Monday, May 27, 2013

**Week 4 Recap of the Fast Metabolism Diet - 5/27/13 - FINALE!**

Well, here we are...WE DID IT!  I'm so proud of both my husband and I.  We stayed with the plan all month and we made it.  Together, we have lost 37 pounds in 28 days!!!  We didn't count a single calorie, we worked out less than we used to, we didn't cheat and we held each other accountable.  It really shows that hard work, determination and will-power really pays off.  If you put your mind to it and set a goal, you WILL get there.  It took a LOT of focus (and some complaining) to get to this day and we did it.  I'm truly happy that I had my partner by my side the whole time - I'm not sure I could have done it without him! 

Week 4 Weight Loss:
Kiana: 3.0 lbs
Anthony: 3.6 lbs

FINAL WEIGH IN:

Kiana:  148.6 lbs,  14.6 lbs lost or 8.9% in just 28 days!

Anthony: 238.6 lbs; 22.4 lbs lost or 8.6% in just 28 days!


 
There were so many more topics I could have discussed in this blog but didn't always have the time to write about.  If you want to know more or have specific questions, I am more than willing to chat about it with you.  This was a great experience for us and it can be a life-changing experience for you as well.  I highly recommend the book The Fast Metabolism Diet by Haylie Pomroy - there are so many more details about why you eat the types of foods that you do on this diet and how the order in which you eat it affects your body.

I've learned so much these last 4 weeks, such as, my amazing will-power and my ability to cook healthy meals even with a busy schedule. I feel that I now have a different perspective on what healthy eating really is. I look forward to our continuous progress on making healthier decisions for ourselves and for our family.

Day 28 on the Fast Metabolism Diet - 5/26/13

With the pounds rolling off the last couple of days, it makes me a little hesitant to go "all out" tomorrow and eat a ton of crap.  We are going to have at least a cheat meal and snack tomorrow, but that's probably it.

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 148.8 lbs
Anthony: 239.0 lbs


Menu:

Breakfast @ 7:30am:
Steel cut oats with blueberries, egg with peppers

Snack @ 10:30am:
Cucumber and balsamic vinegar dressing

Lunch @ 1:30pm:

Filet mignon with broccoli and grapefruit

Snack @ 4:30pm:
Sunflower seeds

Dinner @ 7:30pm:

Avocado chicken quesadilla

Workout:
P90X Stretch DVD

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Day 27 on the Fast Metabolism Diet - 5/25/13

Yeah!  I made it to the 140's!  I'm super excited - I haven't been here since last year, just before our vacation.  Now, to get down just another 10 would be fantastic!  As I go back through our weight loss chart and stats, I notice that we lose more weight in the phase 3 part of the week, which I find interesting since we don't really work out during that time period.  But, it supports our plan for "what's next" - eating a modified phase 3 diet everyday, starting up a cycle of P90X and having a cheat meal or snack in moderation - not a whole day of cheat meals.  And, by a "modified phase 3 diet", I mean, eat a fruit for breakfast and lunch (any fruit), eat a grain for breakfast and dinner (any grain), and get protein, veggies and healthy fats in at all meals and snacks.  I am so looking forward to it!

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 149.8 lbs
Anthony: 240.0 lbs


Menu:

Breakfast @ 7:30am:
Steel cut oats with blueberries, egg and peppers

Snack @ 11am:
Carrots and sunflower seeds

Lunch @ 3pm:

Filet mignon and veggie kabobs

Snack @ 6:30pm:

Sunflower seeds

Dinner - none, fell asleep early

Workout:
Just a massage - yeah me!

Saturday, May 25, 2013

Day 26 on the Fast Metabolism Diet - 5/24/13

Well, my husband has come around to steel cut oats!  He said he likes them better than regular oatmeal - yeah!  It only takes trying something a few times and realizing how much better it tastes than the more processed version.  I may actually throw out all the other junk food that is in the house for the kids and start buying the organic version or making it myself.  My kids love granola bars, so I'm going to start searching for a good kid friendly granola bar recipe!

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 150.8 lbs
Anthony: 240.4 lbs


Menu:

Breakfast @ 7am:
Steel cut oats with blueberries, egg and peppers

Snack @ 10am:
Red peppers and sunflower seeds


Lunch @ 1:30pm:
Panera Salad

Snack @ 3:45pm:
Red peppers, carrots and sunflower seeds

Dinner @ 6:30pm:

Chicken avocado quesadilla

Workout:
None

Friday, May 24, 2013

Day 25 on the Fast Metabolism Diet - 5/23/13

I did it - I got all 4 days of workouts in, even with the crazy evening schedule.  I think that as long as you make it a priority, you will make it happen. 

I made it out to the co-op over lunch to grab some things for the weekend along with some baking items for next weekend - there are several recipes that I want to try over the coming weeks.  Per Haylie, "if you bake it, your metabolism can take it!"  And, since I love to bake, why not try some healthier versions of the things we love?! 

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 151.2 lbs
Anthony: 240.6 lbs


Menu:

Breakfast @ 6:30am:
Turkey bacon and celery

Snack @ 10am:
Beef jerky and red peppers

Lunch @ 1pm:

Panera salad

Snack @ 4pm:
Beef jerky and red peppers

Dinner @ 7:30pm:

Filet mignon and broccoli

Workout:
P90X Legs and Back

Notes on Food:
We are coming down to the last few days and my lack of creativity is really showing through. I didn't change much up today and had beef jerky twice, but oh well, it was easy and good.

Day 24 on the Fast Metabolism Diet - 5/22/13

I've noticed that I am less reliant on the phone app that I purchased for the diet, however I did mess up and have carrots today so maybe I should keep taking a peak at it LOL. It definitely was a LIFE SAVER in those first couple of weeks, but now everything feels more natural and eating clean is becoming a habit, which I love! 

The question between my husband and I that keeps coming up is - what next?!  What about day 29?  Haylie published a post on her blog yesterday that I thought was awesome, since we are quickly approaching day 29. Link to blog: http://www.fastmetabolismdiet.com/now-what-day-29-of-the-fast-metabolism-diet/
As stated before, day 29 will be a cheat day for me!  But then what?  I still have more weight that I want to lose.  Ultimately I'd like to be in the 130's but I'm not sure I can commit to as much deprivation again just yet.  I'm planning to do a slight modification of both options 1 & 2 that she suggested in her blog (link above).  I also plan to do a full week of the diet, kind of like a cleanse, once every 12 weeks.  Or maybe even every 8 weeks until I get to my goal weight. 

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 151.4 lbs
Anthony: 241.2 lbs


Menu:

Breakfast @ 7am:
Egg white souffle (with red/green/yellow peppers and asparagus)

Snack @ 10:30am:
Beef jerky and carrots

Lunch @ 1:30pm:

Chicken and veggie soup

Snack @ 4pm:

Nitrate free chicken deli meat and carrots

Dinner @ 7pm:

Grilled chicken and broccoli

Workout:
P90X Chest and Shoulders


Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Day 23 on the Fast Metabolism Diet - 5/21/13

My conversations with my husband about eating healthy have become interesting and I'm glad we are making the choice to eat more organic foods.  The more I read about the nitrates in meats and the use of other chemicals on our food, food containers and everyday household products is simply disgusting.  I'm slowly making the change and there are so many more adjustments that we need to make, but I'm glad we are finally starting to make those changes for ourselves and for a healthier family!

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 151.4 lbs
Anthony: 242.2 lbs


Menu:

Breakfast @ 7am:
Steel cut oats with blueberries

Snack @ 10am:
Apple

Lunch @ 1pm:

Chicken and broccoli rice bowl and an orange

Snack @ 4pm:
Grapefruit

Dinner @ 7pm:

Chicken sausage fuisili

Workout:
P90X Plyometrics


Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Day 22 on the Fast Metabolism Diet - 5/20/13

I managed to have a different fruit with every meal today - yeah!  I'm trying to mix up the foods a little more, but its hard to get away from the "staples": oatmeal, eggs, chicken and steak.  I'm not into seafood, except for shrimp, but no one else will eat it when I make it at home - apparently I don't make Benihana quality shrimp!  I just need to switch out the chicken for shrimp in either the rice or pasta dish and I bet they'll eat it then - something to try next week!

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 151.6 lbs
Anthony: 242.2 lbs


Menu:

Breakfast @ 6:30am:
Steel cut oats with blueberries

Snack @ 10:15am:
Orange

Lunch @ 1:30pm:

Chicken Sausage Fuisili, apple

Snack @ 4pm:
Grapefruit

Dinner @ 7pm:

Chicken and brocolli rice bowl

Workout:
Insanity Cardio & Balance DVD

Monday, May 20, 2013

Week 3 Recap of the Fast Metabolism Diet - 5/20/13

21 days down, 7 more days to go!  This is final stretch and I'm hoping to go strong this week.  I want to stay focused and get both cardio days and both weight lifting days in - this tends to be a challenge since we've had to work out in the evenings which conflicts with the kids' activities, but we've got to make it a priority.  As you can tell from earlier posts this last week, we had a lot of frustration with the lack of weight loss.  It's hard when we are following the plan and eating so well, measuring food, working out as specified and not seeing the results.  I hope that this week gives us some better numbers on the scale and I look forward to MY hybrid plan for the following week.

Week 3 Weight Loss:
Kiana: 1.6 lbs, for a total weight loss of 11.6 lbs or 7.1%
Anthony: 3 lbs, for a total weight loss of 18.8 lbs or 7.2%


Together, my husband and I have successfully removed a little over 30 pounds off of our bodies in just 21 days!  I can't wait to see what the final numbers are and where we end up at the 28 day mark - we have an exciting week ahead of us!

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Day 21 on the Fast Metabolism Diet - 5/19/13

It's day 21 - woohoo!  I am truly counting down the days now.  Don't get me wrong, this has been a wonderful learning experience that I plan to incorporate into my life, but I just want to have some frozen yogurt with cookie dough!  I'm looking forward to Monday, May 27th, but not looking forward to the stomach ache I'll have that very next day LOL!  I will try my best to eat in moderation on the 27th, but it is not guaranteed!  And then, back on the plan - eating clean and often throughout the day, working out and having a little treat every once in awhile!

Sunday's are when I run to the store for the week's groceries.  I'm getting better at having various foods in the house at all times and I have a better handle of what we need for the recipes.  One irritation I continue to have is the limitation of foods at the grocery stores in the suburbs!  Super Target is getting better with their variety of organic foods, but there is not a single sprouted grain tortilla in this burb!  I'll make another trip out to the co-op later this week so we are prepared for next weekend - though I'm unsure how much more of avocado quesadilla everyone will be up for!  It is good though!  And, I want to pick up some almond flour as I've acquired a few gluten free baking recipes I want to try out in a couple weeks, when I plan to add sugar (or honey) back into my diet. 

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 152.4 lbs
Anthony:  Didn't weigh in


Menu:

Breakfast @ 8:30am:
Oatmeal with blueberries, egg with peppers

Snack @ 12pm:
Cauliflower and hummus

Lunch @ 2:30pm:

Subway salad

Snack @ 4:30pm:
Egg with peppers

Dinner @ 7:30pm:

Avocado quesadilla

Workout:
P90X Stretch DVD

Day 20 on the Fast Metabolism Diet - 5/18/13

Well, we do it to ourselves - we went the movies AGAIN!  This time, however, I didn't have as big of an urge as the last 2 times to have popcorn.  I'm more concerned about next weekend - there are 2 or 3 movies we want to see over memorial weekend.  I'm hoping we can just go watch them all on Monday! 

It's getting hard with the weather getting nicer and the kids wanting to go out for ice cream or fro-yo.  I'm excited to bring them there, but while we can't have dairy right now, it's tough. My daughter (who is a very picky eater) is asking more questions about the diet, which has opened up a nice opportunity to educate her on healthy foods and what it means to make our bodies healthy - not just skinny.  I explained how we all need to eat fruits and veggies and to eat grass-fed organic meats and dairy.  She's starting to understand and I believe as we continue to bring more diverse foods into the house, she will learn to love eating healthy as well.

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 152.4 lbs
Anthony: 244.6 lbs


Menu:

Breakfast @ 6am:
Oatmeal with blueberries, egg with peppers

Snack @ 9:30am:

Cauliflower and raw sunflower seeds

Lunch @ 1:30pm:

Filet mignon and vegetable medley

Snack @ 4:30pm:

Nitrate free chicken deli meat and carrots

Dinner @ 7:30pm:

Avocado quesadilla

Workout:
None

Day 19 on the Fast Metabolism Diet - 5/17/13

Oops, I missed a few days here of posts, so here I go. 

Today, the hubby and I were off of work for my daughter's dance competition.  The day worked out pretty nice - after breakfast my sister came over and we did the P90X yoga video.  I then made up snacks for us to have during the competition and we literally ate lunch right before walking out the door.  After the competition and awards, we stopped at Panera and Subway for salads and subs for the kiddos.  While the diet may seem very labor intensive with having to make food at home most of the time, it is nice to stop and have it prepared by someone else.  And I love that Panera uses antibiotic free chicken and has really tasty balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

I think the best quote I've heard while on this diet was from my son about the avocado quesadillas - "mom, these are the best thing I've ever ate!  Well, except for chocolate because that is my favorite!"  Love that kid!

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 152.2 lbs
Anthony: 244.2 lbs


Menu:

Breakfast @ 7:30am:
Eggs benedict

Snack @ 10:30am:
Carrots and hummus

Lunch @ 1:30pm:

Avocado quesadilla

Snack @ 4:30pm:
Carrots and raw sunflower seeds

Dinner @ 7:30pm:

Panera salad

Workout:
P90X Yoga DVD

Notes on Food:
I made eggs benedict for the first time in my life and I think it turned out pretty good.  I received the recipe from the Haylie Pomroy's email subscription.  I didn't care for the taste of the hollandaise sauce so I omitted it.  It was the first time I had poached in egg (I found a wonderful tutorial online) and they turned out great.  I used a brown rice english muffin (shh...we're not supposed to have brown rice today - oops!), turkey bacon, steamed spinach and the poached egg.  Very good!

Day 18 on the Fast Metabolism Diet - 5/16/13

YEAH!  We have lost some weight this week - FINALLY!  It was a very busy day with baseball and dance this evening, we didn't eat until after 7, but it all worked out.  I didn't end up working out because I started getting a headache shortly after eating - not sure what the deal is there...no stress and I have tomorrow off! 

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 152.2 lbs
Anthony: 243.8 lbs


Menu:

Breakfast @ 7am:
Egg whites with peppers and a slice of turkey bacon

Snack @ 10am:

Beef jerky and celery

Lunch @ 1pm:

Chicken and vegetable soup

Snack @ 4pm:
Chicken deli meat and cucumber

Dinner @ 7pm:

Steak and broccoli

Workout:
None

Notes on Food:
Had soup that I had frozen from last week - it still taste good as if I made it the day before.  I'm definitly going to keep that in mind for next time.  I also need to invest in some good containers that work well in the freezer and invest in a deep freezer since there is no space in mine right now!

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Day 17 on the Fast Metabolism Diet - 5/15/13

And, we are at a stand still!  Seriously WTH - so frustrating, but I'm going to stay on the positive side of this.  We are learning how to eat healthy foods, made at home and without processed ingredients.  I'm starting to plan for what's next and it definitely includes incorporating what we've learned from the book into our day to day lives, specifically clean eating and making a lot of our meals ourselves.  And, it includes a ton more working out!  I'm ready to get back into either a cycle of P90X or perhaps a P90X/Insanity/TurboFire Hybrid!!

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 153.6 lbs
Anthony: 245.0 lbs


Menu:

Breakfast @ 6:45am:
Egg whites with red and green peppers and a slice of turkey bacon

Snack @ 9:45am:

Beef filet and cucumber

Lunch @ 12:45pm:

Panera salad with balsamic vinageratte

Snack @ 3:45pm:
Deli chicken slices and celery

Dinner @ 7:15pm:

Grilled chicken and asparagus

Workout:
P90X Shoulders and Arms

Notes on Food:
I went to Panera to have a salad for lunch - Yum!  I was THAT girl that changed the entire salad up, but hey, I got the veggies that I was able to have today and the lady was really nice - although she did look at me funny when I said that I didn't want a side (bread, apple or chips), but just a pickle spear would be fine.

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Day 16 on the Fast Metabolism Diet - 5/14/13

EEK!  Both the hubby and I went UP on the scale - UGH!  I went up 0.4 and he went up 0.2 - so not by much but ever so irritating.  Part of me wishes I didn't look at the scale daily but part of me loves it.  On the FMD community board, there are others who have the same experiences - slow weight loss after the first week, up and downs on a daily basis, and some who have stopped looking at the scale daily and opted for once a week weigh-ins instead.  I may have to go for the later as well!

I felt hungry all morning - not sure why.  I probably should have brought some veggies with since those are unlimited - oh well.  But by the afternoon, I felt fine and actually didn't really feel that hungry for dinner.  Weird.

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 153.6 lbs
Anthony: 245.4 lbs


Menu:

Breakfast @ 6:45am:
Steel cut oats with blueberries

Snack @ 9:30am:
Strawberries

Lunch @ 12:45pm:

Chicken sausage fuisili and an orange

Snack @ 4:30pm:
Apple

Dinner @ 7:15pm:

Chicken sausage fuisili - brown rice fuisili pasta, chicken sausage, baby zucchini, onion and broccoli


Workout:
Insanity Max Cardio Circuit

Notes on Food:
I "made" the kids try the chicken sausage fuisili tonight and they liked it.  Everyone is coming around to this new way of eating - love it!

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Day 15 on the Fast Metabolism Diet - 5/13/13

Today was eventful with a lot of changes to my planned meals for the day.  I made up chicken sausage fuisili for our lunches and dinners for today, however I forgot I had a new hire lunch today!  So I hurried online to look at the restaurant's menu to see what my options were.  The choices were very limited, so I ended up having grilled chicken with roasted red peppers, onions and spinach.  It was originally served on a bun and smothered with cheese, but I made modifications and I think I did a pretty good job.  We then got tickets to the unveiling of the new MN Vikings stadium which meant we weren't making it home to have dinner.  We opted for Chipotle which is always good, especially since we could have brown rice on it, instead of just a salad. 

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 153.2 lbs
Anthony: 245.2 lbs


Menu:

Breakfast @ 7am:
Steel cut oats with blueberries

Snack @ 9:45am:
Orange

Lunch @ 12:30pm:

Grilled chicken with roasted red peppers, onions and spinach; pineapple and strawberries

Snack @ 3pm:
Apple

Dinner @ 6pm:

Chipotle bowl with brown rice, lettuce, chicken, tomatoes and salsa

Workout:
None - I was supposed to do cardio but ended up with a huge headache after the unveiling and went straight to bed when I got home. Super bummed!

Notes on Food:
I made steel cut oats this morning - it took longer than I expected but I liked it - more texture than normal oats, but not a big change in taste in my opinion.  My husband thought they were ok - he didn't mind the texture but thought they had a blander taste. 

Monday, May 13, 2013

Week 2 Recap of the Fast Metabolism Diet - 5/13/13

Week 2 is OVER and we are at the halfway point - YEAH!!!  There were just as many challenges this week as last.  I think the major one is still the cravings.  Another big challenge is not being able to eat foods on certain days of the week - sometimes I just want to have an apple or cauliflower on whatever day I want.  Although, I can say that we both agree that we are wanting to eat these new recipes and this way of clean eating when the 28 days are over, just as long as we get a cheat meal once a week!

Week 2 Weight Loss:
Kiana: 1.6 lbs, for a total weight loss of 10.0 lbs or 6.1%
Anthony: 5 lbs, for a total weight loss of 15.8 lbs or 6.1%

So this week's weight loss was extremely slow for my husband and almost non-existent for me.  It was a frustrating week, but I didn't cave.  This still feels like the Biggest Loser (without the extreme workouts) - and, yes I am a big fan of the show!  In almost every season that I can remember, the second week is the worst for the contestants as far as weight loss goes.  I really wish we could increase the workouts but I'm going to follow the plan and see where we get.  So far, we've lost a collective 25.8 lbs in 2 weeks!  Truly amazing work when you put your mind to it.  I'm so thankful that I have my husband to lean on during this experience - we're doing this together and that has made the biggest impact!

Day 14 on the Fast Metabolism Diet - 5/12/13

Happy Mother's Day!  We had originally planned to go to brunch today, just like every other year, but changed it up and the hubby grilled lunch for me and my mom instead.  It was a low-key day of relaxation! 

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 153.8 lbs
Anthony: 245.4 lbs


Menu:

Breakfast @ 6am:
Oatmeal with blueberries and scrambled egg with peppers

Snack @ 9:15am:
Sunflower seeds and carrots

Lunch @ 1:30pm:

Filet with a vegetable blend

Snack @ 5pm:
Cauliflower and hummus

Dinner @ 7:45pm:

Chicken and quinoa

Workout:
P90X Stretch DVD

Preparation:
Last week I froze some soup for Wednesday and Thursday's lunches for this week.  And tonight I made the chicken sausage fuisili that we LOVE for Monday and Tuesday's lunch/dinner.  I also went shopping this morning for some more snack foods and fruits for the week.  It's definitly getting easier to figure out what we need for the week without stressing about it too much.

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Day 13 on the Fast Metabolism Diet - 5/11/13

Well, the scale finally decided to move - YEAH!  The hubby has been on a slow but steady weight loss all week, so he's doing great!  Another tough day with cravings - of course it didn't help that we went to the movie theater again, but we still held strong.  Our will-power is definitly being tested!!!

Many may wonder how we can eat oatmeal everyday, but honestly, it is so good!  We use Dole frozen blueberries that we get in a huge bag from Sam's club.  We have been using Quaker rolled oats (not instant or quick oats) and plan to move to steel cut oats this upcoming week.



Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 154.2 lbs
Anthony: 246.8 lbs


Menu:

Breakfast @ 7am:
Oatmeal and blueberries, scrambled egg with peppers

Snack @ 10am:
Carrots and avocado hummus

Lunch @ 1:30pm:

Avocado quesadilla and grapefruit

Snack @ 4:30pm:
Deli chicken meat and carrots

Dinner @ 7:00pm:

Filet mignon and asparagus


Workout:
None

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Day 12 on the Fast Metabolism Diet - 5/10/13

Oh, Phase 3 - YES!  I bought an avocado hummus from Trader Joe's to dip the veggies in - yum!  I've never really been into avocados but this was good, and far better than plain veggies. 
It's still really tough getting used to staying in on a Friday night or over the weekend. We've not ever been to a "healthy" sit down restaurant and feel too tempted if we try to go to one of our favs and just get a salad - nor do we feel its worth it. We can make the food at home for cheaper and know what's going into it. But it's still hard to get used to!
It's been a very frustrating week for me with the lack of weight loss. I'm trying to keep my "head in the game" and remember the overall goal of repairing my metabolism.  It has just been very tough when I'm eating and exercising per the plan but the scale is not moving. The cravings have increased today big time! But I'm staying committed and seeing it to the end of the 28 days. 

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 154.8 lbs
Anthony: 247.4 lbs


Menu:

Breakfast @ 6:45am:
Oatmeal and blueberries, scrambled egg with peppers

Snack @ 9:45am:
Carrots and avocado hummus

Lunch @ 12:45pm:

Subway salad with spinach, tomatoes, green peppers, cucumbers and italian dressing; grapefruit.

Snack @ 3:45pm:
Carrots and Cucumber with avocado hummus

Dinner @ 7:00pm:

Avocado quesadilla - YUM!


Workout:
None

Notes on Food:
Tonight we made a new recipe from the book - avocado quesadilla - we added in chicken just because it sounded better and it turned out great. My friend Tana has posted about the Mississippi Market (co-op) in St Paul on FB, so I decided to check it out and was able to get the tortillas and mayo I was looking for earlier this week - thanks Tana for indirectly introducing me to a great store! 
We used a sprouted grain tortilla that was baked with grapeseed oil and several herbs. Then made a mixture of avocado, lime and safflower mayo. We topped it off with some grilled chicken slices, tomatoes and onions. It was so good! I would definitely make this again, and when the 28 days are over I'll try it with a brown rice tortilla - sprouted grain is ok but the texture is pretty tough. 

Friday, May 10, 2013

Day 11 on the Fast Metabolism Diet - 5/9/13

So this week has been extremely slow (or non-existent) for weight loss, which could be expected being the amount I lost last week.  But, it's very frustrating knowing that I'm eating well and working out and not seeing the scale budge.  I went out to Haylie's blog (author of the book) and read about what to do if you get stuck or plateau (link below).  It looks like I'll try to mix up the foods I'm eating a little more and perhaps try something new in the coming days.  I'm following the plan to a T, I just have to stick to it and finish it out.  I still have a goal to make it into the mid-140's by the end of the month.  Here's the link to Haylie's blog post about stuck metabolism:

http://www.fastmetabolismdiet.com/slowwww-metabolism-stuck-mix-it-up/

I guess both my husband and I had some cravings yesterday - and maybe it wasn't so much as a craving but more as thoughts of what I plan to eat on cheat day - Day 29!  Yes, I do plan to have a cheat day when we are done, but then the plan is to have home cooked meals as much as possible and have those cheat meals only every once in a while.

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 154.8 lbs
Anthony: 248.4 lbs


Menu:

Breakfast @ 6:45 am:
Turkey bacon and celery

Snack @ 9:15am:
Beef jerky and cucumber

Lunch @ 1:30pm:

Filet mignon and cucumber

Snack @ 3:45pm:
Beef jerky and cucumber

Dinner @ 7:15pm:

Grilled Chicken and broccoli

Workout:
P90X Legs and Back

Notes on Food:
We put the brocolli in a grill pan and grilled it along with the chicken for dinner.  I bought a salt-free seasoning called Smoke at Trader Joe's. It's pretty tasty, though the husband thinks its a bit bland.  I put some sea salt on as well, which makes everything better!

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Day 10 on the Fast Metabolism Diet - 5/8/13

I continue to feel more awake in the morning which is great!  Today was back to phase 2 and my least favorite morning food - egg whites with spinach.  Perhaps I'll do turkey bacon tomorrow instead, but that means I need to find a veggie to eat with it and I think veggies go better with eggs, so we'll see what I decide tomorrow.  I do know that I will be avoiding the hard boiled egg whites - I'm eating beef jerky for every snack instead!

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 154.8 lbs
Anthony: 149.6 lbs before shower, 148.8 lbs after shower -- So, my husband first weighed the same as yesterday, then took a shower and weighed himself again losing 0.8 lbs.  I'm not really sure what to think about why this is.  But going forward, he's doing only one weigh-in - none of this double check stuff!


Menu:

Breakfast @ 6:30am:
3 Egg Whites with onion, spinach and garlic

Snack @ 9:30am:
Beef Jerky and celery

Lunch @ 12:30pm:

Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Snack @ 3:30pm:
Beef Jerky and cucumber

Dinner @ 7pm:

Filet Mignon and asparagus

Workout:
P90X Chest and Back

Notes on Food/Preparation:
I made a big pot of soup again for this week, which I plan to freeze some of it up for next week instead of having to make it again.  And, oh filet mignon, how I love thee!  Super yummy with asparagus on the grill.
I probably should find another source of protein for snacks - but beef jerky is pretty tasty.


Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Day 9 on the Fast Metabolism Diet - 5/7/13

Today I woke up 20 min before the alarm, which is annoying to say the least.  I'm not sure if it's this "increased energy" I should be seeing soon or what, but I like to SLEEP! 

Another bummer for the morning was the scale - no change from yesterday! I obviously start thinking of the whys and what did I do wrong? But I then go back to the chapter in the book about week 2 - my body is a different body going into this week than last and its going to react differently. And, I can't stress about it because that will trigger negative reaction with the hormones in my body which causes more harm. So, I'm going to relax and let it be what it is!  Plus, I know that I won't lose another 8 lbs this week - but I am hoping for at least 3, maybe 4.  We'll see how the week plays out. 

I feel good today, I got to work earlier since I got up early, it's beautiful out and I'm nourished with healthy, clean foods that I prepared. Which reminds me, our dishwasher runs DAILY now! It's kind of insane how many dishes are used to make homemade meals, but well worth it. 

Tonight was busy with dance and t-ball but once we got home, I started the pot for soup and went to work out while it simmered.  Since it had been a few  hours since I last ate, I had some pineapple right before exercising - "Don't fast before going fast!" (Haylie quote from the book)  I kind of felt like Super Mom with all the things I accomplished this evening!

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 154.8 lbs
Anthony: 149.6 lbs


Menu:

Breakfast @ 6:15am:
Oatmeal with blueberries

Snack @ 9:15am:
Pineapple

Lunch @ 12:15pm:

Chicken Sausage Fusilli and strawberries

Snack @ 3:15pm:
Apple


Dinner @ 6:00pm:

Broccoli and Chicken Rice bowl

Snack @ 9:00pm:Pineapple

Workout:
45 minute jog on the treadmill

Notes on Food:
I could of had that Chicken Sausage Fusilli for every meal today - it is so good!  Sorry, no pic - I ate it too fast!  LOL - next week.

Here's a pic of the Broccoli and Chicken rice bowl - still a favorite and the kids like it too!



































Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Day 8 on the Fast Metabolism Diet - 5/6/13

Today is the beginning of week 2 - OMG we made it a week!  In my last post about the Week 1 recap - I lost 8.4 lbs and the hubby lost 10.8 lbs in one week!  AMAZING RESULTS!  I'm so proud of us!  We stuck together and didn't let the temptations get to us.  We had our moments but we leaned on each other to get us through and now we feel good.  I feel great - I'm back into my size 8 pants, my ring is starting to fall off again and overall I feel a sense of achievement.  My energy is about the same, perhaps a little better but it's Monday and I'm probably still recovering from an exhausting weekend. 

I'm looking forward to trying a couple of new recipes this week, of which one of them I did tonight and it was delicious!  I feel more relaxed going into this week since I know what to do from a planning perspective.  I'm also interested in what the scale will bring but I know that I can't possibly lose another 8 lbs in a week, so I'm hoping for at least 3 to 4lbs.  We shall see! 

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 154.8 lbs
Anthony: 250.2 lbs


Menu:

Breakfast @ 6:45am:
Oatmeal with blueberries

Snack @ 9:45am:
Apple

Lunch @ 12:45pm:

Broccoli and Chicken Rice bowl

Snack @ 3:45pm:
Apple


Dinner @ 6:30pm:

Chicken Sausage Fusilli

Workout:
Insanity Max Interval Circuit

Notes on Food:
Broccoli and Chicken rice bowl is a favorite of ours from last week.  It's actually pretty simple, it just takes about 30 min to cook - just enough time to do some dishes and laundry!  There is some prep work in chopping veggies but it's worth it.
Chicken Sausage Fusilli - this was awesome!  I've never had chicken sausage and was skeptical of the recipe when I first read it, but we tried it and it turned out great.  I'm so glad we have enough for leftovers for tomorrow.  Big plus - we got to have PASTA (we were both very surprised).  It was a brown rice pasta that I found at Kowalski's (No Wheat on this diet!).  The pasta was actually pretty light in texture and taste really good.  YUMMM!  This is definitely a recipe I will make forever!  It can easily be doubled to make for a gathering or to have more leftovers.  New favorite recipe!

Preparation:
I made lunch ahead for today and tomorrow - which is new for me.  I've never made a meal for future days, that I hadn't ate for dinner that night.  So cooking at 9pm last night for today's lunch was so different, yet felt good to get it done on a Sunday night.  I may think about prepping more meals for the week on Sundays, but I get nervous that it won't taste right or that it'll dry out from the fridge.  Anyway, something to consider for next week. 

Monday, May 6, 2013

Week 1 Recap of the Fast Metabolism Diet - 5/6/13

Week 1 on the Fast Metabolism Diet was obviously challenging.  We went through many cravings and temptations yet kept our minds focused on the plan.  I think the hardest part of doing something different is starting.  But we started it and we are seeing results, so we are definitely continuing and going to make it to the 28 day finish line.  It takes 28 days to repair the metabolism - we have 7 days down, only 21 days to go!

My suggestion for those of you who want to start this plan is to avoid temptation as much as possible in the first week until you get into a rhythm with the diet.  Move those dinner plans that you have with friends - it just makes it easier to stay focused.  If you do go out, check out the restaurant's menu online beforehand, create a plan for what you are going to eat and stick with it.  You'll feel better that you were able to stay on plan and you'll gain an abundance of self-confidence and self-control because you can do this.  It just takes focus and determination!

I also found that it's easier to buy foods that my family likes or that we were willing to try. I bought some of the fruits and veggies in frozen form, because that works for our busy schedule.  Do what works best for you - if you don't have time to wash and cut up fresh veggies, buy the frozen version.

Our favorite recipes from the book so far are the Broccoli and Chicken rice bowl and the Vegetable and Chicken soup.  I'm hoping to try a new recipe every few days so that I don't get bored.  I plan to check out Whole Foods this upcoming week for some food items they didn't carry at Kowalski's or Trader Joe's, such as sprouted grain tortillas and safflower mayo.  Otherwise, I'll be searching online for these items!

Week 1 Weight Loss:
Kiana: 8.4 lbs
Anthony: 10.8 lbs

I'm really surprised by the weight loss considering all of the food we ate. It's like a Biggest Loser weight loss, without the extreme workouts!  This type of weight loss is not typical for me at all - it would normally take at least 2 months to lose this much weight and I did it only a week.  It just shows how clean eating is the way to go, along with the rotation of foods in the specific order. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that I won't ever eat at my favorite restaurants once in awhile, but that's just it - once in awhile, not all weekend long!  And with my metabolism back up to par, I'll be able to have that nice dinner out or dessert without stressing about weight gain.

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Day 7 on the Fast Metabolism Diet - 5/5/13

Today feels surreal - I can't believe we made it a week!  I feel more prepared for the upcoming week, or I guess, I feel like I know what to expect.  Today was a prep day.  I went shopping for the things we've come to like and hopefully did a better job at getting enough veggies - although I did stock up on lots of frozen veggies to make it easier.

Weigh in today was great and surprising for me, considering we ate out twice yesterday.  My husband was not too thrilled, he only lost 0.2 lbs.  We plan to assess his portions a little better this week to ensure he's having the right amount.  He was extremely hungry in the first few days last week, so we upped the protein, but I think he needs to increase the veggies instead. 

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 155.2 lbs
Anthony: 252.0 lbs


Menu:

Breakfast @ 8am:
Scrambled egg and peppers, Oatmeal with blueberries

Snack @ 11:30am:
Scrambled egg and peppers

Lunch @ 3:00pm:
Subway salad with chicken breast


Dinner @ 7:15pm:
Grilled chicken, frozen veggie mix and quinoa


Workout:
P90X Yoga DVD (just 30 mins)

Notes on Food:
We woke up later than normal (8am), so our day was a little off with timing of food. We opted to take out the second snack and only ate 4 meals. We tried out subway's salad for lunch. It was pretty good and the Italian dressing was oil based!

Preparation:
I didn't really plan out this day too well, we pretty much winged it, but it turned out pretty well. I made sure that I prepared lunch for Monday and Tuesday. Back to complex carbs and fruit!

Day 6 on the Fast Metabolism Diet - 5/4/13

Well today was the big dance competition day.  We were away from home for over 15 hours, we relied on the foods I brought from home and maintained extra willpower to stay away from those giant cookies and maui wowi smoothies they were selling at the concession stand!  There were a couple of changes in the lunch and dinner plans today, but we made it work and stuck as close as we could to the plan.  Although it was a crazy busy day, we got through it and I'm proud of me and my husband.  It's been a long time since we haven't binged on a Saturday evening.

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 156.0 lbs
Anthony: 252.2 lbs


Menu:

Breakfast @ 6am:
Oatmeal with blueberries, scrambled egg with red, green and yellow peppers

Snack @ 9:15am:
Cauliflower with hummus

Lunch @ 12:00pm:

Chipotle Chicken Salad (romaine lettuce, chicken, tomatoes and medium salsa)

Snack @ 3:30pm:
Cauliflower with hummus

Dinner @ 7:15pm:

Sirloin steak, 3 broiled shrimp, garden salad with Italian vinaigrette and vegetable medley

Workout:
Several walks and up/down stairs throughout the day

Notes on Food:
Eggs and peppers = yum!  I used the Target Archer Farms brand frozen red, green and yellow peppers, sauteed them in olive oil for a few minutes then added in the scrambled egg and sprinkled with sea salt - delicious!  I'm not looking forward to going back to only egg whites on Wednesday - loving the whole egg right now!

Yes, we went to Chipotle!  I had a salad with no cheese - it was flavorful, because its Chipotle, but I did miss the cheese a little bit.  We can have healthy fats today, so I debated on getting guac, but figured the chicken was probably prepared with some sort of fat, so I was getting enough of it in the chicken and opted for just that instead.

Dinner - we went to Jensen's Cafe (near the event center) to eat and kill time before awards.  They had a an egg white omelet that sounded good, but I went for the steak and shrimp (my husband ate part of my steak).  I had salad with Italian vinaigrette, however it seemed like it was cream-based, instead of oil based, so I only ate a tad - maybe just a teaspoon.  The meal also came with a veggie medley and a dinner roll - the roll went to my carb loving daughter!  I will say, that I need to do a better job of asking the waitress questions about the food and how they prepare it - I should have asked about the dressing prior to selecting it, instead of assuming.

Also, I should have ate a snack since I was up until 11, but did not - oops!

Preparation:
I prepped the veggies and nuts a couple of days ago, so those were easy to grab and through into the cooler.  I put together some containers of hummus and blueberries in the morning along with several bottles and a pitcher full of water.  Between my husband and I, we need to drink at least 200 oz of water and figured why have to go up to the concession stand to buy water?  Avoid temptation and bring as much as I could with.

Day 5 on the Fast Metabolism Diet - 5/3/13

Day 5 means a new phase for the next 3 days!  We get to introduce healthy fats and bring back in some grains and fruit - yeah oatmeal and blueberries!  And carrots that I can dip into hummus.  I truly can't believe I'm actually excited to eat oatmeal!

Big challenge for the day was going to the movie theater!  Ugh the popcorn smell was amazing!  But I had my water and veggies, I stayed focused and made it through successfully! 

My husband is having a harder time with cravings than me, especially as the weekend approaches. We are used to going out, eating popcorn, chips, cookies, ice cream and cheeseburgers all weekend. But at this point, I think we've done so well this week that I'm not interested in cheating - nor do I feel it's an option. I want to get my metabolism up so I don't have to continue to struggle with my weight. We are 5 days down - only 23 more to go! It's really not that long, so MIND OVER MATTER!


Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 157.6 lbs
Anthony: 253.6 lbs

Menu:
Breakfast @ 7am:
Scrambled egg, oatmeal with blueberries, celery

Snack @ 10:00am:
Carrots and hummus

Lunch @ 1:00pm:

Leftover steak, cauliflower and a pear

Snack @ 3:45pm:
Celery and almond butter

Dinner @ 7:00pm:

Steak, zucchini and quinoa


Workout:
None

Notes on Food:
Quinoa - this was new for the hubby and something I've had before but had never made it myself. I used chicken broth instead of water and I think it turned out really good. Next time, I think I'll add some veggies into it instead of on the side.


Preparation:
Again, I'm still getting the hang of this diet as it switches gears a little bit. Although fruit and grains are added back in, there are some limitations - no apples in phase 3 :-(! I'm making minor adjustments and had a pear for lunch instead.  Tomorrow is the big dance day, so I'll be spending some time packing and prepping tonight or in the morning to ensure we have all the snacks we need to make it through the day successfully.

Friday, May 3, 2013

Day 4 on the Fast Metabolism Diet - 5/2/13

I'm getting the hang of this diet as the days go on.  I do feel better today about having leftover steak and beef jerky for snacks.  I'm also making mental notes on what meals were a success and which meals I'll need to swap out next week.  Which reminds me, I need to update my spreadsheet!

The scale was down, but not as much as each of the first two days - I blame this on the heavy protein intake and the weight lifting.  Either way, I've lost more in the last 3 days than I have any other week on previous "diets".  Let's hope this continues through the weekend!

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 158.4
Anthony: 254.2

Menu:

Breakfast @ 6:30am:
Egg whites with garlic, onions and spinach, scrambled.

Snack @ 9:30am:
Leftover steak and celery

Lunch @ 12:30pm:

Chicken and vegetable soup

Snack @ 3:30pm:
Beef jerky

Dinner @ 6:30pm:

Steak and green beans


Workout:
P90X Legs and Back DVD - switched up the back exercises (since I did those yesterday) and did biceps and triceps during that time instead.

Preparation
I enlisted my husband to help me with cutting up all of the carrots, celery and cauliflower that we had and put them into containers so that they are ready to go for the next few days. I also put raw almonds, cashews, and sunflower seeds (healthy fats for phase 3!) in baggies so that those are ready to go as well.

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Day 3 on the Fast Metabolism Diet - 5/1/13

Day 3 starts a new phase in foods - protein and veggies only.  My first thought this morning was, this may be a challenging day.  As I looked at the meals for today and go, what have I gotten myself into?!  I still have cravings here and there, but I just need to keep thinking - food is fuel!  And, I need to stay focused on the end result - faster metabolism, healthier body and hopefully a love for some of these foods so that I can continue to eat clean most of the time after the 28 days are over.

The scale was AWESOME this morning!  I'm down 4 lbs in two days and the hubby is down 6.2 lbs!  I do anticipate slow down at some point, either later this week or in week 2, but as of today, I think it may actually be possible to lose 20lbs in a month by eating clean.


Energy: Again, no big increase in energy.  I actually feel a bit tired since I had to get up last night and de-bone the chicken for the soup.

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 159.2 lbs
Tone: 254.8 lbs


Menu:
Breakfast @ 7am:
Egg whites with garlic, onions and spinach, scrambled.

Snack @ 10:30am:
Beef jerky

Lunch @ 1:30pm:

Chicken and vegetable soup

Snack @ 3:45pm:
3 hard boiled egg whites and celery

Dinner @ 7:15pm:

Sirloin steak and asparagus


Notes on Food:

It was hard to cook breakfast - although I have great pans, the garlic and egg whites were sticking to the pan because I couldn't use olive oil - boo!  So, I'll have to re-read the food list and see what I can use so that I don't have half the eggs stuck to the pan tomorrow.
The soup was good - I could go for an extra kick or something to give a tad more flavor.  The hubby loved it so that's a plus!
Hard boiled egg whites - well, I don't like hard boiled eggs to begin with, so I was attempting something outside my comfort zone here and it was a FAIL!  I will stick to nitrate-free deli turkey or beef jerky as my protein source tomorrow.
Sirloin steak and asparagus - well, I live in MN and we had snow last night, so we decided to use the broiler instead of grilling the steak.  We put sea-salt and pepper on the steak and it was delicious.  I put lime juice, sea-salt and garlic on the asparagus and threw that in the other oven.  It was a great dinner - if steak wasn't so expensive, I'd eat that way every night! 

Preparation:
Preparation of food for the next day is going OK.  Some things were put together in the morning while breakfast was cooking - so not too bad.
As far as foods, I have been to Trader Joe's a total of 3 times in 4 days.  Partially because they didn't have what I wanted on the first trip and partially because I just don't know how big 4 cups of broccoli is.  I'm going to cut myself some slack and hope for a better shopping trip for week 2.

Workout:
P90X Chest and Back DVD

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Day 2 on the Fast Metabolism Diet - 4/30/13

I was very interested in seeing the number on the scale this morning - I know, I know, its only been 1 day!  But, with all the food I ate yesterday and how full I felt, I thought FOR SURE I would be at the same weight or have gained a pound.  But magically, I'm down 2 lbs and my husband is down 4 lbs!  Again, I know it's just been a day, but checking the scale every morning is helping to motivate me to keep going and a daily reminder that I can do this!

Some key items that I also want to mention are the water intake and energy levels.  I am particularly interested in having increased energy on this diet plan.  I feel that for many years, I am always tired and often take naps on the weekend or in the evening.  I'm hoping that with the clean eating, I will see some improvements.

Water: You must drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces. Not as big of a deal for me since it's only 80 oz, but the hubby is adjusting to drinking 130 oz of water a day.

Energy: I'm not seeing a drastic improvement in my energy yet.  I can say that I didn't yawn a million times on the way into work today but I don't feel like I can jump up and go run a 1/2 marathon.  I plan to monitor this throughout the 28 days and will keep you posted.

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 161.0 lbs
Tone: 257.0 lbs


Menu:
Breakfast @ 7am:
Oatmeal with blueberries

Snack @ 10:30am:
Apple

Lunch @ 1:30pm:
Chicken and Broccoli Rice Bowl - leftovers

Pineapple

Snack @ 3:45pm:
Apple

Dinner @ 7:15pm:
Chicken and Broccoli Rice Bowl - leftovers

Notes on Food:

Oatmeal with blueberries - It was actually pretty good and I sprinkled some Stevia on it as well. I normally eat oatmeal with a TON of brown sugar and raisins, so this is a big change, but one that I can easily adapt to.
All other foods were either leftovers or fruit, so nothing else to add. I still felt full throughout the day, which makes it difficult to eat the snacks.


Preparation:
I'm definitely a newbie on buying vegetables and planning accordingly for the menu items.  I realized at 7:30pm that I needed to make soup for tomorrow's lunch and that I didn't have enough veggies for it.  So, I ran to the store and started the soup around 9:30pm (after dance).  Not the best planning in the world since the soup needed to simmer for an hour than cool down to de-bone the chicken.  After I turned off the stove, I went to bed and woke up a couple of hours later (1:30am) to de-bone the chicken and got everything ready for lunches.  If this soup is any good, I'll be sure to plan my Tuesday nights a little better! 

Workout:
None (only because of the crazy Tuesday dance schedule)

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Day 1 on the Fast Metabolism Diet - 4/29/13

Yesterday was our first day on The Fast Metabolism Diet.  Although I wasn't feeling the best all day (my stomach hurt from the moment I woke up and I got a headache around 4pm), I still ate all of the food on the meal plan and did my cardio for the day. 

Menu:
Breakfast @ 6:30am:
Strawberry French Toast

Snack @ 9:30am:
Pineapples and Strawberries

Lunch @ 12:45pm:
Open-faced Turkey Sandwich
Strawberries

Snack @ 3:45pm:
Apple

Dinner @ 7:15pm:
Chicken and Broccoli Rice Bowl

Workout:
Insanity Max Cardio Conditioning DVD

Morning Weigh In:
Kiana: 163.2 lbs
Tone: 261 lbs

Overall, I felt like I ate a LOT on Monday.  Eating every 3-4 hours is an adjustment for me - I'm used to eating 2-3 times a day and I definitely do not eat this much fruit in a day.  So far, yesterday was a good start to the diet.  I can't wait to see how the rest of the week turns out.

Quick note on the foods:
Strawberry French Toast was made with Sprouted Grain bread - a very nutty/wholesome taste.  It was different and not my favorite dish, but I ate it!
Open-faced Turkey Sandwich - again, sprouted grain bread, so not my favorite and I was glad there was only one slice of the bread!
Chicken and Broccoli Rice Bowl - this turned out pretty good and the kids had some too.  They kept asking "what smells so good?!" while it was cooking.  I made a double batch for lunch leftovers and since Tuesday night is dance night and I'm busy with running my daughter back and forth from the studio, we decided we'll have it for dinner Tuesday night as well.

The Start of The Fast Metabolism Diet

Discovery
I recently stumbled across a book called The Fast Metabolism Diet by Haylie Pomroy via an email from a bookstore - here's the link www.fastmetabolismdiet.com  Haylie is a celebrity nutritionist, has several clinics throughout the US and works with athletes, celebrities and "normal people" at her clinics.

Decision
The cover of the book states "Lose up to 20 lbs in 28 days".  Haylie talks about viewing the word "diet" differently - DIET now stands for Did I Eat Today?  Basically you eat every 3-4 hours, which means you eat at least 5 times a day, it is a rotation diet, so you eat certain foods on certain days of the week (3 phases in a week), you don't count calories and you kick-start your metabolism so that it is burning calories and working again!

I read through the book and its 50+ recipes and also read some of it to my husband to get his buy-in on this new way of eating.  We thought about it for about a week and decided, let's do this! 

Of course we were both nervous - we LOVE to eat out, processed foods are EASY, and with hectic schedules at work, kids activities in the evenings and weekends, it has become normal in my house to eat a bowl of cereal for dinner or go out to eat at resataurants all weekend.

In the end, we decided it was time to try something different.  Some of you may know, I'm a workout fanatic!  I work out every morning at 5:15am doing P90X or Insanity DVDs, 6 days a week.  I then run on the treadmill the 7th day.  But, I'm not seeing the results I want because I eat like CRAP.

So, it's time for a change and it's ONLY 28 days - WE GOT THIS!

Let's GO!
As an accountant, of course I started a spreadsheet!  I put together my own meal maps of foods that I thought my family and I would eat in each of the phases.  I also downloaded the Fast Metabolism app for my iPhone.  I like that it reminds you to eat, drink water and when selecting foods for the day, it helps ensure you have all of the food groups suggested for each meal.
 
Here are the phases during the week:
Phase 1 (Unwind Stress Phase) is on Monday and Tuesday - it consists of lots of carbs and fruit.  You must do at least 1 day of cardio.
Phase 2 (Unlock Fat Phase) is on Wednesday and Thursday - lots of proteins and veggies.  You must do at least 1 day of weight-lifting.
Phase 3 (Unleash Your Metabolism Phase) is on Friday, Saturday and Sunday - all of the above plus healthy fats.  You must do at least 1 day of yoga or stretch.

I think the biggest challenge for Week 1 is going to be my daughter's dance competition on Saturday which is an all day event - I'm talking 15 hours! I may need to purchase a mini cooler and ice packs so that we are fully prepared for the day. And, I've got to keep my mind in check and not let temptations get the best of me.

On Sunday I went shopping for all of the foods for the week.  I stuck to the meal map and bought mostly organic by going to Trader Joe's and Kowalski's.  Next week, I may check out Whole Foods for more ideas.  Everyone says, preparation is key, so I made sure we have tons of fruits and veggies for snacks and I'm doing a lot of prep work at night to make this a success.  I packed up Monday's meals on Sunday night so that we were ready to go in the am - NO EXCUSES! Let's GO!