it!

Sorry.

Anyway, she showed me how to go slightly deeper into reading labels, particularly in my snacking. What we discovered was that my snacks were tasty and portion controlled (chocolate pretzels and 100 calorie packs), but not necessarily filling.

So while calorie-wise I was doing ok, I had some room for improvement in how I used those calories. She explained focusing on fiber and good fats could help me get over this plateau I’ve been experiencing.

I wanted to share some things I learned because even you skinny people out there know it’s important to be healthy. And for those of you struggling like me, there may be an eye-opening detail here that helps. I sure hope so.

Also? Please share your own experiences/suggestions in the comments. I would really love to get hints from those of you who are out there losing it:

• For anyone in their child-bearing years, anyone pregnant or planning on becoming pregnant, they are now advising 600 mg of folic acid, not 400. Check your vitamins. Most One-a-Days only have 400.
• For those of you like me who are less in love with water (though hypnosis has changed this somewhat for me), try adding fruit or lemon to water. Otherwise, did you know decaf tea counts as water intake?
• Stick to 300 mg of sodium or under per serving. The biggest offender? Canned veggies. Use frozen instead. Our biggest offender is beans over here. Rinsing beans can reduce 40% of sodium, but they are still pretty high. Still, soaking them overnight and cooking them? Probably not going to happen. So it just means we have to keep our eyes on sodium elsewhere.
• Focus on fats, but in a good way. I see a lot of snacks out there that seem so high in fat, I never pick them up. I did not take into consideration what kind of fats they were. The rule of thumb I was given is no more than 3g of saturated fat and trans fats (that’s the naughty naughty kind). Your poly and mono unsaturated fats are actually the good fats, and while you don’t want to eat them all day, snacking on them is actually a good way to get them in. These fats help digestion and are actually anti-inflammatory fats.
• Also focus on fiber. We all know it keeps things running in terms of digestion, but did you also know that it reduces triglycerides? Items with more than 5 g of fiber are considered high-fiber and will be labeled as such. You should make sure your breads and grains should have more than 2g of fiber (per slice of bread/per serving).

 So, what do you foodies out there have to add? What tips have worked for you?

You Are Getting Verrrrry Sleeeeeepy......

So those of you who saw Office Space (I’m not the only one who watches it after a bad work week, right?), will recall the iconic scene in which Peter’s girlfriend (who IS cheating on him, by the way) gets hypnotized into a very relaxed state…one he doesn’t actually wake up from because the hypnotist croaks mid-wake.

Looking for anything…I mean, ANYTHING…that could take me out of my weight loss plateau, I came across a community ed class for hypnosis for weight loss.

So I roped my roommate into it. Or we roped each other. I’m not sure how it went down, but in the beginning of February, we were sitting in a high school classroom, pillows in hand, ready to be launched into a world where we hated food, loved exercise, and drank only water.

We walked in to sign up and the woman hands us a blue card with our names and the word “CANCEL” on it. So immediately I am all worked up and ask the woman why mine says “CANCEL.” She gruffly states: “I will tell you about that, you may sit down.”

Methinks she needs Hypnosis for ‘Tude Loss. But I digress.

So we sit down, cards and details in hand. And then Tude gets up and starts talking. And talking. Aaaaaand talking.

At the 22 minute mark I looked over at my roommate and whispered “do you…do you think this is part of the hypnosis?” I mean, seriously, does being bored and STARVING make you a better candidate for successful hypnosis?

Class started at 6 p.m. and was supposed to go to 8, we figured we could get out at 7 and eat. I was a little miffed because the smokers had an hour while we got hypnotized to go off and have a last smoke. I thought I deserved a last doughnut, thank you!

So, does being bored and starving and cranky make you a better candidate for successful hypnosis?

After quoting articles from well before I was born and going on and on about how great hypnosis is (which, I understand she probably frequently has to legitimize her profession, I get that. But we paid $50 to be in her presence, it’s safe to say on some level we believe this is legitimate enough to waste a few hours and some dough on, let’s get on with the tick tock, lady!), she finally hits the lead on how she became a hypnotist.

She was in a very abusive relationship, got a horrible divorce, and promptly (understandably) went into a dark depression. Wanting to get off meds, she sought a hypnotist, and within a year she had a new relationship, a new job, and a happy family. She was sold and made this her career.

I kind of liked the idea that this had worked for her (even if she was gruff in the beginning), but I was ridiculously starved by this point and you could hear stomachs growling and people shifting in their seats.

Finally, around 7:15 (yes, seriously, she talked for over an hour!) she sent the smokers off and got to work on us chubbers. To say it got off to a rocky start would be a bit of an understatement.

As she’s guiding us through imagery, she did the “deeper and deeeeeper” thing from Office Space and my roommate and I both had to swallow our giggles.

Then she said “you will feel like a wet noooooodle” and we both giggled again and I was starting to be concerned we were going to be the first people ever to get kicked out of hypnosis.

Then she took us through some imagery, and we were told to see a red light and the word “CANCEL” (which is supposed to be our mental mantra when we want food we are not supposed to have, it’s supposed to “cancel” the desire, and that’s why it was written on our card). And then…

Yeah, that’s all I remember.

I promptly fell asleep.

I woke up about 10 minutes later, so I figured. She was bringing us back to the count of 5 and I giggled again thinking “what if someone busted in here right now? Would I become anorexic because I was so relaxed and hating food?”

But we were brought back. And then told it had been actually 40 minutes of relaxation and hypnosis.

Which means, I slept for 30 of it!

We were sent home with CDs and the card guaranteeing us lifetime revisits should we need them.

My roommate and I promptly went and ate cheese curds and tater tots, fairly convinced and concerned this had little effect on us.

So, did it?

Well yes.

Now, before you guys get all excited, I have not lost a significant amount of weight. BUT, there have been drastic changes to my lifestyle as it relates to food. Changes I believe will contribute to better sustainable weight loss in my future.

1. Diet Coke. I am addicted. This was one of the hardest things next to wine that I had to give up when I was pregnant. I drink at least 2 cans a day, and that is only because I strictly limit myself to these portions. Were it up to me, I could easily finish a 24 pack in a week. Now? After adding a little programming in (with the CD, you get times in the hypnosis, assuming you can stay awake, where you can add in other things like biting your nails, or specific items you wish to avoid), I have to tell you, I’ve had 3 total in the last month. And each one has been worse than the last. The CD is programmed to tell you soft drinks will taste metallic. I’ve tested in 3 times. It’s 100% true. Do not ask me how this is so, but it is. I no longer like Diet Coke.

2. Coffee and other caffeinated beverages. Same as above. Now, I still drink coffee every morning, but I used to pour tons of Sweet and Low in it and drink 3-4 cups. Now? I sprinkle some Sweet and Low in, and can only really stomach 1 or 2 cups before I begin to experience the horrible aftertaste.

3. I heart water. Guys, I can’t describe how I loathe water. It’s just so booooring! Getting 3 cups a day was a GOAL of mine before this. And that was more just “okay, your body needs water after working out, not Diet Coke.” Now? I drink 4-6 bottles a day, and that’s only because I had to impose limits of no water after 6 or I was up all night going to the bathroom.

These are little things, right? You’re thinking, “that’s great, Stephanie, but those little items are not going to lose you that much weight.”

And you are totally right.

What will, though? My awareness of what I am eating and why.

Before hypnosis, almost every Friday night we would order pizza, polish off a bottle of wine, and watch TV. I thought about it, but only casually. “Well, this is a good cheat day, I have worked hard, I deserve one day not to fret about food.” And yeah, that would have been mildly acceptable (as much as constantly rewarding yourself with food is acceptable) if it weren’t for the fact that I let that thought carry me through my weekend.

Now?

Friday night, Scott brought home leftover pizza from work (he’s been forbidden from ordering pizza since my hypnosis). It sat in the fridge, mocking me. I was hungry.

I stopped, took a deep breath, said “CANCEL” and walked away.

I was still hungry.

I ate a banana and a small piece of chocolate…not the whole bar, an actual serving size piece of chocolate. That pizza, tempting as it was, stood in its plastic wrap because I THOUGHT about what I was eating and why.

So what do you think? Do you reward yourself for food? Has you or anyone you known ever done hypnosis? Would you ever consider being hypnotized?

Funky Friday and a Comfort Food Recipe

Have you ever just been in a funk? It starts small, then builds and builds and builds to the point that when something big does come your way, you are just too exhausted, too emotionally spent, to deal with it as effectively as you know you should?

I recently read an article that said January 17th is usually the saddest day of the year, because it’s about then that resolutions fall off and you realize (I am paraphrasing here) that this year is going about as well as the last, which is to say not that well.

For me, it started small. Scott had been telling me all year that he had heard people can get addicted to chapstick with petroleum jelly. He would always stare pointedly at the new 3-pack of cherry chapstick I had just purchased.

So I figured I would give something else a try. When I was at Trader Joes, I picked up their all-natural chapstick, no jelly.

Two days later, I broke out all over my chin. And my lips were cracking, and a cold sore was starting. I was HORRIFIED! We’re talking puberty break-out here, not just a pimple here or there. My entire face was COVERED. And if you guys ever suffered this as a youngster, it’s painful. You can feel them crawling out of your skin, and as much as you know you need to keep your hands off them, you’re just constantly touching your face. Are they still there? Are they gone yet?

This is, by far, the worst breakout I have had in probably 15 years. I had horrible skin when I was a teenager, I was constantly in the dermatologist’s office. I thought, years later, I had really gotten control over this demon. To have it come back like this, this insidious little disease, was (as vain and lame as it sounds) devastating.

I’m not proud of my reaction. My 12-year-old self came crawling out of the cocoon and promptly forced me to hide. I didn’t want to go out, didn’t want to see people.
That same week I stepped on the scale. And somehow I had gained 3 pounds. No big deal, right? Well, add that to the 5 I gained over the holidays and I was beyond behind my goal. I have a wedding to be in at the end of March and I am just devastated to get this behind with so little time left to go.

Now, what I should do? I should focus on losing what I can. Still trying to get those 10 pounds off so that I can still fit into my dress. Will I look as good as what I wanted? Of course not. But, at least I would be on my way to that goal. I should just set a new goal, right?

What did I do instead?

I skipped my gym classes, and didn’t work out at home because I was just so depressed.

This combined with big changes at work (all good in the long run, but any change is scary, especially when it’s not initiated by you), financial concerns (again, nothing major, just some things that may change future plans), and an upcoming daycare vacation that requires me to try to line up back-up care for Wee ‘Burb…well, I didn’t handle any of those well.

It just left me unable to focus, and unable to pinpoint what it is that has got me so down. I truly think it’s just a funk, bordering on a little seasonal affective disorder trying to live in 10 below temperatures and feet of snow for weeks on end.

I am happy to say I am pulling out of it. I am tracking my food, working out religiously, working on fixing my skin, having fun with my new makeup, and working out a new budget.

To that end, here is my favorite low-fat comfort food recipe for turkey chili, which I have been obsessively making every week for the last month. Every time I make this, people are SHOCKED that it’s not beef. I used a Weight Watchers recipe as a basis and added more turkey and twice as much beans as the recipe calls for.

What do you do to get out of a funk? Do you have a go-to comfort food recipe?

Turkey Chili

1 spray(s) cooking spray
1 tsp canola oil
1 large onion(s), chopped
2 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced
1 pound(s) Turkey
2 medium carrot(s), thinly sliced into rounds
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp ground cumin
2 medium tomato(es), chopped or 1 can diced tomatoes (drained)
1 cup(s) canned tomato sauce
1 cup(s) chicken broth (check out my recipe for chicken stock here)
1 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 medium green pepper(s), chopped
1/2 tsp table salt, or to taste **
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste **
** I use adobo instead of salt and pepper for depth of flavor.

Coat a large pot with cooking spray; place over medium heat.

Add oil and onion; sauté onion until soft, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Add garlic and carrots; cook until garlic is softened, about 1 minute.

Add turkey; brown meat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks, about 5 minutes. Stir to break up lumps.

Add chili powder, paprika, red pepper flakes, cumin, tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, vinegar, beans and green pepper; bring mixture to a boil.

Cover, reduce heat and simmer until meat and vegetables are tender, about 30 to 45 minutes.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Workout Wednesday and Call for Guest Bloggers

Well, let’s start out with the fun, shall we? I am planning a huge ode to coupons for this Thursday’s Things I Love Thursday. I’d love some new voices in that little column for the next two weeks, so if you have an idea for a column, e-mail me at stephanieinsuburbia@yahoo.com by Sunday.

The less fun? Guys, I’m puzzled. I’ve been following the 10 Lb Slimdown program since the start of October and I’m getting NOWHERE! I lost a pound this week. I’m starting to get very anxious that I am not even going to lose the 5 pounds I was hoping for by the end of the month!

Intellectually, I understand we all hit plateaus. I’ve experienced this before…in fact, almost always at this exact weight. And in the past, it has discouraged me to a point where I quit whatever program I am on and just move on, which eventually means I stop tracking my food and stop working out as much (because, I think, what’s the point? I’m only getting fatter, may as well get fatter and enjoy life).

I know this is wrong! I know that even slow weight loss is loss. And probably better/more manageable than the quick weight loss I experienced at the beginning when I was shedding baby weight.

So why can’t I grasp this in my heart? I told myself all along that I would be proud and happy when I lost the baby weight. But it took me so long, that when I hit that point, I didn’t really feel like celebrating. Again, my little brain tells me “hey, 9 months isn’t too shabby to lose over 30 pounds of baby weight.” But my heart just screams “you need to lose sooo much more!” And these 1 pound weeks are just killing my motivation!

So, any advice? Have you had a similar plateau experience? Is it about mixing up food or exercise, or just waiting it out?

Workout Wednesday: 10 Pound Slimdown Part Deux

First of all, thanks to everyone who commented on and off the blog about my downward mental spiral. I've never felt so bad about being normal! And those of you who commented/asked about coupons, how my love affair started and where our relationship is now, I shall dedicate a post to them specifically so that you all may learn the way of the coupon.

So the week isn't going any better, unfortunately. I have more to complain about, and really isn't that what blogs are for? Sure, there are miners being pulled from the earth after months underground, but I have problems, PEOPLE! Problem #1 and the topic of this post is the fact that I would tooootally never get out if I were trapped in a mine. Because after a week of INTENSE workouts as part of the 10 Lb Slimdown, Spark People told me I burned 1800 calories. Guess what I lost? HALF A FREAKING POUND. Half a pound!!

I'd so be the person in the mine they accuse of sneaking food and water. "Stephanie, you're not living off a lemon and granola bar like the rest of us, you CAN'T be because you've gained 12 pounds." They'd all end up eating me at the end of month 1.

All joking aside, I'm pretty devastated about this because I really put my heart and soul into this. I've never been this dedicated to a workout plan, and I was also STILL walking Cous Cous and we did a 4-mile walk at the zoo.

I'm struggling to get motivated this week because of the sheer time and energy it took out of me last week. I need more of  a showing to keep me on track! I am still pushing through, even despite the fact that I got a flu shot this week and my arm is painin'!

Workout Wednesday: 10 Pound Slimdown

I found a new workout plan for October. I moved on from my walking program for two reasons:

1) October is so unpredictable weather-wise in Minnesota that I need a good indoor program as a back-up.

2) Cous Cous loves the fall. I’ll discuss her dislike of winter and accompanying embarrassing accoutrement she needs in another post, but let’s leave it at this: that puppy loves piles of leaves. LOVES! Which makes our walks verrrry time consuming. We lovingly call her a “frolicking lollygagger.” Sometimes we call her less than loving things. The point is, it’s challenging to get a good stable cardio workout with her right now.

So I’ve moved on to Chris Freytag’s 10 Pound Slimdown which is on free with my Comcast On-Demand Exercise TV.

The Pros: I really like Chris’ attitude and moves. She is positive without being annoying and perky, and she doesn’t spend a lot of time doing deep breaths or other things to burn up time. You will get maximum cardio time from these workouts. I also like the Circuit Training because just as your muscles burn out from weights, you move on to cardio, and on and on. Also? This bad boy HURTS! In a good way. You definitely feel like you’re doing something. Lastly, I love that you have the weekends off in the beginning, it gives you a light at the end of the tunnel.

The Cons: The days where you have to do two workouts are KILLER! Especially when Cous Cous still needs her walk. Yesterday I walked her for 20 minutes and then did two workouts, which was over 40 minutes. An hour of cardio is a challenge, and it’s also sometimes difficult to do without getting up early. And I am not looking forward to moving up to the 6 days a week, that feels overwhelming, even if the workouts are only 20 minutes.

Like the last plan, I’m not necessarily focused on the 10 pound loss, although I would love to lose that before Wee ‘Burb’s first birthday, which is coming up next month. Since I’ve officially LOST THE BABY WEIGHT (YAY!) this is more for firming and toning and getting to a better weight than I have been previously. So the bottom line is, I’d be happy with 5 pounds.

So there it is! It’s a free workout so if you want to join me, I’d love to have some support. Or share your favorite workout program with me! What do you do when your workouts have to go indoors?

Things I Love Thursday: Sun Butter

I’ve been anxiously awaiting my weight loss plateau…the same way you know someone is mad at you and you anxiously await the inevitable confrontation. Typically, my plateau happens around 20 pounds, and when you have 40 to lose and you’re stuck at 20, it just feels like time to give up.

Well, my plateau never came. What happened instead was two pounds from my birthday goal (and also the loss of all my baby weight), I began to gain and lose the same three pounds. It’s been weeks now. I thought the plateau was bad, but seeing the scale go up when you’re working so hard is just a special brand of torture.

In the past, when I have plateaud, I’ve taken stock of my food and figured out how I can change it up, so I’ve been doing the same with…whatever this cosmic joke is. I went to one of my better weight loss sources, my sister-in-law. She’s my role model because when we go out, she has a blast, she eats what she wants, and you would just never know in the back of her head she’s calculating exactly what she needs to do the next day to make up for what she’s doing then. She also doesn’t eat a lot of overly processed frozen meals, etc. That was my huge mistake last time I was trying to lose weight. You can only live off frozen meals so long, gaining the weight back is inevitable when you try to do that.

Anyway, she suggested I focus on breakfast, and focus on protein, not carbs. She hit it spot on…I was constantly eating english muffins or toast or muffins. And then I wondered why I was starving at 10:00. She eats refried beans and makes a sort of breakfast burrito without the tortilla, but I just can’t get behind that for breakfast.

So I started researching things higher in protein, and I found a few Web sites that featured Sun Butter. In particular, I saw a lot of people pouring it in oatmeal. I’m not much of an oatmeal eater myself, but it looked good on the sites, and I needed a change.

This stuff is amazing! It is the richest flavor, and while it’s definitely oily, you don’t really need to stir it. It recommends keeping it in the fridge, but I prefer the oilier consistency, particularly when I add it to oatmeal because it mixes and melts in.

For those who don’t like the texture of peanut butter, or have peanut allergies, I highly recommend this substitute. While higher in fat, the protein levels are great, I’ve stayed full until lunch, and I am finally working my way back to getting to my pre-pregnancy weight.

My next step is to try some of their recipes, I will let you know how they go!

What do you do when you hit a weight loss plateau, or worse, gain weight when you’re doing what you’ve always done?

Things I Love Thursday: These Boots are Made for Walking

I should confess, I don’t have these boots yet. I just love what they represent to me right now.

I have been coveting these for months, ever since I saw them in a magazine. I was taken back to my childhood when I wore “galoshes” and splashing in a puddle was the greatest thing EVER.

I saw them and thought two things: 1) these are the cutest boots ever and 2) these are the least practical boots ever. I mean, I barely leave my house.

So, I put them aside and thought of them no more, until I began to start focusing on losing the baby weight. Like many women, I’ve gained and lost ad nauseam. I have a broader range of clothing sizes than The Gap. This time, I was hell-bent on taking my time and doing it slowly so it would last. This approach goes against my very soul, as I am the queen of Instant Gratification. But as I figured out, if you lose it fast, you gain it fast.

To maintain my sensible weight loss plan, I had to play some head games with myself. Embarrassing, but true. So I began to set little weight loss goals. At 15 pounds, I bought myself a massage. At 20 pounds, a manicure.

And, folks, you are seeing what I am getting for 30 pounds, a milestone I reached last week. It’s taken me since January to get here, it’s been a long journey, but here I am. And here are my boots, which shall arrive here in 3-5 days, just after the rain is going to stop. Great.

And now I need your help, Internet! My big goal is actually close, too. I want to hit 32 pounds by my 32nd birthday, which is this coming Tuesday. I’m close to reaching the goal, and I was going to treat myself to a housekeeper for a day to clean my house from top to bottom, but my awesome husband is getting that for my birthday.

And so, I need something to treat myself. Something bigger than boots but smaller than a trip to Napa (that’s my 50 lb prize, if I ever get there). Ideas??

What have you done to treat yourself? Some great things I’ve heard along the way include one woman who logged how many miles she ran in a year and then treated herself to a vacation that was the same mileage away! Do you have to do these little mind tricks or is the number on the scale enough motivation?