Spin

I am a pound and a half to the 25 pound mark.  I should hit it in the next day or two. This evening I was hungrier than other days. I just made a snack of air popped popcorn and dairy free butter substitute with sea salt. I am not supposed to have corn on the Virgin Diet but I honestly don't think I have a food intolerance to corn. I am still going to try to limit it as much as possible.

I signed up to go to a Spin class tomorrow morning at the YMCA. Right now I am on a waiting list to go. Even if I don't get in the class, I am still going to go workout. I work all day on Saturday so it will be harder to fit a workout in. I will definitely go on Sunday. I really need to get in the routine of working out. It is the last missing piece of my get fit and healthy puzzle.

I have not been sleeping well the last few nights and I have been exhausted. It is horrible not being able to sleep and then having to wake up early and function. I figured out sometime at the crack of dawn that the green tea I have been guzzling at night is loaded with caffeine. For some reason I thought it was caffeine free so drinking almost 40 ounces at night really backfired on me. Hopefully I will catch up on my sleep tonight so I am rested for the Y tomorrow.

Habit

I really need to get into the habit of posting daily. I want to post every night but I tend to tire out after the kids go to bed and not post.

I noticed that my appetite has really decreased lately. I go to bed with a very slight hunger. I feel better though. I wonder if before I was just over eating and now this is how "normal" is supposed to feel like? I eat absolutely no processed foods. It is kinda crazy. I think I am finally getting the cravings out of my system. I now pick up an apple or orange when I am hungry instead of crackers or other carbohydrates.

I am really, really close to hitting my 25 pound weight loss mark. I cannot believe I was almost 25 pounds heavier a year ago. I do wish I became more serious last year instead of gaining and losing the same ten pounds for months. It is aggravating when I think about it.

Anniversary

I won my Diet Bet! I was really excited because I really busted my ass that last week. I used my winnings to buy a new pair of shoes for work this summer. I also joined another one for this month and I think Todd is going to do it too.

I finally started going to the YMCA. I actually biked for 40 minutes last night. I was super impressed with myself. The Y hardly has anyone there on a Saturday night. My plan was to watch something on Hulu Plus so I don't get bored but I could not figure how to connect to their WiFI and the 3G had trouble loading. I am working my way so I can take spin classes. I am going to one this Friday but I have a feeling I am going to make a fool of myself. I am so out of shape, it is embarrassing.

I was really feeling good about the weight I have lost in March and then I decided to clean out and organize my closet. I started trying on pants that I thought would fit and they are still too tight. I can get them on but my stomach prevents me from buttoning them. I started getting a little upset about it so I just quit trying on clothes. The old me would have said "screw it" and gone off course. I don't want my emotions to get in the way of losing weight. I know I have a long road ahead of me and it will take time to lose the weight. I just can't get discouraged.

Today is my 12th anniversary. I cannot believe I have been married this long. Since I got married at 22, I hardly remember what it is like to not be married. Luckily I married someone who puts up with my crazy ideas. Todd and I are going out to dinner tonight. We have never paid someone to babysit and I don't know the last time we went out by ourselves. We are going to get sushi so that won't ruin my diet. I already have coconut milk ice cream in the fridge if I want dessert. The no dairy thing really prevents me from eating a lot of desserts. It stinks but my butt will thank me later.

So Far, So Good

I am on Day 4 of the Virgin Diet. I am doing good. The only slip ups I have had are the two Diet Cokes I had this week. I only had one when I went out to eat. I am actually surprised that I am not hungry at all following this diet. I really think processed foods are my downfall. I can't just eat a handful of crackers, I want to eat the whole box. Seriously, the whole freakin box.

I also finally made a green iced tea that I like. I seep three tea bags and use one packet of Stevia. I then put a slice of lemon and it is really good. I am drinking a ton of water because of it.

I have worked out everyday but Wednesday (I worked that night). Looking back, I could have worked out in the morning. Today I went back to the YMCA. I begged Todd to go back to a family membership months ago and I never went. I don't know why I do these things. It was nice. I dropped the two little ones off at the child watch and I read on my Kindle while I biked. I really want to try a spin class but I am afraid. Very afraid. Just riding the stationary made me realize how out of shape I am. It is shameful. Oh well, at least I am doing something about it now. Next Friday, I am going to take a spin class with a friend so I can't back out of it.

Earlier in the month I joined some online friends in a Diet Bet. You pay an amount, mine was $25 and you have four weeks to lose 4% of your body weight. I have to weigh in tomorrow and I still have 1.3 pounds to lose. I can win up to $350 depending on if others did not lose their 4%. Looking at the standings, it seems like I can win a lot. I hope that I can just lose this small amount. I have drastically cut out carbs for the last two days and I have been drinking a ton of water. Hopefully it is enough to make the difference.

21 Days

Twenty one days is how long I need to see if I have any other food intolerances. I am 99% positive I have a dairy allergy. I have not had any dairy in over a month and all of my pain is gone. I also feel a million times better without any. I thought it would be hard to give up but it really is easy. It is hidden in a lot of packaged food so it makes me stay away from a lot of processed foods.

This weekend I read the Virgin Diet and it made a lot of sense to me. I don't know if I would have given the advice a second thought if I did not recently discover my dairy allergy. The diet is incredibly strict but I am curious to see if there are any other food intolerances besides dairy.

So for twenty one days I am going without:
1. Dairy
2. Eggs
3. Gluten
4. Peanuts
5. Soy
6. Corn
7. Sugar
8. Artificial Sweeteners

I plan to permanently keep out dairy and artificial sweeteners. I also want to limit sugar in the long run too. I really think sugar is my downfall and artificial sweeteners make me crave more sugar. The artificial sweeteners, I know, are extremely bad for me but for some reason I still had them. I wonder why I do things even though they are horrible for me.

I just finished day one and I feel fine. I was really tired in the afternoon but I am hoping once my body gets used to eating cleaner I will have more energy.

Tomorrow

As hokie as it sounds, tomorrow is the first day of the rest of my life. For someone who loves to be in control, I have been spiraling out of control for years. I need to stop before it is too hard to turn back. I am ready to do this (lose weight, be healthy, be fit) for me and just me. I can't make excuses and lie to myself anymore. 2013 has been a great year so far and I know it can be even better.