Day 44....oh bugger

Hi there,

Food wise...I am doing great....my appetite seems to have reduce and my shape is definately changing

Excercise wise I am having one day off...........just one. This is because I was poorly this morning (honest! very poorly tummy.....No excuses!!) and I have had a facial this evening and don't want to get all sweaty and worked up after that experience of bliss.

One day off only....trust me!!

This is working

However, I texted Paul Mort today to see if he would go soft on me (because I knew Dax would not) and let me do a work out double up in the evenings rather than Am and PM.....he said that twice a day hits the metabolism twice and reminded me that everything I want is just outside of my comfort zone......

So will I work out tonight despite facial??

Course I will.....going to keep that comfort zone in my mind as I progress as morning sessions are getting harder to get up for.........

xxxx Jo

Day 43....I believe....

To follow on from Dax' initiative, here is what I believe......(related to my current quest)

• I believe I have both the capacity and the ability to achieve my goals
• I believe I am a committed and tenacious person
• I believe I have the drive and the commitment to realise my dreams
• I believe that I can do the impossible I you commit
• I believe that my aspirations are the most important fuel for action
• I believe that sometimes I sell myself short, and this must change
• I believe I make excuses and I must learn to take responsibility
• I believe I sometimes blame my past for the challenges I experience today and it is time to reset the way I see things
• I believe I lie to myself and I must face the truth
• I believe I sometimes flake out when the going gets tough and I must stand up again
• I believe I can procrastinate and I must embrace the moment
• I believe I can change all of these things from this day forward
• I know I am going to win this one.....

xx Jo

Day 39- OMG today was hard....really hard...., really, really hard

Tired

Have gained a couple of pounds back despite staying completely 'on message'

And was starving today as my veggie shake was grim (too much gloopy Kale) and I rushed out of the house with barely anything on my tummy to do a really hard gig.

I was launching my first big research project to a crowd of potentially terrifying participants, and though it went really well, the leached me of energy!!

The food we had laid on for them was the big problem. In the morning, coffee, tea, pastries, muffins, smoothies......and there I am standing there with s stick of celery and a small tub of a bad batch of red pepper hummus I had made. I was famished and nearly fell off the waggon, telling myself I deserved a day off and the rest of the rubbish you tell yourself at these times.

But I persevered and at lunch time, the wheat free lunch I had ordered turned out to be full of pasta and dressing (??!!) which I rejected. The plates of wraps and sandwiches were screaming at me as the glycogen seeped out of my system, as were the slices of walnut cake.

I resisted and tucked into my dry, unappealing and hastily prepared 'plan B' lunch of spinach leaves, chicken and seeds.

But I did it. My head was banging as it has started to do on low carb days, but I did it. So hurrah!!

Have just made a chicken biryani using Quinoa instead of rice with a fresh veg curry sauce....lovely.

Lord knows where these pounds keep rebounding from.....my weight really is a bugger to shift!!!

Catch you tomorrow

xxx

Day 37....yee-haaaaa!!

Another pound off on the scales this morning which means 5 this week ( I think) and a total of 8 since starting the programme

And there I was thinking about quitting a week ago.......

There is a lesson in there I think

Feeling energetic, committed, focussed and happy.....oh, and slimmer!! What a difference that 8 pounds has made to how my waistline feels. Bought some fab black 'skinny flare' yesterday and they look crackin'........

Other good news is that my new food processor is making light work of soups, casseroles, home-made hummous and the veggie shakes I am having for breakfast. Have just had a red cabbage, goat's yoghurt, celery, red pepper and goat's yoghurt smoothie and it was surprisingly yummy. I might add an apple to tomorrow's as it is 'carb' day.....


xxxx

Day 36....going strong

Just a quick up-date

Scales said I am 12 st 11 this morning, which means 5 pounds lighter than 6 days ago...

Working hard at my movement and eating like an angel....really into this.......

Money is tight as good quality protein in the form of meat is not cheap!! However, I am managing to supplement with home made hummous, some quinoa and le Put lentils so over all things are good.....

Watch this space!! xx

Day 33.....Rapido!!

Good thing to note today....weight and shape are moving fast

On day 3 of my low carb days and coping though growing tired of meat!! Looking forward to a few starchy carbs tomorrow!!

I haven't felt too bad over all.......a bit headachy yesterday perhaps, but can feel the impact immediately. And the scales agree. I don't plan an all-out carbo fest tomorrow...and will have a few to supplement my protein rather than the other way round.

I almost went awry today....some might say I did. I missed morning exercise because I didn't get in from a night out until past 1 (drinking water!!) and then couldn't sleep. I was delivering lectures all day today to a group of new post grads on a topic I had never taught before so for once I resolved to do a double up this evening and did just that. I have a few reps to finish soon (mat work, interrupted by the arrival of dinner) but am pleased with having coped despite tiredness and a 6 day week.

However, I did order an Indian takeaway this evening and had tandoori meat and king prawns on a bed of spinach I prepared myself and with my own home-made Goat's yogurt Riatha. All protein, no banned stuff I think.....but a bit saturated in fat and not what I plan to repeat any time soon.

Off to finish today's reps....xxxx

Jo

Day 32....full of 'beans'....

Just a quickie,

I have been doing the Wave plan for 2 days now and am finding the physical sensation quite curious. I have been hungry, but the hunger is different to what I used to mistake as hunger and more bearable (though I have been eating every 3 hours too). It is totally different to the carb craving followed by carbs type of hunger I usually get at 10 and 3.

I feel leaner and quite detoxed. It is difficult and challenging, but feels somehow more manageable.

Strangely, I have just had a 3 egg omlette and a smoothie I made from a handful of kale, goat's yoghurt, a carrot and a stick of celery. It was strange, but palatable......odd.

I feel a bit hungry now.....only half an hour after and this must be due to my glycogen stores reducing

Did all my movement yesterday and started this morning with power circuit. Gave it my best.

So, all is ok....I hope I don't rob some random person of their ficelle as they walk through the city in a state of carb starvation, but apart from that, so real worries

xxx

Day 30....the storm has passed....

I went a bit mental yesterday, colleagues.

Having (calmly, initially) discovered the truth about my slow progress, I went a bit berserk and decided to jack it all in and do either lighter life or Cambridge....based on the fact that I am able to suffer discomfort, hardship and pay the price as long as I get results.

I left the online community, emailed Dax to say goodbye and stomped around in a mood.

I then slumped onto the sofa in a petulant manner and resolved not to do my dumbbell matrix. And watched TV all night......

Strange that. Did I have a coffee or a glass of wine or pig out?? No! Because there was nothing about my mood that was based on dissatisfaction with the plan....just the outcomes. In fact, while sitting there painting my nails, I actually decided to not return to eating from the banned list. That wasn't the point, after all.

And then a strange thing happened at 9.50pm. I just got up and did my exercises, and worked hard at it too......

I then stomped off to bed and lay there thinking about the sachet diet I planned to embrace before drifting off into a sleep that was full of odd dreams about iced, heart shaped cakes with the inscription 'So sorry, Jo' piped onto them.....

And then I woke up. And did my power circuit......strange that eh? Wasn't I quitting?

'Well, yes, I still am......just, you know....'

I got a very supportive email from Dax, who must see this sort of defeatism all of the time and I churlishly picked up my ball and decided to play again

I will be back to comment on the new habits I must form to do this new thing....which I embrace.

Just been to Pilates and booked in twice weekly sessions for January....love it and hate it simultaneously.....such is life eh?

So, did I fall off the waggon at all then? No!!! I find that very strange, in a good way....

Good night (and thanks Dax!!!) xxxx Jo

Day 29...the need to move beyond my comfort zone, faced with null results...

Oh dear, Comrades....

I did my measurements today and things have not changed....having lost only one kilo in the last 10 days and actually gained 2cm overall. What is happening here?

I am excercising, staying away from the banned list and feeling committed, though really really sad about the limited impact so far. Sure, I feel better and more flexible and all the rest, but I want results.

Perhaps I am still getting too much sugar in the form of dried fruit between meals, and it is possible that the brazil nuts I am eating do not work for my body, so I am going to give them all the chop from now and do an even stricter detox. And if after 10-30 days I am still not getting results I will panic. Seriously.

I have been doing some thinking about my personal comfort zone in the light of the words of Paul Mort, who has helped me greatly......


''I must give credit for some of this e-mail to my friend Shondelle myles over in LA who first introduced me to motivational speaker and Guru Les Brown. (You must check out some of his stuff on youtube by the way!)

He recently made this AMAZING statement that is so, so true!

'If you do what's hard, your life will be easy. If you do what's easy your life will be hard'
WOW!
This is soooo simple, yet totally inspires me. It applies not only to EVERYTHING in life but HUGELY to our health, fitness and fat loss goals.

Everything you’ve ever wanted really is just outside your comfort zone but what are you REALLY prepared to do to make your goals a reality?

Getting up in the morning to train is HARD
Doing interval training rather than power walking or jogging is HARD

Motivating yourself to exercise after a long day at work is HARD

Avoiding the many tempting foods that make you gain fat is HARD

Writing down what you eat and eating every 3 hours is pretty HARD

Drinking 3 litres or more of water a day can be HARD

Endless reps of push-ups, lunges and squats are HARD.

Making better choices when you eat out is HARD

Skipping dessert and the glass of wine at dinner is often HARD

However, in the bigger picture, pushing yourself to do these HARD things DEFINITELY make your life easier and all together more enjoyable by:

• Giving your confidence and self esteem a massive boost
• Turbo Charging your metabolism making it EASIER to burn fat
• Boosting your energy making everything you do a little easier
• Eliminating many medications you might be taking for diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol

The bottom line is, eating right, exercising regularly, and taking time for yourself to IS sometimes HARD, but the benefits you will reap will FAR outweigh the discomfort you feel in the moment.

Do what is hard and reap the benefits

After all- Everything You Have Ever Wanted IS Just Outside Your Comfort Zone'

See Paul's full post at: https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=37075819&postID=5363641300289355428



Good words....I can add that getting a null result after 30 days is also hard....bloody hard and I will go and reflect on that one!! xxx

Jo

Day 27.....all is still ok

Almost 4 weeks now and I must say I am loving the food. I have found a way to make so many things from the foods available to me and the outcomes are always more tasty and easier to digest.

I have not skipped one single ex. session this week, though slightly concerned that my weight is the same as it was last week. I just can't seem to shift the pounds and am hoping that they start moving soon.....

I am feeling different physically....more toned and less bulky around the middle though am not amazed by the outcomes after a month. 3.5 pounds in weight is a bit of a let down.

Having said that, I will not give up.

I took Dax' advice and watched the IMT video again and corrected some mistakes I was making, primarily shoulders back, tummy in and butt cheeks squeezed. Getting through my routine is not a hassle and I am now doing 12 on the upper body and 16 on the lower body.

Off to make some guacamole and oatcakes....

But before I do, some of the benefits I have noticed during the first 4 weeks of the programme:

• Skin- clear, smooth, no dark circles under eyes


• Energy levels- much higher, no afternoon slump


• Sugar cravings- gone!!!


• Eating- no desire to deviate from the plan at present though a little wheat flexibility would be nice at times


• Portions- reduced


• Snacking- every 2-3 hours, not feeling any need to 'graze'


• Emotional eating- recognised via food diary and therefore minimized. I started to realise that I sometimes snacked when I was facing something challenging and almost needed to distract myself


• Flexibility- unbelievably increased


• Physique- small changes....muffin top reduced


• Motivation- high, though would be enhanced if I was seeing more results

That's all for now xxxx

Day 24.....and doing ok

Munchies today, but did all that was required of me and am getting used to smaller portions and eating a tablespoon of brown rice with my stir fry.

Tooth whitening working like a dream....feeling happy

Night night

xxx Jo

Day 22 in the Detox house....Jo has got the wind back in her sails

Just a quickie....

Yesterday- good stuff. Started IMT in the morning but ran out of time before the leg moves, so added them onto 3DDDM last night. Not ideal, but better than nothing.

Eating since the wheat/sugar/lard encounter has been excellent. Body feeling well again, bloatedness reduced and I have lost that 3 pounds again.

Just goes to show what this stuff can do to your body.......

This morning I have done power circuit....fab!! By 40 reps, I am doing 2 rotations of the upper body as 1 rep....so back and forth = 1....hope that is right.

The best thing to report is my skin....unbelievable. Dark circles and puffiness around the eyes banished- my skin has never looked so radiant, ever.

I started this morning's food with a 3 egg omelet and a few prunes with goat's yoghurt. I didn't fancy rye bread today so chose fruit instead.

Lunch will be vegetable and lentil soup I made Sunday and dinner.....well, who knows eh?

xxxx Jo

Still day 20....struggling to get my 'leg over'...:-)

Just a quickie

Had some terrific support from fellow travellers and Dax with regards to my slip ups and have eaten well all day as usual.

Did manage to go grain and flour free for a good old day of clean food and made a roast for Sunday lunch....just chicken, roasted roots and braised red cabbage. Lovely

Anyway, ran through the dumbbell matrix....crikey that is challenging!! Could do them all except the 'leg over' move....just can't seem to launch myself into that one. Patience is a virtue they say

Catch you tomorrow

xxx Jo

Day 20 and well, I kinda, woulda, coulda shoulda.......

Oh dear.

I have been trying to avoid this moment

I wanted to lie....to pretend I am still doing well....to hide under my duvet until the truth went away.

The truth? I messed up. On Friday I only did one round of IMT because my day got off to a bad start and I allowed myself to get distracted.

Yesterday, I did one session of IMT in the morning and allowed myself to skip the evening session because I was going to a fancy dress party

I have also discovered some quite innocuous looking cheat foods....Tyrell's roasted vegetable crisps....no additives, just bits of deep fried parsnip, beetroot and carrot. I had two hand fulls yesterday.

The other cheat food I have discovered is an innocent looking Spanish 'date and walnut wheel'....just pressed dates and walnuts in a wheel. So yummy, and sugary and like toffee and not on the banned list at all. Surely it is ok then?

Perhaps it is, until you consider that I ate 1/4 of it a day across my snacks for 4 days which amounts to 400 extra sugary calories a day. Perhaps I should view that as a 'one day' natural, additive free treat that I have discovered as opposed to a regular comestible for today. What do I think this is??!! A holiday camp??!!!

Lordy, I am angry. Angry at the fact that I didn't eat properly before going to a party last night dressed as Ann Boleyn (hence silly photo). I didn't eat from the buffet when everyone else did....oh no!! Not me!!

I fell off the waggon when some dark chocolate and nuts were brought round. I had one. Then another. Then before I knew it I was reaching for a whipped lemon fresh cream chocolate as the tray passed by my nose. And then the sponge cake and ice cream came and went. Down my neck. And then, because the floodgates were opened, I ate two slices of the cold garlic baguette I had so carefully avoided earlier. And didn't do my planned second IMT when I got home at midnight because I felt so sick and bloated.

I am angry because I felt for the biggest lie in the world, as cited by Dax Moy.....

The World's Greatest Lie Is This; at a certain point in our lives,
we lose control of what's happening to us, and our lives become
controlled by fate"
-King Mechezzedek From Paulo Coelho's 'The Alchemist'

So was it fate that led me to eating those things or avoiding my work-out? No, it was choice. I have the answers, but I must revisit the questions.....why am I doing this?? I am doing this because I don't feel attractive and because I want to be slim and healthy and slow down the aging process as I head towards 40......

Another motivation is this dress.....which I will have to wear at a wedding on April 16th. Have a look at it with me......can you see me at my current state wearing that? No!!! So what is wrong with me??? I am so angry today.

Despite this anger I avoided what Paul Mort refers to as 'Flat Tyre Theory'....rather than abandon my quest because my tyre went a bit wobbly, I will continue. I have decided to have a lean protein and vegetables only day today, no flours, breads or grains. I intent to make a lovely chicken dinner with roasted roots and make a vegetable and lentil broth for supper.

I can do this and I want to. I did a brave thing. I submitted my stats to Dax as they are today rather than wait until my body corrects itself after my binge. I was doing ok until yesterday, having shed another pound totalling 6 and a quarter. I woke up this morning a massive 3.5 pounds heavier than yesterday....illustrating the outcomes of falling off the waggon

That'll teach me!!

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