It's been three weeks since my declaration of health and weight loss, and I must say I've done well. I've stuck to my plan and exercised 4-5days a week, using Power 90. I've decided to keep Zumba for when I get bored and need something new. So for now it's Power 90 which I have to say I really enjoy. It's easy to follow, it doesn't take up a ton of time to do, the movements are basic but definitely work, and Tony Horton gives you great tips about how to make things easier or harder and how to keep good form so you don't hurt yourself. I also love that it shows you where you are in the work out to know how much further you have to go. That way I can pace myself and not push too hard too soon. Michael has even started doing it with me this week which I wasn't sure I would like, but I find it really motivating. He's super competitive and usually I'm not, but for once I want to be better at something then him!!
The results of my efforts have really surprised me. I feel really good. My back hasn't bothered me since the end of the first week and my knees are starting to feel better. The scale hasn't moved much, down 3lbs, but I've lost a total of 6.5 inchs overall. I'm really amazed how fast my body is responding.
This week we're getting a little more crazy. I've done a TON of reading on health and proper nutrition and in my travels stumbled across a site called Beyond Diet. It has really peaked my curiosity since it's not about 'dieting', it's about improving your diet. The focus is on nutrient dense food that work with your body to keep you healthy and help your body burn fat. It had a ton of information on foods that we think are good for us that are really doing more harm then good. For example butter (which we all assume is bad for us). Butter comes from cream. That is it's only ingredient. Yes it is high in fat, but it has good fat that actually helps our bodies burn fat. Eating fat does not make us fat, it's eating processed, over refined, surgary things that are making us fat. There was a ton of facts on butter that I can't remember, but she made some good points. Anyways, it's something I want to learn more about and something I really want to try. So we're going to take the two week challenge the site recommends to get your metabolism going. Michael has agreed to it with me (which I think he's now regretting!!)
We'll be following three rules:
1. Nothing to drink but water. One cup of coffee or tea, black is allowed. Michael doesn't drink just water so he's going to drink crystal light.
2. Nothing white. ie: no white bread, pasta, sugar, white rice and most milk products (eggs and cheese are allowed)
3. No wheat or anything with wheat in the ingredients list. (This one could be hard, but we'll see.)
The information on wheat that I've read is that a lot of people are intolerant to it but most people don't show any symptoms, and if you are intolerant your body converts it directly into fat. Lovely. So for this last rule i've had to do some planning since we are big whole wheat bread eaters. I'm making my own bread with spelt flour, I've bought spelt and brown rice pasta and brown rice instead of white rice.
It's going to be a challenging two weeks, but I'm ready to make some bigger changes, and see some bigger results. Very curious to see how these changes affect my weight, my mental clarity, my energy level, my skin etc etc. I'll keep you posted!! Wish us luck!
Sunday 26 February 2012
Sunday 12 February 2012
A letter to myself
As our friends are starting to have kids and struggle with adjusting to their new roles it's made me think about what I would tell myself if I could go back and give myself some advice. Here is what I would say.
Dear Self,
You're about to go on the biggest journey of your life, and you need to know a few things before the time comes.
This is going to be hard. Harder then you can even imagined hard. You will get no more then 4 interrupted hours of sleep at a time for the next 9 months and the intense sleep deprivation will make you feel like you're loosing control. Oh, speaking of which, you will have no control. The babies will dictate when you eat, when you sleep, when you go to the bathroom, when you shower, when you have a moment to spend with your husband, they will have all the control.
You will attempt the 'sleep when they sleep' thing and realize that it just doesn't work cause when the twins are sleeping you will sit in the chair beside their play pen and waiting for the next 'crisis', running through endless scenarios of how you will handle it and will you be able to do what needs to be done by yourself.
Accept help, and ask for it when you need it, but also know there is such a thing as too much help. You need to learn to do things on your own to gain confidence. Thank people for their offer to help but then explain you need to do it yourself. You will come to really enjoy the nights because it's the only time you'll be alone.
You will feel sorry for yourself and cry. A lot. You will wonder 'why me' in regards to why you had twins and realize you haven't really dealt with the news. It will take some time but you will adjust and eventually learn to love it. You will question if you were ready for this and you will doubt your abilities and wonder if you're doing enough.
You will question every decision you make and wonder if there even is a right answer to most of these questions. Use your common sense and follow your gut. They will never lead you astray. You will also feel judged by everyone, including the little old lady at Shoppers Drug Mart who will ask you a hundred questions and then frown and scowl when you say something she doesn't approve of. You will also get questioned to the death about breast feeding, since apparently your breasts are now a topic for public conversation, and get judged and criticized for choosing to bottle feed. You will also feel chocked to death by all the literature that is being sent to you about why breast is best and get really pissed off when you realize that all over the can of formula you buy it too is pretty much telling you you're making the wrong choice. You will also want to punch your public health nurse who keeps harping at you about it and eventually tell her not to come back and not to call anymore. You don't need her 'support' and perhaps she should work on her acceptance of others decisions and support them in their decisions instead of forcing her way on them....what you'll really want to say is 'Fuck you, get out of my house!' You do not owe anyone any explanations for your choice, you made the right decision for you.
You are going to feel as though you're loosing your identity and will long for and crave to do something other then feed, change, burp and rock babies. When your friend comes over and offers to watch the kids you will never have been so happy to do laundry and dishes because it doesn't involve babies!
You are not going to feel that TV/Movie, all consuming, cry your eyes out and make great decelerations of love about your babies when they are born. Bonding will be difficult for you and you will wonder if it's every going to happen. It will take several months to get from 'I like you. You're really cute' to 'I would give up anything (and I have!!) because I love you so much and will do anything for you'.
Your marriage will not come out unscathed either. Your focus has gone from each other to the babies, and it's suppose to, but make time for one another. Don't blame or criticize each other, it will only cause resentment. You're both learning and doing the best you can. Support each other and keep talking, cause soon enough you'll find your rhythm and get use to your new roles and wonder what did you do before kids?
Lastly, don't be so hard on yourself. You're doing the best you can and you are doing a good job. You're strong and capable and you need to see that in yourself and trust yourself. Lean on your husband, he's in this with you. Try to enjoy the little moments along with the big ones cause you may only get to do this once.
Sincerely,
Future Self
Dear Self,
You're about to go on the biggest journey of your life, and you need to know a few things before the time comes.
This is going to be hard. Harder then you can even imagined hard. You will get no more then 4 interrupted hours of sleep at a time for the next 9 months and the intense sleep deprivation will make you feel like you're loosing control. Oh, speaking of which, you will have no control. The babies will dictate when you eat, when you sleep, when you go to the bathroom, when you shower, when you have a moment to spend with your husband, they will have all the control.
You will attempt the 'sleep when they sleep' thing and realize that it just doesn't work cause when the twins are sleeping you will sit in the chair beside their play pen and waiting for the next 'crisis', running through endless scenarios of how you will handle it and will you be able to do what needs to be done by yourself.
Accept help, and ask for it when you need it, but also know there is such a thing as too much help. You need to learn to do things on your own to gain confidence. Thank people for their offer to help but then explain you need to do it yourself. You will come to really enjoy the nights because it's the only time you'll be alone.
You will feel sorry for yourself and cry. A lot. You will wonder 'why me' in regards to why you had twins and realize you haven't really dealt with the news. It will take some time but you will adjust and eventually learn to love it. You will question if you were ready for this and you will doubt your abilities and wonder if you're doing enough.
You will question every decision you make and wonder if there even is a right answer to most of these questions. Use your common sense and follow your gut. They will never lead you astray. You will also feel judged by everyone, including the little old lady at Shoppers Drug Mart who will ask you a hundred questions and then frown and scowl when you say something she doesn't approve of. You will also get questioned to the death about breast feeding, since apparently your breasts are now a topic for public conversation, and get judged and criticized for choosing to bottle feed. You will also feel chocked to death by all the literature that is being sent to you about why breast is best and get really pissed off when you realize that all over the can of formula you buy it too is pretty much telling you you're making the wrong choice. You will also want to punch your public health nurse who keeps harping at you about it and eventually tell her not to come back and not to call anymore. You don't need her 'support' and perhaps she should work on her acceptance of others decisions and support them in their decisions instead of forcing her way on them....what you'll really want to say is 'Fuck you, get out of my house!' You do not owe anyone any explanations for your choice, you made the right decision for you.
You are going to feel as though you're loosing your identity and will long for and crave to do something other then feed, change, burp and rock babies. When your friend comes over and offers to watch the kids you will never have been so happy to do laundry and dishes because it doesn't involve babies!
You are not going to feel that TV/Movie, all consuming, cry your eyes out and make great decelerations of love about your babies when they are born. Bonding will be difficult for you and you will wonder if it's every going to happen. It will take several months to get from 'I like you. You're really cute' to 'I would give up anything (and I have!!) because I love you so much and will do anything for you'.
Your marriage will not come out unscathed either. Your focus has gone from each other to the babies, and it's suppose to, but make time for one another. Don't blame or criticize each other, it will only cause resentment. You're both learning and doing the best you can. Support each other and keep talking, cause soon enough you'll find your rhythm and get use to your new roles and wonder what did you do before kids?
Lastly, don't be so hard on yourself. You're doing the best you can and you are doing a good job. You're strong and capable and you need to see that in yourself and trust yourself. Lean on your husband, he's in this with you. Try to enjoy the little moments along with the big ones cause you may only get to do this once.
Sincerely,
Future Self
Tuesday 7 February 2012
It's a New Day
Today was a good day. I rocked my exam, when I came home, my laundry was done, the floors were washed the dog was walked and the kids were happy and playing. God I love Mom's. Well Dad's too...he kept the kids occupied and took the dog for a walk. Seriously, what on earth would we do without parents? It's better then Christmas when they do that for me. Now all I have to worry about is dinner and bedtime. Awesome!
I did my first Zumba class last night. I've been feeling like a real bag of ass lately. Everything hurts. My knees, my back, my shoulders, my sciatica keeps acting up. I've been seeing my Chiropractor twice a week for a few weeks now cause I just can't get things under control. It's pathetic really that my body feels like it's falling apart and I'm only 28! So enough is enough. I decided it's time to get serious about being healthy and getting some of this weight off me. Time to give my poor spine a break. I've made a plan (cause if we fail to plan we plan to fail!) with a little help from my cousin who has managed to take the weight off and keep it off, that it's about small changes and building on them. So for the next 3 weeks it's all about exercise. Zumba on Monday nights and then I have an at home exercise program called Power 90 that I downloaded. I'm modifying it to fit my needs, but I think it should be do-able. The owner of the studio where I'm doing Zumba recommended a certain Yoga class to help me with my 'condition' (ie: fat, out of shape with low back, pelvis and hip problems!!), so I'd like to give that a try at some point. After the 3 weeks then I'll look at changing something else for a specific period of time. My cousin made the very good point of it's just too hard to wake up one day and say 'That's it. I'm done with all my bad habits. I'm going to do everything right from here on out'.
Today is a new day. I feel good things are coming and I'm just going to role with it. Oh, and don't judge me if I fall off the wagon here and there...this declaration in blog form is a lot of pressure! I'll keep you all posted.
I did my first Zumba class last night. I've been feeling like a real bag of ass lately. Everything hurts. My knees, my back, my shoulders, my sciatica keeps acting up. I've been seeing my Chiropractor twice a week for a few weeks now cause I just can't get things under control. It's pathetic really that my body feels like it's falling apart and I'm only 28! So enough is enough. I decided it's time to get serious about being healthy and getting some of this weight off me. Time to give my poor spine a break. I've made a plan (cause if we fail to plan we plan to fail!) with a little help from my cousin who has managed to take the weight off and keep it off, that it's about small changes and building on them. So for the next 3 weeks it's all about exercise. Zumba on Monday nights and then I have an at home exercise program called Power 90 that I downloaded. I'm modifying it to fit my needs, but I think it should be do-able. The owner of the studio where I'm doing Zumba recommended a certain Yoga class to help me with my 'condition' (ie: fat, out of shape with low back, pelvis and hip problems!!), so I'd like to give that a try at some point. After the 3 weeks then I'll look at changing something else for a specific period of time. My cousin made the very good point of it's just too hard to wake up one day and say 'That's it. I'm done with all my bad habits. I'm going to do everything right from here on out'.
Today is a new day. I feel good things are coming and I'm just going to role with it. Oh, and don't judge me if I fall off the wagon here and there...this declaration in blog form is a lot of pressure! I'll keep you all posted.
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