I’m starting today…yes, it’s Thursday. An odd day to start but I HAVE to. I feel out of control. And I’ve been putting it off since like May. It was summer, the boys were out of school, we were traveling, friends & family were visiting. I would start & then there would be a graduation or a birthday. I was in D.C. with close friends & family for a couple weeks, my hubs came home after being away 5 weeks & my sister came to visit from Denver and then yesterday one of my longest & dearest friends came to stay for a night as she & her family were driving across country. So any notion of getting back into a routine of a clean, majority raw diet & working out regularly was a joke. Not because it’s too constraining or because I have no will power. Though that can sometimes be true as well. It wasn’t going to happen because recalibrating my body is not just a physical thing. It means something different for everyone. For me it is getting myself mentally, spiritually & physically in balance. When all of those things line up for me I’m in a great mood, I have tons of energy, mental clarity & more focus. I want that all of the time. It is a redress of the current situation; repair & transformation. Well, the current situation is I gained 10 lbs on top of the 10 I’ve been trying to lose permanently for years now. What happens for me is I somehow lose focus- my husband deploys (Hooyah!) or he comes back after a long deployment, we move, my doctoral dissertation is due, the kids have two weeks off for “fall break,” etc. I’m blind-sided. Sometimes momentarily, other times for a bit longer but never long enough to be too far gone. So I recalibrate. I assess the damage. I am honest with myself.
I took my measurements this morning. I broke up with my scale. The mirror, how I feel in my clothes & these numbers will measure my progress. I’m concerned with being fit. I am a runner & I just recently started lifting weights (about 6 months ago.) I used to practice Bikram yoga regularly. I love it! It’s great for assisting in recalibration because it is both physical & mindful. However, it is quite expensive. I’m not biased to any one type of exercise…just get out there! I don’t love running. I started because I love the idea of being a runner. I loved seeing measurable progress & the runners high kept me going. Eventually I ran a 10k & just recently ran a half-marathon. I wasn’t seeing what I wanted to see from just running. I was working hard but my body wasn’t changing. I had been reading all over how weight training was essential to becoming a faster, stronger runner. This isn’t rocket science & I have no idea why it took me so long to actually incorporate it but boy, when I did…I noticed the progress immediately. My body was completely changing. I was tighter and even though the scale wasn’t changing I was firmer and more shapely. I still wasn’t losing the belly fat so I decided to recalibrate my diet. I cut my sugar and simple carbs out completely and within a couple weeks my stomach was the flattest and most defined it had been since before my youngest son was born. My legs were muscular but lean & my derriere was poppin’! As a result, I had so much energy, my mind was so clear & I had no sinus headaches, constipation or bloating. I was really please with my progress. This whole process took me about 3 years to get a grasp on what I wanted for myself; not only to be thin but fit & as healthy as I can be.
In order to get myself back in balance for the next 30 days I will:
1) Limit my alcohol intake to two glasses a week. (Let’s be real…I know I need to set realistic goals or there’s really no point, right?) I love wine & cocktails & beer so I find a balance I can live with long term.
2) Cut all white stuff, sugar & complex carbs. Whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa and millet can be added in gradually. I find that I’m best to wait about 2 weeks into cleansing before reincorporating the grains because it gives my body time to purge the carb cravings & distinguish what sort of carbs I thrive on.
3) Cut all pre-packaged. Punta final.
4) Eat preservative-free fruits & vegetables by the bunches.
5) Eat lean meats 2-3 times a week. The hierarchy: Wild fish & shellfish, organic free-range chicken & turkey, lean pork such as loins, organic grass-fed red meat such as beef or lamb.
6) Hydrate: Water- Cucumber water. Mint Water. Citrus water: lime, lemon, orange & grapefruit slices. Cococut water. Throw an herbal teabag in your water. The general rule of thumb is to drink half your weight in ounces. For example, a 140lb woman should drink at least 70oz. of H2O. 64oz is a gallon…I strive for 2 gallons. No, I do not weigh 248lbs…I’m 5 feet tall. That’s no bueno. I have a theory that I need more water to run efficiently because I still haven’t figured out completely what causes the water retention and I have less inflammation with 2 gallons than 1. This is part of figuring out what is right for YOU.
7) Take a daily vitamin & supplements you think will enhance your overall well-being. In my rotation: Daily vitamin (overall health), B-complex vitamin (energy), probiotic (digestion), food enzymes (digestion), MSM (joints, hair, skin & nails), Mag07 (digestion).
8) Drink green smoothies & juicing at least once a day.
9) Eat minimal dairy. This works for ME…we’re all different. My personal philosophy is everything in moderation. My family doesn’t drink cow’s milk (almond milk & the boys LOVE it!) but we eat eggs, greek yogurt and cheese occasionally. I don’t do fake cheese. I have the same outlook on food as I do designer handbags: Either I eat real cheese or I don’t eat cheese at all. I don’t do knock-offs. Ever. So with that being said, I eat raw goat cheese (easily digestible), heavy whipping cream on occasion, a little cream in my tea. But only the real stuff.
10) Run twice a week. This will keep up my endurance while I focus on getting my diet on track…diet is 80% of weight loss. 80%.
11) Weight train & HIIT 3 times a week. This is most effective for me in changing my body shape while cutting my carbs.
12) Get enough rest. A good night’s sleep is crucial to a healthy body & mind. I heard somewhere, if you don’t get enough rest your four year-old will pat you on the belly & ask you if you have a food baby in there…I’m just sayin’.
There’s more & I’ll discuss it along the way but this is a great start.
So for the next 30 days I’m going to hold myself accountable in a way I have never done…publicly. I will post everyday on my progress & at the end I will post Before & After pictures. Are you in? C’mon & join me…it’s only 30 days! What have you got to lose?!
love & light,
MK
