Well, it's almost the end of 2013... I am currently weighing in at 133 still. I am pretty comfortable at this weight, which is probably why I haven't loss any more. When I say comfortable though, I don't mean satisfied or finished at this weight. This year has been a crazy year. I started this year as a stay at home mom looking to get back in the esthetician business. Once I got a job that was when the weight loss slowed way down. On top of my new job I started school again and have been a full time student since the summer and have actually landed a new work position being an esthetician at a resort now. It has been a crazy year and I am finally at a place where I think I can just be still and focus on my health and family more.
The big question is, how am I going to lose this last twenty pounds? It doesn't sound like much, but it takes a lot of work and dedication. I'm having trouble losing it like I did back in 2009. There is just no way I can do that with a husband and baby. So it really comes down to: how and where am I going to exercise? Am I going to do calorie counting or medifast? I haven't decided yet but when I do I will post my progress.
Monday, November 11, 2013
Monday, July 8, 2013
Not Doing Paleo Anymore...
Okay so I really didnt do very well at keeping up with this blog did I. I think the main reason was that as I have less to lose as I did in the beginning when I started at 154, the weight has been coming off far more slowly. This is to be expected it is simple basic science. I am not going to sit here and say that I have been doing everything perfect in accordance with the Paleo diet either. As I started to evaluate my situation and knowing that the weight is going to come off slower I decided to adjust exactly what "diet" I am on.
I do think the Paleo diet is a great diet for a couple reasons. It is low carb, high in protein, high in vegetables, high in healthy fats and very anti packaged foods. The reason I dont find myself following this diet long term anymore is because I don't want to eliminate foods just because in theory the hunter gatherers wouldnt have been able to prepare them. Believe it or not I am a fan of technology and that with technology we are able to make greater use of the Earths resources by our ever evolving brains and capabilities. So I am going to have dairy, corn, beans and potatoes in moderation and enjoy it...
I think back in August 2012 when I lost 15 pounds in one month, and I think I didnt realize exactly how much of that was my doing and normal body elimination and not totally thanks to the Paleo diet. If you cut carbohydrates significantly from your diet you are going to lose weight, that is just a fact. But I also exercised and I ate small portions and I ate every couple hours and drank lots of water. This last time when I tried to do Paleo I was finding the scale move slower and I was getting frustrated with "oh well I cant have this, the cavemen couldnt do it." So I would go hours without eathing because I couldnt figure out what to have and then BAM I would be very hungry and then start munching on the cookies or bag of Doritos at my dads house.
So this is where I am at right now. From about May-June I was really just maintaining the 5 pound loss I achieved. I wasn't motivated and was uninspired. I have since been re inspired by watching one of my really good friends lose weight on the Medifast diet. I personally can not fit the Medifast program into my finances but I understand its science. 5 small meals a day and a healthy lean and green at night. I have been following this on my own with a low carb plan and have been tracking my calories on the loseit ap on my iphone. I have always been using loseit but I depend on it a lot more now and am being consistent with it. Best of all it is free and its up to me. I dont get caught up in "is this paleo" anymore and this leads to far fewer headaches and eating a lot more things that I like. I dont know if its the Spaniard, French or Mexican in me but I love family dinners. I love wine and good food and there is a way to lose weight and maintain by enjoying these small pleasures in this very short life. I did it in 2009 and I am doing it again. I started this blog at 140 in March and today in July I am 132 just a few ounces away from 131. Slowly but surely I am getting to my goal of 110. Oh btw I changed my goal from 115 to 110 (my pre-pregnancy weight). It doesnt seem so much on the horizon anymore, more like the oil rigs at sea ;).
Here is a side by side of my 8-9 pound weight loss since March 2013.
I do think the Paleo diet is a great diet for a couple reasons. It is low carb, high in protein, high in vegetables, high in healthy fats and very anti packaged foods. The reason I dont find myself following this diet long term anymore is because I don't want to eliminate foods just because in theory the hunter gatherers wouldnt have been able to prepare them. Believe it or not I am a fan of technology and that with technology we are able to make greater use of the Earths resources by our ever evolving brains and capabilities. So I am going to have dairy, corn, beans and potatoes in moderation and enjoy it...
I think back in August 2012 when I lost 15 pounds in one month, and I think I didnt realize exactly how much of that was my doing and normal body elimination and not totally thanks to the Paleo diet. If you cut carbohydrates significantly from your diet you are going to lose weight, that is just a fact. But I also exercised and I ate small portions and I ate every couple hours and drank lots of water. This last time when I tried to do Paleo I was finding the scale move slower and I was getting frustrated with "oh well I cant have this, the cavemen couldnt do it." So I would go hours without eathing because I couldnt figure out what to have and then BAM I would be very hungry and then start munching on the cookies or bag of Doritos at my dads house.
So this is where I am at right now. From about May-June I was really just maintaining the 5 pound loss I achieved. I wasn't motivated and was uninspired. I have since been re inspired by watching one of my really good friends lose weight on the Medifast diet. I personally can not fit the Medifast program into my finances but I understand its science. 5 small meals a day and a healthy lean and green at night. I have been following this on my own with a low carb plan and have been tracking my calories on the loseit ap on my iphone. I have always been using loseit but I depend on it a lot more now and am being consistent with it. Best of all it is free and its up to me. I dont get caught up in "is this paleo" anymore and this leads to far fewer headaches and eating a lot more things that I like. I dont know if its the Spaniard, French or Mexican in me but I love family dinners. I love wine and good food and there is a way to lose weight and maintain by enjoying these small pleasures in this very short life. I did it in 2009 and I am doing it again. I started this blog at 140 in March and today in July I am 132 just a few ounces away from 131. Slowly but surely I am getting to my goal of 110. Oh btw I changed my goal from 115 to 110 (my pre-pregnancy weight). It doesnt seem so much on the horizon anymore, more like the oil rigs at sea ;).
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Finishing up Week 1
The first few days were a little tough I am not going to lie. I felt the detox for sure. Headaches, fatigue, a little achy nothing too ridiculous but I could feel it. Even though I have pretty much cut most dairy out of my diet for almost a year I was craving ice cream! So weird... Then by about Thursday I was generally having no more cravings for my beloved starchy grains and sugary treats...
I said this before when I did Paleo last year. I am NOT very hungry at all. It is bizarre. Well I guess its not; It's actually science I guess. The processed grains in our diet spike our glycemic index because they turn straight to sugar and then when you crash, which doesn't take long, you are hungry again. Paleo diet is very low glycemic index. When you are eating bunches of vegetation, fruits, nuts & seeds, healthy fats and lean animal protein you are FULL. It takes a while for your body to digest these things because it wants to take all it can get since there is so much for these foods to offer your body. I know this is all so trivial we ALL know these things because its our instincts to know what real food is.... Its so amazing though how we can turn it off because its just not as convenient. Although I have had a pretty healthy diet for a while now there is no question that I can easily combine it with too many carbs. When I was pregnant I stayed away from processed foods and have avoided fast food for a few years now; but I love pasta, homemade sandwiches with too much avocado, brown rice, english muffins etc... I would try and validate it by saying "but its from Trader Joes.." But at the end of the day, sugar is sugar. These things in moderation are fine and life would be sucky without them once in a while but its easy to overdo and to have a carb based meal at each meal of the day.
I can honestly say that eating healthy can absolutely be convenient. My shake is easy to make, my salads with my pre-chopped/washed salad simple, grabbing a handful of nuts obviously easy. The only thing I really need to do a little preparation for is dinner and its really not that hard to cook some veggies and chicken. Not to mention I enjoy making my family dinners with a fancy spin on them. Doesn't sound like a lot of food but I promise it is if you allow yourself to feel it. Grains turn to sugar, sugar makes you hungry... Cut out the grains and you will be fuller.
*Quinoa is a seed not a grain so absolutely eat this. It does have a higher carbohydrate level so I am holding off on incorporating it back into my diet until I am closer to reaching my goal.
I am down three pounds after week one. Im not discouraged, Im not starving... If anything I am mad at myself that I didnt just keep this up because it can be so easy if you let it be. Thanks everyone for your support and asking me questions and allowing me to share the knowledge I have gained in nutrition these past few years. Every month I seem to learn something new and I love sharing it with others.
I said this before when I did Paleo last year. I am NOT very hungry at all. It is bizarre. Well I guess its not; It's actually science I guess. The processed grains in our diet spike our glycemic index because they turn straight to sugar and then when you crash, which doesn't take long, you are hungry again. Paleo diet is very low glycemic index. When you are eating bunches of vegetation, fruits, nuts & seeds, healthy fats and lean animal protein you are FULL. It takes a while for your body to digest these things because it wants to take all it can get since there is so much for these foods to offer your body. I know this is all so trivial we ALL know these things because its our instincts to know what real food is.... Its so amazing though how we can turn it off because its just not as convenient. Although I have had a pretty healthy diet for a while now there is no question that I can easily combine it with too many carbs. When I was pregnant I stayed away from processed foods and have avoided fast food for a few years now; but I love pasta, homemade sandwiches with too much avocado, brown rice, english muffins etc... I would try and validate it by saying "but its from Trader Joes.." But at the end of the day, sugar is sugar. These things in moderation are fine and life would be sucky without them once in a while but its easy to overdo and to have a carb based meal at each meal of the day.
I can honestly say that eating healthy can absolutely be convenient. My shake is easy to make, my salads with my pre-chopped/washed salad simple, grabbing a handful of nuts obviously easy. The only thing I really need to do a little preparation for is dinner and its really not that hard to cook some veggies and chicken. Not to mention I enjoy making my family dinners with a fancy spin on them. Doesn't sound like a lot of food but I promise it is if you allow yourself to feel it. Grains turn to sugar, sugar makes you hungry... Cut out the grains and you will be fuller.
*Quinoa is a seed not a grain so absolutely eat this. It does have a higher carbohydrate level so I am holding off on incorporating it back into my diet until I am closer to reaching my goal.
I am down three pounds after week one. Im not discouraged, Im not starving... If anything I am mad at myself that I didnt just keep this up because it can be so easy if you let it be. Thanks everyone for your support and asking me questions and allowing me to share the knowledge I have gained in nutrition these past few years. Every month I seem to learn something new and I love sharing it with others.
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
My regular day to day Paleo foods
I am someone who needs a routine to keep me grounded and consistent. I thought I would share my typical paleo diet day in case someone needs some inspiration.
Breakfast: (simple and fast)
3 strips turkey bacon
2 fried eggs in coconut oil
This not only keeps me full for hours and hours, but its super fast and easy to make with a toddler demanding breakfast and snacks and Mickey Mouse and diaper changes. You get the point...
Lunch: (easy filling salad)
Pre-chopped lettuce -I like the bags at Trader Joes
Avocado
Chicken - I like the canned chicken at Costco for its easiness
Sunflower seeds
Little olive oil
Snack ideas:
Roasted seaweed snacks
Brazil Nuts (easy on these though)
Mid day Smoothie (I usually make it around 3pm)
1 cup almond milk
1 cup blueberries
1 banana
2 tbsp chocolate hemp protein powder
1 tsp kelp powder (for minerals)
Dinner:
A meat serving (we eat a lot of lean chicken on almost a daily basis)
Brocolli sauteed in olive oil with garlic and onions
Dessert:
In a blender pour about 2 ounces almond milk
a 1/2 cup of frozen strawberries
a 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
Add in about a 1/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Blend until chunky but kind of creamy
Pour in a dish, cover with *paleo granola, drizzle honey and shredded coconut
*There are so many paleo granola recipes online, pick whichever sounds the best to you :). I found this one online and I love it. I didnt add the coconut shreds, just sliced almonds, brazil nuts and sunflower seeds.
http://carrotsncake.com/2013/01/my-paleo-granola-recipe.html
Hope this all helps.
Breakfast: (simple and fast)
3 strips turkey bacon
2 fried eggs in coconut oil
This not only keeps me full for hours and hours, but its super fast and easy to make with a toddler demanding breakfast and snacks and Mickey Mouse and diaper changes. You get the point...
Lunch: (easy filling salad)
Pre-chopped lettuce -I like the bags at Trader Joes
Avocado
Chicken - I like the canned chicken at Costco for its easiness
Sunflower seeds
Little olive oil
Snack ideas:
Roasted seaweed snacks
Brazil Nuts (easy on these though)
Mid day Smoothie (I usually make it around 3pm)
1 cup almond milk
1 cup blueberries
1 banana
2 tbsp chocolate hemp protein powder
1 tsp kelp powder (for minerals)
Dinner:
A meat serving (we eat a lot of lean chicken on almost a daily basis)
Brocolli sauteed in olive oil with garlic and onions
Dessert:
In a blender pour about 2 ounces almond milk
a 1/2 cup of frozen strawberries
a 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
Add in about a 1/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Blend until chunky but kind of creamy
Pour in a dish, cover with *paleo granola, drizzle honey and shredded coconut
*There are so many paleo granola recipes online, pick whichever sounds the best to you :). I found this one online and I love it. I didnt add the coconut shreds, just sliced almonds, brazil nuts and sunflower seeds.
http://carrotsncake.com/2013/01/my-paleo-granola-recipe.html
Hope this all helps.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Paleo Diet Day 1
I am 140 pounds at 5 feet tall. Am I obese? No I’m not. But
I am overweight. Being overweight is not as extreme but it still hinders my
life greatly. I don’t like that my closet is full of old baggyclothes because I have
to wear the same weekly outfits since that is all that fits me right now. I don’t
want to spend money and go shopping because I will have to settle for clothes
that I don’t like and that are probably not very fashion forward for my age, so
that sucks the fun out of that. I am a
24 year old mother to a 1 and a half year old. I can't blame it on the baby weight alone because that’s not what it is. I
gained too much weight while pregnant because that was something I allowed myself to
do. I have to do something about it.
At this point its my weight, not baby weight anymore. So here I go back on Paleo diet.
Why the paleo diet? A little background; I was petite my whole life until my senior year of high school. I developed horrific eating habits and became very sedentary after my school activities were over. I reached 140 pounds at age 20 years old resulting in a 40 pound weight gain in just 3 years. I lost the weight by age 21 by hard core portion control and regular exercise. Now that I am a mom I cant do it the way I did a few years ago because my lifestyle is not free like it used to be. I cant work out all the time, I have a childs schedule to follow and I cant make it through my day hungry and grumpy. I would not be the best mom I can be if I do it that way. The Paleo diet is very low carb which is hard but I know is effective. This is actually not my first time attempting the paleo diet. August 2012 I had reached 155lbs and felt I had to do something severe. I did and one month later I got down to 140. The reason I stopped was because I got hit with a bad cold, then the holidays hit and have really put a wrench in the process. So here I go again and I hope I can go all the way to my goal weight of 115!
My first weight loss in 2009 I had the support of my friends at my Cosmetology Academy. I never realized how essential a support team is because dieting as a stay at home mom is extremely challenging. No accountability... So please feel free to message me or comment and say yo Jackie, whats the deal with your diet?! I know at the end of the day its my will power but a cheerleader never hurt anything ;)...
This was me at 155lbs in July 2012, right before Paleo attempt 1. (10 months post partum) :(
This is me now at 140. (18 months post partum) Ive been able to maintain but ready to go the
25lb weight loss! :)
God says to treat your body like a temple. I want to do that because I know it not only glorifies him but because he knows what he is talking about. The healthier you are the happier a person you can be so you can enjoy all of lifes blessings that he has to offer. Christianity + Paleo is controversial but I know who I am and I am strong in my faith where I can balance it out. Thanks for reading! I will try to post a weekly progress.
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