Scale Disappointment

The majority of those who have been involved in the health and fitness community know the rules of the weight loss tango.  We know weeks may exist that you eat a near perfect diet paired with giving it all at the gym and you still might post a gain, especially for women whose hormones dictate our body.   We know that in the end, over a span of time, our bodies will adjust and overall if we are eating right and working out we WILL SEE RESULTS.  We know all these facts, and more, but getting over the days when we don’t see the loss we expected or even worse see a gain on that scale after the week were you didn’t give in to any temptation that came your way doesn’t make the emotional disappointment any easier.

There is a plethora of reasons from water retention to DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) that can be temporarily throwing off your results.  But how do you stop the feeling of defeat from carrying into the next week?  If you have been at the weight loss game for a while try looking at the total number lost.  Just like any other big project you have accomplished in your life you have to take it one step at a time.   Maybe one step you worked on was a little more complicated and took a bit longer than you expected but that does not mean you are not going to finish what you started. Think about the advice you’d give you a friend who was experiencing the same thing, what would you tell them?

Most importantly do something that you can visualize your results.  My absolute favorite things to do is put on an old pair of fat jeans and just feel how big they are on me and visually see the progress I have made.  So maybe try on that shirt you forgot about that was just a little too tight on you, you might find yourself surprised that you can put it back in your rotation of things you can wear.  

When you don’t see the results on the scale it is important to try to see the results somewhere else.  Get creative.  Go workout and remind yourself how hard your first workout was and how much further you have come since day one.  

Great Music = Great Workouts

Yesterday I discussed the importance of having fun while you are working on your fitness goals.  One of my #1 essentials making it through a grueling workout is an energetic playlist.  Not only do the great tunes keep me happy but the beat of the music forces me to up my intensity which equal a better workout.    

I have an entirely too gigantic music collection to throw the entire thing on shuffle during a workout.  Also, I wouldn't want to go from Survivor – Eye of the Tiger to Ray LaMontagne – Let It Be Me.  Don’t get me wrong, I love Ray LaMontagne but I don’t see myself getting a personal best with him playing through my headphones. 

For now I have been keeping my playlists around an hour long (that is around the length of my long runs).  I am hoping to have to increase the time (due to the increased run) by the time I’m ready for my next playlist.

I love sharing so I included my playlist for you, maybe you’ll like a few songs and add it to yours.  Know a great song you think I should add?  Do you love your playlist?  Please leave it in the comment section for ideas for my next playlist. 

Current Summer Playlist

Sean Kingston – Fire Burning

Rehab – I’ve landed

K-os – Sunday Morning

Rusted Root – Ecstasy

Bob Sinclar (ft. Gary “Nesta” Pine) – Love Generation

MC Solaar – La Belle et Le Bad Boy

Matisyahu – King Without a Crown

MGMT – Electric Feel

Yolanda Be Cool – We No Speak Americano

Blink 182 – What’s My Age Again?

MIA – Paper Planes

Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley – Move!

The Smashing Pumpkins – Tarantula

Bloc Party – Helicpoter

Lupe Fiasco – The Show Goes On

Relient K – Pressing On

My #1 Secret to Losing Weight...

Have fun while trying to get to your goal.  People constantly tell themselves they will be happy once they reach their goal.  But first always remember there is no guarantee.  It’s in our nature to always want more.  Many of us will reach our goal and then still want more.  Maybe it won’t be more weight loss but maybe we get to our goal weight than want more muscle.  It is natural.  But beyond that, we are more likely able to stick with a plan we when we are happy and when we enjoy doing it.  We are more likely to continue working on ourselves if we are having fun in the process.

Alright, sorry for the cheesy blog entry title but it holds true.  It is one thing if you push yourself through grueling workouts if you get satisfaction upon completion but it’s another thing to hate every minute of it.  You are more likely to commit and continue doing something if you are having fun in the process.  Buy an exercise tape that you find fun.  Love the outdoors?  Find an activity outside where you can surround yourself with a location that will make you happy. 

Maybe it’s you don’t have enough time with your partner, sibling, friend or spouse.  Find something you can do together.  Are you someone with a short attention span?  Commit to trying a new activity once a week.  Find something that excites you, it doesn’t have to be staring at a wall on a treadmill at the local gym, unless you are someone who gets the runner’s high (or likes staring glancing at the sexy guy in front of you). 

The same applies to the food we eat.  Just because you are not a diet doesn’t mean food has to taste as if we are on a diet.  We are lucky to live in an age where we have more recipes that we can possibly think of at our disposal.  We have a plethora of healthy substitutions to foods we love.  We don’t need fat and a salt shaker to make food taste delicious. 

Variety is the spice of life.  Sometimes making an ultra healthy version of your favorite foods just doesn’t cut it.  Instead, try finding new favorite foods.  Be daring, go in recipe hunting with an open mind. Try recipes you are not sure you will like, maybe your taste buds will surprise you.

We can put off happiness until we reach our goal, but I assure you, having fun now won’t make reaching your goal any less enjoyable. 

Today I stand before you as a 5’4 155.8 pounds female.  My initial (and all time high) was 173.3 pound on June 10^th, 2011.  I decided instead of being embarrassed about being overweight I’m going to be proud of my 17.5 pound weight loss in 6 ½ weeks.  

It's The Little Things That Count

It’s the little things that count.  This very true expression can be applied to more than just appreciating the little things in life.  What if we applied that theory to our health by replacing one small bad snack with one healthy snack and/or take small fractions of time and dedicate it to our health?

One of my favorite snacks is Crunchy Cheetos.   In a single snack size 1 oz bag of Cheetos there are 160 calories and 10 grams of fat.  If I swapped the Cheetos out for Orville Redenbacher’s Smart Pop Mini Bags it is only 110 calories and 2 grams of fat for 6.5 cups of delicious kettle corn or buttery popcorn, your choice.  Let me repeat… 6 ½ cups!!!!!!

So saving 50 calories might not appear all the much, but humor me for a second while I do the math.  If I decided to do a similar 50 calorie saving swap once a day I’d be saving my body from consuming a startling 18,250 calories in a year which equates to an over 5 lbs weight loss.

My father is a Coca-Cola addict.  He typically drinks two to three 20oz bottles a day at 240 calories each bottle.  Our family finally got him to switch to Diet Coke.  Within 2 months he has dropped 10 pounds. 

Now what if we added in a minute of exercise in to the mix?  I recently started participating in the #plankaday movement with @DrSherryPagoto and @mbfgmike on twitter.  For those who are not familiar with it you simply take one minute out of the day to work your core and do a plank.  Once you are done you tweet your accomplishment with the hashmark #plankaday.  If you don’t tweet to verify your accomplishment the tweet police (@mbfgmike) will call you out on your slacking.  Even if you don’t use twitter, the idea is amazing.  60 seconds a day to dedicate working on your core.  You don’t need equipment, large amount of space, or a even large about of time.  You just need to spare 60 seconds and your body (your arms might appreciate the softness of carpet or a mat but it is not required). 

Today they have an International 12-HR #plankaday challenge (for those up for it).  Due to my foolishness of never backing down from challenges I accepted.  So, once an hour for twelve hours straight I will take time to do a plank.  Truthfully, I’m not sure my core can handle twelve 60 second planks so instead of compromising form I am going to go for eleven 30 second planks and one final full minute plank for the twelfth and final hour. 

I think their idea is amazing.  I hope it starts another planking revolution to replace the one that is currently sweeping the internet.  I challenge all my readers to join in.  Even if you do not want to tweet about your plank I ask that you dedicate a literal minute of your day to your body. 

Follow my planks on twitter @hungrylilhippo

Stop Feeling Deprived & Find Something Delicous

When following a strict diet eating can be a constant reminder of what you cannot eat.  When you are feeling deprived it makes any sort of long term diet unattainable.  I learned with a little planning and effort you can make delicious meals to satisfy just about any craving without feeling you are even on a diet.  The difficult part is training yourself to think outside the box.

If I am craving tacos I buy 95% lean ground beef and instead of tortilla shell I use boston lettuce as a shell (the type of lettuce used for lettuce wraps).  I then pile on taco meat, homemade pico de gallo and drizzle on some fat free sour cream.  The boston lettuce gives it a nice crunch for some added texture. 

I already shared my recipe for Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes for a nice hardy side which is a fantastic substitute for the real thing.  There are amazing substitutes for (almost) every food.  Looking for a dessert?  A pretty decent Dukan Friendly Fat Free Low Carb dessert the cheesecake recipe listed below.

LOW CARB FAT FREE CHEESECAKE (4 Individual Servings)

1 Cup Splenda

2 Packages of Fat Free Cream Cheese (softened)

1 T Vanilla Extract

1 Cup of Egg Whites such as Egg Beaters

Blend all ingredients together at low speed and pour into 4 ramekin dishes.  Place in a 325° preheated oven for 35-45 minutes (or until center is almost set).  Remove from oven and refrigerate for 3 hours. 

Another great idea is stolen from my childhood.  Remember the days of making your own popsicles by freezing Kool-Aid?  A more adult version of this easy treat is frozen greek yogurt pops. 

Greek Yogurt Popsicles

You Favorite Flavor(s) of Fat Free Greek Yogurt

Sugar (Optional – flavored to taste)

Pick your favorite flavors of Greek Yogurt add your favorite no calorie sweetener (optional).  You can even laying it so the top half is one flavor and the bottom half another (we are really getting fancy now).  Throw them in those plastic popsicle kits and freeze!  

Recipes like these let you have fun and enjoy your food and not feel as if you are depriving yourself.  You should still be able to have fun and enjoy your food while you are on a diet.

Do you have a favorite recipe?  Please share! 

Designing a Workout Plan

People like me who are admittedly lazy (or those in denial about their laziness) need to have more than just a goal of losing weight to get myself to work out regularly.  In my experience it is important to have not only a long term goal but also short term goals, in order to keep you on pace.  I found I am more likely to workout when I make a schedule that allows some flexibility built into the plan.  It’s not just about deciding the right goal but also about designing the right plan to get you there. 

I’m an expert when it comes to failing at workout plans.  In the beginning I get extremely amped up and design a crazy plan.  The problem is I design one that is unrealistic for those who are NOT extreme workout nuts.  By week two or three I get off track by a day or two, once I skip a day or two, or start doing half-ass workouts it goes all downhill from there, and by week four I quit. 

If I don’t make a workout plan I may workout a three to four days a week, at moderate intensity, but I never really push myself.  I do my 30 minutes of cardio three to four days a week but after a couple months I get bored and/or lazy.  Indeed I am burning extra calories, while getting all the other added health benefits that come along with regular cardio workouts but I’m not really challenging myself to push further and improve. 

Working out to simply workout is not something that will get me off the couch continuously.  I need a goal.  This way, not only am I working towards something, I get some satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment when I get to my goal.  In the past I would write out an extreme workout schedule with workout regimen planned to a T, even though I would schedule in a rest day, life would come up, I may be unexpectedly extremely busy on the day I had a long run scheduled or just maybe feel exhausted another.  At first I may be able switch around my rest day but after a while I would get burned out from both the extremeness and rigidness of the schedule. 

Finding the middle ground between those two designs is the key to both continually improve and to constantly push oneself further.  Find a long term goal, one that is about six months to one year out.  Once you have the long term goal have two to four short term goals that are steps in achieving your long term goal.  For example, if your goal is to run a marathon a year from now and you currently cannot run a block without stopping for a breather have goals of perhaps a 5K by month two, 10k by month five, ½ marathon by month eight or nine building up to your marathon by the year marker.  This way the idea of a marathon does not appear so daunting.  You are getting there one achievable goal by one achievable goal. 

Another important thing to keep in mind is that life happens.  One day you’ll be extremely busy and the next you might just need a day off.  It’s important to continuously work towards your goal but allow rest and recovery so you do not get burned out.  Listening to your body is important and you can’t predict how your body will feel two months from now.  Instead, design workout list for X amount of workouts for that week.  For example, just say I commit to 5 days a week, with two rest day, each day I ask myself if it is feasible to workout that day, if it is check that workout off my workout list, if not I check off one of my rest days off my schedule.  Just try not to use your rest days early in the week, otherwise you may find yourself without a rest day when you could really use it.  Also, if you save your rest days for the end of your week if you are feeling good that can throw in an extra workout.  Keep in mind it is important to have at least one rest day in your week to let your body recover. 

One last thing I would like to mention is not to have a goal of pounds or inches lost or gain.  You are not in control these when it comes to a having specific deadline of achievability.  You can try your best and hope for the best but because it is not something you can control such as minutes, distance, or lbs lifted you may feel defeated if you are not losing / gaining on schedule.   

Good Luck and let me know if you have any added suggestions!

Dukan Diet Phase 2 & Cauliflower Mashed Potato Recipe

If the phrase “you are what you eat” were true I would look like a loaf of bread, bowl of rice, or giant baked potato (butter and sour cream please!!!!).  Not eating carbs (with the exception of the 2T of oat bran daily) is not the easiest diet.  I find it most difficult on my Protein Only days.  I sit down to dinner with a chuck of meat in front of me, no side of veggies, no potato or rice to accompany the meal.  Do not get me wrong, I do not leave the dinner table hungry, I just feel as if something is missing when I'm eating my meal. 

My favorite side on the Protein Only days, to give me a break from meat, is fat free cottage cheese.  Also to help wash down the meat I have been purchasing a plethora of different types of mustard, one of the permitted condiments due to it having no carbs.  I never realized how many types of mustard existed beyond traditional yellow… Dijon, Spicy Brown, Horseradish, and my favorite-Aioli Garlic Mustard Sauce (found at Trader Joe’s).  I’m also a huge fan of Heinz Reduced Sugar Ketchup as well as Frank’s Red Hot Sauce (being of fan of anything and everything spicy).  Condiments are key to lasting on this diet on protein only days. 

I feel I can be on this diet forever (MOST) protein and vegetable days.  These are the days I no longer feel as if I’m even on a diet.  My favorite recipe is Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes.  It looks just like mashed potatoes and taste pretty close.  Even if you are trying to reduce your carb intake this is a must try recipe. 

Cauliflower Mashed Potato Recipe

1 Head of Cauliflower

1 T Fat Free Cream Cheese

1 T Fat Free Sour Cream

½ t Chicken Bouillon

½ minced garlic

Salt

Pepper

¼ Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese (Optional)

Bring a pot of water to a boil, cut cauliflower into chunks and place in boiling water for 6-8 minutes until tender.  Drain water and dry with clean dish cloth or paper towel.  In medium sized bowl mixed all ingredients with hand blender (immersion blender).  NOTE:  You can also use a food processor.  HOPE YOU ENJOY AS MUCH AS I DO!


When sitting down to dinner this recipe makes me feel as if I am eating a normal meal.  With the "mashed potatoes", side of vegetables, along with a nice portion of lean protein I leave the table feeling happy, full and satisfied.  Now if I can just figure out a way to make another mock side out of protein.... Anyone out there have any suggestions? 

The Dukan Diet

My current attempt to lose weight is with the Dukan Diet.  With a total weight loss of 14 pounds in just under 6 weeks I consider it successful (thus far). The thing I love about the Dukan Diet is you are permitted to eat unlimited amount of foods (within reason).  The most difficult aspect of the diet is the elimination of carbs.  I can have a whole blog dedicated to my love of carbs and carbs related foods.  Back in my high school days my parents nicknamed me Rice Pilaf because that is what I would eat for dinner each and every day. 

                 

To me, the problem with most diets is it has to be a lifestyle.  You cannot stop once you reach your goal weight, otherwise all the weight you lost eventually comes back on.  With the Dukan Diet there are four phases and once you reach phase four, your goal weight, you can eat whatever foods you want (once again, within reason) and still maintain your weight loss, as long as once a week you revisit the diet rules.  This is idea the sealed the deal.  The thought of only needing to diet one day week sounds not only achievable but easy.  During the course of the diet you are never suppose to limit your food intake nor are you suppose to ever count calories.  The most difficult aspect of the whole Dukan Diet process is actually making it to phase four. 

Phase One is the attack phase.  The attack phase only last approximately 5 days.  With the exception of 2 T of oat bran a day (which you will eat everyday for life) you are only eating lean proteins and some dairy such as fat free cream cheese, fat free cottage cheese, and skim milk.  What is great about this phase is most people lose tons of weight initially.  Due to the first phase only lasting a short period of time and the large amount of rapid weight loss people are compelled to keep going into phase two. 

I am currently, in my opinion, in the most difficult phase of the diet, phase two.  Phase two is just like phase one but you are adding in vegetables every other day, along with the 2 T of oat bran daily.  I never thought I’d miss vegetable as much as I do.  On vegetable days I feel as if I can continue this diet forever, it’s the protein only days that are rough.  Phase two continues all the way until you reach your goal weight. 

Phase three, you slowly start bringing carbs and starches back into your diet.  You are also allowed 2 celebration meals a week where you can eat whatever you want without worrying about it being on the allowed list. 

By the time you reach phase four your body is considered stabilized and you can eat all different foods you have been missing.  Once a week you have to go back to the protein only day diet, but beyond that you are suppose to maintain your goal weight. 

Tomorrow…

My struggles and triumphs with the Dukan Diet’s Phase Two

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step - Lao-tzu

It would be inaccurate for me to say today is the first day of my weight loss journey.  My weight is something I have been struggling with for the past ten years.  Or if we were being truthful, since as far back as can remember.

According the the recommended height and weight charts I have only been overweight for the last ten (only last ten years - ha!).  For me, obstacle number one, perhaps my only obstacle, is myself.  I eat too much, too often, and the type of foods I eat are loaded with the everything I should not be putting in my body.  I constantly tell myself treating myself to one more cookie isn't going to change anything, but when you do that everyday, it changes everything.

I am also lazy.  Real lazy.  Back in my high school days I used to run cross country.  I was able to easily run 6 miles a day easily.  Now, I can not even run 1/4 mile without having to stop for a break.  I have had gym memberships, ski-machines, elliptical machines, and weights all at my disposal but besides the sporadic week here and their it never gets used.  

I have tried things such as calorie restriction, P90X, Insanity, Weight Watchers, and even marathon training.  I have not had success with anything because it would require me to constantly record and limit what I have been eating, or do constantly workouts.  And as I mentioned previously, I am lazy. I know this is something I need to change.

I am currently doing the Dukan Diet.  It's not easy, but I have been able to stick with it more than I have been able to stick with any other diet.  I am currently in the 6th week of the Dukan Diet and have lost 14 pounds.  I have 30 more pounds to go.

Come back tomorrow....

For those who are not familiar with the Dukan Diet I will give you some background information on the diet, my likes, dislikes, as well as my experiences.