2 Weeks on the Nutrition Plan

When I started Cameron (My nutritionist) told me that before we can even deal with the weight, we have to increase my energy. Currently I am suffering from severe arthritis pain in my knees and my back. I can't walk very much which limits my exercise, and I am so tired all the time. So this made sense to me. What was very educational was learning the effect that carbs, sugar and preservatives can have on a woman's body hormonally and with regard to energy levels. So my first challenge was to cut out the sugar, eliminate the starches..bread, rice, potatoes etc. I will post more factual information on this later, but what I am beginning to understand its affect on my blood sugar levels. Two weeks now, and I don't feel so uncomfortable after I eat. I don't have the racing palpitations after eating pizza or bread. I can't say that my energy levels have improved yet, but I can see the importance of having a schedule and slowly incorporating new habits. My last post told of my first three challenges. This week I am to:

1) Add 4 cups of greens into my diet. The vegetables are to be greens from the top 10 greens for women. Kale, Artichoke, Dandelion Greens, Asparagus, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Cabbage, Arugula, Broccoli and celery. Its amazing how many nutrients are in these top 10 vegetables.

I get two cups of greens out of the way really quick by adding them to my protein drink in the morning. It turns the shake green but there isn't any taste to it, and then I know I have gotten in at least 2 cups. I love vegetables so its easy to incorporate. Another option is Barlean's Greens, a powder that you can add to a shake, but for me the Kale works great, and adds more fiber.

In my meeting with Cameron we evaluated my progress. Looking at it now, I didn't do too bad. I think getting my schedule down to eating every four hours and not eating anything after 7:30 was probably the most challenging. I don't have children, my husband and I get home very late, and we eat big dinners.

But, I have adjusted to it as I am learning that if its too work, I have to believe in it. The meetings every two weeks are good for me. It makes my want to fill out the food journals so that we have something to review in order to see areas I need to improve.

Some tips:

1) Yogurt has too much sugar. If you eat yogurt, eat Greek unflavored yogurt and add fresh fruit.
2) If you have difficulty thinking up something to eat, think protein and vegetables first.
3) Your body metabolism is highest in daylight. This is when you should be eating.

Three Things

I have to start somewhere. The tasks seem overwhelming, but I might as well document it here. Because at the end of a year, I believe that if I apply myself, Call Her Bluff, I will become a better, stronger, more authentic self. So here it all is:

I am overweight, 100 or more pounds overweight to be exact. My finances are at zero, meaning I have no savings. I do have equity in my house, I do have a car, and temporarily a full time job. At least for the next three months as I fill in for an administrative manager who was fired, and get paid to do her job at my old rate. The economy or perhaps the foolish spending in the company cost me full time status and a cut in salary, and I took it. Then when trouble hit, they asked me to come back full time, and I accepted. Humbled, humiliated, I went back. Was it the right thing or the wrong thing? For me, I think I lost a bit of my self. And if I had been financially stronger I believe my choice would have been different. But the life I created isn't financially sound and that needs to change if I no longer want to be controlled by the whims and thoughts of others.

I need to be my own boss. My first task this year is begin to accomplish three things each day that are personal accomplishments. Not for the job, not for others, not for anyone by me. Each daily entry will start out with my THREE THINGS. A simple life changing TO DO List. Three simple things, 365 days a year, for one full year. Join me. Start posting your three things. Let's start together today. Let's begin our lives again. We can do it!

Call Her Bluff.

Call it my alter ego, call it my inner self, today is the day I am calling her bluff. She says I can be fabulous at 50. She says I can accomplish anything I set out to accomplish. She believes I am invincible, a can do person, with a great smile, a strong contender for the good life, able to leap tall buildings. A Superwoman like no other.

I on the other hand fight her tooth and nail each day. I eat more than I should, exercise less than I need to, spend money, make and break my own promises, and apply a defeatist attitude to many days, many moments.

Mostly I do this when it's about me. To all those on the outside looking in, I am my inner self. To me, the outer doesn't match the inner. It's a constant struggle to finding me. I accept rejection silently, demand nothing from others, expect less and less for myself.

Today I am calling my own bluff. Today begins anew. Small steps toward a closer alignment of her and me. She and I. We.