this may be working

My new no-diet plan seems to be going well! I've eaten TONS of fruits and veggies this week and have felt really good. I've not been counting any points, just focusing on making healthy decisions. I even went to Uno's for lunch today and made what I think is a pretty healthy choice...veggie burger w/no bun or cheese (comes with guacamole and salsa) and a side salad with fat-free vinaigrette dressing. It was yummy. What makes me especially happy about all of this is that this has been probably the most stressful week at work since I started 2 years ago and I've still been able to stay healthy. And I feel so much less stressed about eating without counting anything...calories, points, whatever! So far so good. Hopefully I can keep it up this weekend...even while I am going to a wedding.

I've also been pretty good about exercising...I ran on Monday morning..."slept in" on Tuesday (til 6:15) so no work out. Yesterday I did p90x KenpoX (which was a great stress reliever...and I'm feeling it today!) and this morning I ran again. It was such a beautiful morning...I was actually chilly when I first started! Again a really good stress reliever. It's supposed to be nice again tomorrow but I don't want to run too much because it will hurt my knees. So my plan is to maybe take the dogs for a nice walk and then give them a much needed bath. Maybe do a little p90x in there, too. Saturday if my knees feel okay I may go for a run to try to counteract what I will eat/drink Saturday night at the wedding!

We're gonna get pho tonight...Vietnamese noodle soup. It's a favorite of ours and we haven't had it in awhile since it's been so hot. Then we're gonna watch a movie and relax. Relaxation is so needed! Thank goodness we go to Maine on Tuesday!!!

i may need to change the name of my blog...

If anyone read my last post it's not surprising that I've been struggling with feeling motivated. I've been doing some reflecting and realized that I am putting way too much mental energy into thinking about how I eat (is this healthy/unhealthy, feeling guilty if I eat something bad, etc). I don't want to diet. I hate dieting. I love food and I hate feeling deprived. I went out to eat last week with my dad, aunt, and grandmother. While we were out we stopped at a really cute little market in Vienna. It had lots of local, fresh produce and organic meats. I was browsing around and talking to my aunt and she was telling me about a book she's reading, "Eat to Live" by Dr. Fuhrman. So of course I went home and downloaded it on my Kindle and started reading it (the whole premise is that people should eat only foods with a high nutrient density...duh). I'm only on the second chapter, but it's helped me come to a pretty important conclusion: I'm not going to diet anymore.

A few years ago I lost a good amount of weight because I started running for the first time in my life. At the time, I was also reading Bob Greene's book, "The Best Life Diet," which is all about making lifestyle changes rather than dieting. I applied most of the principles in that book to my life and naturally lost weight. Since that time I've had a hard time losing any more weight because now it's more about toning my body and losing the rest of the fat that seems to want to stick around!

So, I've made a new plan. No more diets. No more counting WW points. No more strict vegetarian...I had chicken last night for the first time and I plan on eating some chicken, although sparingly. And I only plan to buy chicken that I know comes from a good place. We bought this chicken from a farmer's market in old towne Alexandria where we talked to the farmer and he told us exactly how the chicken was raised and killed (he does all the processing himself). It was very yummy and I felt good about eating it.

So here's my new plan:

-I will eat mostly vegetarian foods but incorporate some chicken into my meals (bought locally and organic)

-I will measure out portions (which I've gotten better at thanks to WW...if I don't measure I swear I could sit down and eat an entire pound of pasta)

-I will eat mostly fruits/veggies for snacks (another good WW principle)

-I will try to eat slowly and mindfully

-I will try to avoid processed foods and eat mostly foods that grow from the ground

-I will not count calories or points

-If I want something sweet, I will have something healthy like fruit and yogurt etc

-If I want something unhealthy, I will have it in moderation

-I will try to exercise 3-5 times per week, but I will not get down on myself if I don't follow p90x rigidly (so if I want to run a few times a week I will do that instead)

-I will try to buy mostly local, fresh foods

Now I'm sure people reading this (if anyone reads this) are thinking DUH. But it's not easy for me, or for a lot of people I'm sure. It's so simple to want a quick fix like a diet, but they are so hard to follow in the long-term. I will not be counting points for the rest of my life, so what's the point now (haha no pun intended)? I feel good about this because I know I'm doing what's right for my body and what will help me feel good physically. Hopefully weight loss is a by-product of this new lifestyle but I'm doing this to be healthy, not just to lose weight.

Here are a few things we've already been eating that coincide with my new lifestyle: =)

-TONS of fresh greens, including Chinese broccoli, baby bok choy, and collards (sauteed in garlic and olive oil)

-baby red potatoes with rosemary

-whole roasted chicken

-fresh tomato salad with onions, basil, and balsamic vinegar

-fresh cantaloupe, watermelon, mango, and peaches

-soy yogurt with a little granola and lots of blueberries and blackberries

-wrap with hummus, fresh tomatoes, hearts of palm, and cole slaw

So. That's my new lifestyle. I feel good about it now, but I'm sure tomorrow when I go to work and there are tons of temptations it will be difficult. My plan is just to focus on my health and hopefully everything else will fall into place. =)

feeling a little defeated

To say that I've gotten off track may be an understatement. Two weekends ago I was at a bachelorette party that kind of wrecked my week on Weight Watchers. But I still worked out all week so that was a positive. This last weekend for 4th of July we were at Lake Anna...which meant lots of lounging around, chillin in the water, and eating. And no exercising. Needless to say WW and p90x have been non-existent this week. I'm still trying to focus on being healthy but I am feeling pretty defeated.

Which got me thinking...I HATE how much time I spend thinking about what/how I'm eating and if/when/how I'm working out. I know it's such a societal issue, but I really wish I could just be at a point where I eat healthy, work out most days, and don't obsess about these things. It's just exhausting. I'm trying to get there and I think following some WW principles (eating fruit as snacks) and combining that with eating mindfully (which is so hard) would be the answer. It just seems like everywhere I turn there are either people talking about dieting, infomercials for new diets, or the complete opposite and temptations to get way off track. I know this all comes from self-control and will power (which sometimes I'm not sure I have any of). I just need to focus on being more mindful, eating slower, and really enjoying the taste of my food. I just get so frustrated with how much energy I (and people, society, etc) put into losing weight!

That's my soapbox for now. Clearly I'm not feeling too motivated these days.

still truckin along

I'm still truckin along with p90x and weight watchers. Last week I only worked out two days, so I decided to do week 6 over again. So far this week I've done core, cardio, and about 15 minutes of the push-ups video (I was NOT feelin it that morning) and ab ripper. Today I'm either going to run or do legs and back or kenpo. It's so nice out that I'd like to run, my the arch on my right foot is really hurting so I'm thinking I may do a p90x video to not have all that impact on my feet and legs.

I'm still sticking to weight watchers, too...as best as I can. Last weekend I went to a bachelorette party which included lots of beer and chips and ranch dip. And then Panera the next morning. I did not keep track of points (I was WAY over anyways) and the scale definitely showed that. I'm back on track this week but the scale is still higher than I'd like it to be. But I figure I'm definitely eating healthier and less than I do without WW so hopefully it will show one way or another (if not on the scale then in my clothes).

Today marks only 3 more months until our wedding! I can't believe it's that close. The next 3 months are just going to fly by! Last night we called around for rehearsal dinner places and found Dolce Vita in Fairfax and Carrabba's in Centreville could both work. It gives us a good excuse to go out to eat to try these places out. =) It seems like we still have a lot to do...order the wedding bands, figure out the reception music, order the tuxes, and have the final meetings with all the people. I got my dress fitted last week and I love love love it!!!

Anyways...that's all for now. There's been so much going on the past few weeks. Hopefully I can update more regularly now because it does help me stay on track. I hope I can keep things going in the right direction even during this holiday weekend! Happy 4th!