All posts by AA

We’re Committed to a Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Paleo Diet

Blog Posts, ,

We made the commitment to go all the way – three meals a day – with a gluten-free, dairy-free, Paleo diet. Both my husband and I are making the change to CustomFit Meals. It only makes sense if one of us is going to make a change we both should to support each other.

Out of the house goes the chips, krispies treats, and anything else that is going to distract us from healthy eating and get that weight down. My husband is the salty snacker. He loves the chips and crackers. I’m the sweet snacker. Give me chocolate, ice cream, and anything sweet. If we don’t have the food here to tempt us, then we are more likely to succeed.

Tonight, I had the Chicken Taco Bowl. Lots of shredded chicken with tangy salsa over red rice and crunchy cabbage. I’m a person who doesn’t eat spicy food. This has a bite to it, but not too much. If I felt I was getting too much heat, I scraped off the salsa. The chicken and cabbage we delicious. I wanted to heat up the chicken but not the cabbage so I lightly heated the chicken just to remove the coldness. But I really liked the cabbage cold with the chicken. It had a nice contrast.

I did hit the treadmill. I had the uphill climb tonight. It really kicked my butt. Walking uphill is hard enough. Walking uphill on a treadmill that changes speed is harder and a bit tricky. I did have to hold on to the arm rails when I was at the peak of the pitch but I completed the distance.

I need to change-up my iFit routine with Jillian Michaels. I really believe she must be the toughest trainer around. I can feel the “burn” just doing these workouts on the treadmill.

Looking forward to tomorrow’s gluten-free, dairy-free, Paleo diet meal that is going to help me lose this weight.

If you want to try CustomFit Meals, use discount code "angelaatkins" for 10% off your first order.

CustomFit Meals – Discount Code Included

Blog Posts, , , ,

I found it. The food that I have been looking for to help me win my battle with weight. It’s CustomFit Meals. I have tried it and meets the criteria – has to taste good and be good to eat. I have my husband to thank for this great find. The gym where he works out is associated with CustomFit Meals. I thought the food was just for weight lifters or hard body types. Was I ever wrong!

Today, I had the “Spaghetti & Meatballs” – sweet potato “noodles” never tasted so good. Honestly, I am not a sweet potato fan but I really enjoyed this combination. The meatballs were real beef. No fat or greasy drippings in the food. Just a great flavor combined in tomato sauce. Wow, I’m starting to sound like a commercial.

I was so impressed with the food that I contacted CustomFit and asked them about their philosophy. All of their food is gluten-free. That’s the first big plus for me. They’re also dairy-free. That’s a big plus for anyone who has allergies. They follow the paleo diet (eat like a caveman philosophy). Healthy food that tastes good – check!

What I was more than pleased about is CustomFit Meals offered any reader who orders through this site – use my name (“angelaatkins“) in the discount code box – a 10% discount on the first order. How’s that for a company who believes in their food. I can’t wait to see how much weight I lose just eating their food.

The best part of their food is that it’s fresh. Chefs make it twice a week and ship to the local CrossFit gym locations. Pick up is so easy. Prepay and all you have to do is swing by and pick it up on your way home from work or stop by in the morning and have it for lunch that day. We pick up on Mondays and Thursdays.

I’ll be totally honest about what I like and how it works. Now let’s see if the weight comes off…

And the weight loss is…

Blog Posts, ,

A half a pound. That’s right. Not even a full pound. All I can think is I am an older woman (as much as I hate to believe it), my metabolism is slower, my hormones are what they used to be and the body doesn’t work as well as it did in my 20’s or 30’s. But this is ridiculous.

So I’m trying a detox diet to get rid of all of the toxins built up in my system. I’m going totally gluten free, no processed sugars, no whole grains, and no red meat. I’ve ordered gluten free oatmeal, coconut milk, chia seeds, and coconut oil. I’m going to try two weeks of this detox to see if I can kick start the weight loss. No eggs or coffee for breakfast. Lean protein – chicken or fish – for main meals. No processed sugar of any kind. Protein bars are a joke for someone like me. They are for real athletes who need large amounts of carbs to keep them moving.

I will share recipes when I find good ones. They have to taste good – that’s the first criteria. If I won’t eat them, then I won’t recommend them to anyone else. Plus I need to satisfy my sweet tooth in one way or another. I did find a one ingredient “soft ice cream” recipe that is really good. I had never tried this before but some friends recommended it.

Peel a banana, cut it into rings, and freeze for a couple of hours. Place the frozen banana rings in a blender or food processor and blend the heck out of them. When they are the consistency of soft ice cream, you’ve got dessert. The first time I tried it I was surprised. The consistency was right and if you like bananas, and I do, it’s a great substitute for soft ice cream.

Detox starts in a day, more to come.

Weight Loss at a Standstill

Blog Posts, ,

I knew this would be hard but it continues to amaze me just how hard it is to lose weight. As I continue to read various weight loss articles, I keep going through the mental checklist:

  1. Get enough sleep – check
  2. Eat breakfast – check
  3. Eat small meals throughout the day – check
  4. Eat slowly – check
  5. Chew gum to avoid eating mindlessly – check
  6. Drink more water – check
  7. Exercise – check

So where’s the weight loss?

I am stuck and can’t seem to budge. I need to find the kick start. I weigh myself to make sure I’m not gaining weight. I watch every morsel I put in my mouth. I keep walking on the treadmill. It’s frustrating.

I can’t eat any less. My body will start hoarding food to protect itself if I drop my calories too low. The only other thing I can do is exercise harder. Time to ramp up on the treadmill and weights. I guess I’m not pushing myself hard enough. Even though I feel like I have just run a marathon when I get off the treadmill (even though it’s just 30 minutes), I have to do more.

Getting older sucks. I never had this problem when I was younger. I could eat anything I wanted and not gain weight. Then each year it seemed I gained a little more weight and I didn’t do anything about it until now. But that’s the past. I’ve got to keep motivated or I will always be this way. And the thought of that makes me very unhappy.

Tomorrow, I will try to do the floor exercises and the weights. I still am not ready for daily rounds on the treadmill. But I am going to conquer this weight loss standoff. I will make this weight loss happen.

Okay, now I need to mentally gear up for this change in routine.

 

Exercise Can Grow on You

Blog Posts

I am proud to say that I came home today and worked out right away on the treadmill. Yay for me! I do have to say that I the mini Snickers I had today had an influence on that decision. Okay, two mini Snickers… and a mini Milky Way bar. I hate to admit it but I had a craving that I felt I had to satisfy. Better to eat a little chocolate than wait until I couldn’t resist it anymore and eat too much chocolate.

But a good thing that did happen was after I worked out on the treadmill, I still had enough energy to do some floor exercises. I guess that I am starting to get a little of that extra energy. I can’t say that I feel fantastic but it doesn’t wipe me out when I exercise. I’m not out of breath in the first five minutes. I do get winded after a while but I am still working up to extend my workout. I’m really still at a beginner level. But it is better than when I started.

I can’t remember how long ago it was when I exercised regularly. It really has been years. Not just a few years but many years. When I had children at home, my regular day-to-day activities kept me active enough without formal exercise. Then working full-time, I fell into a pattern of plopping down on the couch after work, too exhausted to do anything. That has changed. And I feel better for it.

I’m not sure how long it will take until I start to see real progress but I’m sticking to it. I know that at my age it will take longer. My metabolism has changed. Hormones that once kept things chugging along smoothly are slowly being depleted. I’m going to fight it every step of the way.

Let the fighting begin.

 

 

Weight Gain Doesn’t Take a Day Off

Blog Posts

This weekend was lovely. The weather was nice. Going out shopping, even for groceries was a pleasant event since there was a break from cold weather. Of course, the store had those little carts set up with free samples. What can a few of those do? Then I went to a bridal shower. It was such fun, seeing old friends and former coworkers. Those little pastries are so small, they can’t have many calories.

Well, after the weekend, the scale gave me wake up call. My weight had increased; I was up a pound and a half. Crap. That negates the pound I lost and pushes me further into weight hell. Lesson learned, calories will add up even when you’re having fun playing party games.

This is where I usually get frustrated and give up or at least sabotage myself by overindulging. But I know that is a stupid thing to do. I decided to do some floor exercises. I feel that I am stronger when I’m not standing up (safer too – I can’t fall down). I worked out my legs and butt. I can feel my glutes. At least feeling them ache makes me know that I am working them. Why does feeling the achiness make me feel like I’ve accomplished something?

Why can’t it all be so much simpler? Eating things that taste good should be good for you. Why can’t chocolate be at the top of the food pyramid?  This whole weight loss thing is a mystery at best. If I eat less food, how I am I going to have the energy to work out? If I work out harder, I’m going to want more food. Then I have to eat the stuff that doesn’t taste as good as the chocolate!

Skip the pastries and food cart samples. I continue to look for the good food.

New Workout, Old Joints

Blog Posts,

After the first workout with the dumbbells, I found that the joint pain may not start right away. The next day my joints ached like nothing I haven’t felt. There is something to doing these in the correct form. I was trying to read the exercise so I knew what I was doing. Instead I should have read first, then do the exercise. I didn’t realize that the point of the elbow could have pain, but apparently it can.

I needed to have a day off to give my muscles and joints a break. It seems that the achiness doesn’t set in for 48 hours. After applying heat, then ice – repeat as necessary – I found some relief. Today, not feeling the pain that I did yesterday.

Tomorrow, since it’s the weekend, the goal is to do the exercise early and get the benefit throughout the day. It always sounds like a good plan. I’m not an early morning person but if I don’t make it first thing in the morning, I will exercise tomorrow. That’s the goal – keep up the exercise, no matter what.

There are plenty of times when I still think that I don’t need to do this or I don’t want to do this but I that’s why I am writing this blog. I keep reminding myself that I must do this. It’s not an option. Growing older is not optional so if I want to be a healthy old person (not ready to call myself old yet), I need to get myself healthier.

Having events that I plan on attending is another motivator. There is a college reunion that I am going to which is not too far in the future. No one would recognize me in the current state my body is in. So I need to remind  myself that if I want to feel that I look good this is an essential part of the plan.

Keep working towards that goal!

First Day of Weights Workout

Blog Posts, ,

There are muscles that I just didn’t know would hurt that hurt. I started the first day of dumbbell workouts. Starting with my shoulders and then moved down my body. It took me a lot longer than I thought it would. I feel that I be able to get faster with the exercises once I commit them to memory.

My shoulders were already a bit weary but I managed to get through it. What I didn’t expect was the feeling of muscle strain in my stomach. I don’t think I have used those muscles in years (I guess I’ve only used them to eat). I can feel the muscles that were stretched across my rib area. I only hope that it gets easier with time.

My plan is now to alternate workouts. One day on the treadmill, one day of weights. I’ve got to kick start this weight loss. I feel that I haven’t lost any weight but I’m hoping that I’m building muscle underneath the soft stuff. I have to hang onto that until I see the numbers move on the scale.

I still have to figure out what the best food is to eat. I am getting conflicting information. I’ve been eating a gluten-free diet for a while now. I don’t have Celiac disease but I do have a wheat allergy. So I’m not putting too much weight in the sources that say that whole grains are part of a healthy diet. Processed grains are terrible. Whole grains make me feel like there is a brick in my stomach. Since I have been eating a gluten-free diet I have felt better. But there are many prepared gluten-free foods that are higher in calories. And it’s all about calories in, calories out.

It’s time that I step up the treadmill workout too. I’m going to check out a new Jillian Michaels workout on the iFit program. I’m not ready for running, I know that but I need to push myself past my comfort zone.

Can I push myself harder???

Pep Up the Workout

Blog Posts

I have decided that I need to pep up my workout. What I need is something that will help balance the cardio of the treadmill and give me more strength. So I’m borrowing my husband’s dumbbells. I’ve done my research and hope to be able to get my arms in shape along with all of the other untoned body parts. But I’m going to pace myself. No overdoing it (already had a taste of what too much, too fast can do (like when I cleaned  the yard). Only two to five pounds to start with should be enough.

I’ve checked out Jillian’s exercises and found there is much I can do with a set of dumbbells. I’ll switch it up, like suggested, so I work out different body parts and not wear out one set of muscles. That’s the new in the exercise department.

For the snacking, I have a bad habit that I am still craving something sweet after dinner. On occassion, I give in so I don’t binge on whatever I find. One treat – like one piece of chocolate – then off I go. Well, better said than done. So I’ve taken to chewing gum after dinner. It actually seems to help. It’s sugar-free and had a sweetness to it. Plus the sensation of a “clean mouth”  makes it less likely that I will snack.

So far so good. Every day is a learning experience. I continue to read articles, other blogs, and recipes. There’s so much information about exercise and dieting that it can be overwhelming. I am going to consult some professionals, hopefully a nutritionist, to help me wade through the conflicting information.

Until then, pep up the workout…

It’s Not All Downhill

Blog Posts,

Weight-wise, that is. This week’s weigh in did not show any downward progress. (Somehow that seemed easier to say than I didn’t lose any weight.) I know that there are going to be weeks where I don’t lose weight but I thought that early on I would lose steadily. Now I have to think about ways to kick start this weight loss.

I need to start searching for food options to help me stay on track. There are so many options out there but I’m not sure which one would work for me. I’ve seen the commercials for NutriSystem and the famous people who lose a ton of weight and look the way they did when they were teenagers. Somehow, I don’t think I’m going to look like a teenager ever again.

Besides, I’ve tried all of the stuff before and eventually got tired of it. I want real food. I want real portions of food and not miniscule portions that don’t fill me up. That’s when I start looking for snacks. And that’s where it’s all downhill. I don’t want to go back there.

For me, the food is the key to my weight loss. If I don’t eat right, the weight just packs back on. I’ve lost weight, gained it back, and then gained more. Over and over again. I’m tired of the the yo-yo weight loss. It’s time to lose weight – for the last time. And keep it off. So the search is on for the right type of food that will get me what I want (tasty and filling) and I what I need (nutrition that will fuel my weight loss).

Looking for food in all the wrong places – no more…