I'm thrilled to let everyone know I received an email from Ronda Gates, business associate to Covert Bailey. Ms. Gates found my Woman vs Fat website and saw I was using Covert Bailey's tracking sheet. She let me know that she showed my sheet to Mr. Bailey and his wife and other associate Lea Bishop.
WOO HOO!!! I'm doing the banana dance here in TN! After all the bad news lately, this was just the pick-me-up I needed.
Ms Gates: Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment!
Mr. Bailey - If you happen to stop by the website, let me just extend a warm welcome and thank you for all the wonderful information you published in your books and also distributed through your PBS programs. I've been a HUGE fan for years!
I'm still in Tennessee and my dad is still in ICU... for everyone praying, thank you. I've still not weighed myself since leaving CA for TN, but I can tell by my clothes I'm still getting smaller.
-- Kristin
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Weigh In Delay
Since writing my last entry, I've left CA for TN to be with my father who is very ill and in the hospital. The boys and I are driving and will arrive today on the eastern side of Tennessee.
I did remember to bring my bathroom scale, which is packed in the camper, but I have to admit, weighing myself is the last thing on my mind right now. I did commit to this fat loss journey so once I can get to it, I'll weigh myself and post my weekly entry, but I'm sure I've lost a bunch this week as it's been difficult to eat anything with all the stress of my father's illness.
For everyone reading the blog, I ask for your prayers for my father, Frank, in Tennessee. He was hospitalized Monday and is literally fighting for his life.
Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers.
-- Kristin
I did remember to bring my bathroom scale, which is packed in the camper, but I have to admit, weighing myself is the last thing on my mind right now. I did commit to this fat loss journey so once I can get to it, I'll weigh myself and post my weekly entry, but I'm sure I've lost a bunch this week as it's been difficult to eat anything with all the stress of my father's illness.
For everyone reading the blog, I ask for your prayers for my father, Frank, in Tennessee. He was hospitalized Monday and is literally fighting for his life.
Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers.
-- Kristin
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
What I'm Eating
Over the past few weeks, I've had the chance to visit with a few friends following the blog and all of them ask, "What are you eating?" I thought I would use today to go through a full day's menu for me.
Now remember, I'm eating to feed 120 pounds of lean body mass and I'm averaging 3-6 hours a week of exercise activity.. I'm also trying to lose 2 pounds of fat a week. Considering all this, my total daily caloric intake should be 1688 calories.
I've divided this up into five meals a day, targeting around 330 calories a meal. This is a target, not a rule! And what I'm finding, the more I eat these smaller, more frequent meals, my stomach is adjusting and learning how much food it actually takes to properly nourish my body.
I've also added protein drinks to my daily menu - I'll be writing a full blog entry about that in the future!
Okay, so here's a day's worth of food:
7AM Meal 1: Protein Drink (I have this first thing in the morning - it has replaced my morning cup of coffee)
2 scoops protein powder (I like GNC's Amplified Wheybolic Extreme 60 in chocolate)
1-1/2 cups skim milk
Total cal: 321
Protein: 54 g
Carbs: 23 g
Fat: 0 g
10AM Meal 2: Light Breakfast - Egg Sandwich
1 egg (scrambled in Pam, hard boiled, or poached)
1 slice American cheese
1 slice high fiber whole wheat bread
1 cup skim milk
Total cal: 300
Protein: 22 g
Carbs: 32 g
Fat: 9.5 g
1PM Meal 3: Light Lunch
1 chicken breast, grilled
lettuce & tomato slices
1 cup skim milk
Total cal: 317
Protein: 40 g
Carbs: 18 g
Fat: 8 g
4PM Meal 4: Protein Drink
2 scoops protein powder
1-1/2 cups skim milk
Total cal: 321
Protein: 54 g
Carbs: 23 g
Fat: 0 g
7PM Meal 5: Dinner
1 3-1/2oz lean cut beef, grilled (steak/burger)
1 cup steamed vegetables
1 small baked potato
1 pat butter
1 T sour cream
Iced tea w/Splenda and lemon
Total cal: 386
Protein: 31 g
Carbs: 37 g
Fat: 11 g
This brings my totals for the day to this:
Total calories: 1645
Total for Nutrients:
Protein: 201 g
Carbs: 133 g
Fat: 28.5 g
This is good as it shows the majority of my nutrients are coming from protein and I'm keeping my fat under control.
Here's a tip for making meal planning easier: make "meal cards" with your favorite things to eat with the quantities, calories and nutrients already figured out. Use these to plan what you'll eat and what you'll buy at the grocery store!
Are you with me? :)
-- Kristin
Now remember, I'm eating to feed 120 pounds of lean body mass and I'm averaging 3-6 hours a week of exercise activity.. I'm also trying to lose 2 pounds of fat a week. Considering all this, my total daily caloric intake should be 1688 calories.
I've divided this up into five meals a day, targeting around 330 calories a meal. This is a target, not a rule! And what I'm finding, the more I eat these smaller, more frequent meals, my stomach is adjusting and learning how much food it actually takes to properly nourish my body.
I've also added protein drinks to my daily menu - I'll be writing a full blog entry about that in the future!
Okay, so here's a day's worth of food:
7AM Meal 1: Protein Drink (I have this first thing in the morning - it has replaced my morning cup of coffee)
2 scoops protein powder (I like GNC's Amplified Wheybolic Extreme 60 in chocolate)
1-1/2 cups skim milk
Total cal: 321
Protein: 54 g
Carbs: 23 g
Fat: 0 g
10AM Meal 2: Light Breakfast - Egg Sandwich
1 egg (scrambled in Pam, hard boiled, or poached)
1 slice American cheese
1 slice high fiber whole wheat bread
1 cup skim milk
Total cal: 300
Protein: 22 g
Carbs: 32 g
Fat: 9.5 g
1PM Meal 3: Light Lunch
1 chicken breast, grilled
lettuce & tomato slices
1 cup skim milk
Total cal: 317
Protein: 40 g
Carbs: 18 g
Fat: 8 g
4PM Meal 4: Protein Drink
2 scoops protein powder
1-1/2 cups skim milk
Total cal: 321
Protein: 54 g
Carbs: 23 g
Fat: 0 g
7PM Meal 5: Dinner
1 3-1/2oz lean cut beef, grilled (steak/burger)
1 cup steamed vegetables
1 small baked potato
1 pat butter
1 T sour cream
Iced tea w/Splenda and lemon
Total cal: 386
Protein: 31 g
Carbs: 37 g
Fat: 11 g
This brings my totals for the day to this:
Total calories: 1645
Total for Nutrients:
Protein: 201 g
Carbs: 133 g
Fat: 28.5 g
This is good as it shows the majority of my nutrients are coming from protein and I'm keeping my fat under control.
Here's a tip for making meal planning easier: make "meal cards" with your favorite things to eat with the quantities, calories and nutrients already figured out. Use these to plan what you'll eat and what you'll buy at the grocery store!
Are you with me? :)
-- Kristin
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Six Weeks Complete
Here I am with six weeks behind me and another weigh-in this morning. My weight is 184.5 pounds, exactly the same as last week.
Initially, I was disappointed. This could easily be an event that sends me flying off my wagon and straight into emotional upset followed by emotional eating. But before I go and spoil my efforts of the last six weeks, lets have a look at what's going on here.
First, I'm holding water. A quick look at my calendar (and a review of previous posts) tells me I'm again approaching the end of my cycle. The extra water is undoubtedly going to impact my weigh-in.
Second, I've had a great week exercising. I feel much stronger doing my Pilates routine and I've been jogging! Yeah, jogging! I've been able to add some wind sprints while walking and just this week I jogged up the monster hill in my neighborhood. A few months back, I could hardly walk up this hill! My body is getting stronger and, in doing so, probably building muscle.
Finally, I have to remember my weight doesn't always tell the truth. My size also has to be considered. Since being able to put on my jeans that I'd been using to gauge my size, I had not found another pair to use for this purpose. So off to my closet I went and way back in the back I've pulled a skirt and pair of slacks that are both too tight. I'll use them going forward to check my size each week.
Bottom line: my overall weight loss will not be in a straight line. And I need to remind myself my goal is not weight loss, it's FAT loss and my weight isn't always the best indicator.
To help stay motivated, I took some time to find a picture of me from earlier this year. I hit my heaviest weight shortly after losing my job. Well, I found a pic and I put it next to a pic I took yesterday and you can clearly see the loss of FAT in my face.
Now THIS is progress!
-- Kristin
Initially, I was disappointed. This could easily be an event that sends me flying off my wagon and straight into emotional upset followed by emotional eating. But before I go and spoil my efforts of the last six weeks, lets have a look at what's going on here.
First, I'm holding water. A quick look at my calendar (and a review of previous posts) tells me I'm again approaching the end of my cycle. The extra water is undoubtedly going to impact my weigh-in.
Second, I've had a great week exercising. I feel much stronger doing my Pilates routine and I've been jogging! Yeah, jogging! I've been able to add some wind sprints while walking and just this week I jogged up the monster hill in my neighborhood. A few months back, I could hardly walk up this hill! My body is getting stronger and, in doing so, probably building muscle.
Finally, I have to remember my weight doesn't always tell the truth. My size also has to be considered. Since being able to put on my jeans that I'd been using to gauge my size, I had not found another pair to use for this purpose. So off to my closet I went and way back in the back I've pulled a skirt and pair of slacks that are both too tight. I'll use them going forward to check my size each week.
Bottom line: my overall weight loss will not be in a straight line. And I need to remind myself my goal is not weight loss, it's FAT loss and my weight isn't always the best indicator.
To help stay motivated, I took some time to find a picture of me from earlier this year. I hit my heaviest weight shortly after losing my job. Well, I found a pic and I put it next to a pic I took yesterday and you can clearly see the loss of FAT in my face.
Now THIS is progress!
-- Kristin
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Emotional Eating
It's hard to admit to myself, let alone the world, but I can devour a box of Vanilla Wafers in one sitting. All it takes is a little upset, anger or boredom. If there's no cookies in the house, I'll seek out ice cream or any other sugary, sweet snack I can lay my hands on. The point is that when you're feeding something other than your actual hunger, nourishing your body is not the goal - soothing your emotions is.
Emotional eating is the cause of thousands of pounds of excess FAT across our nation as recent studies indicate that 75% of overeating is caused by emotions. So if I'm going to win my war against FAT, I've got to get my emotions under control: a task that is easier said than done... but I will not be deterred!
The habit of emotional eating usually starts in childhood when we are offered some treat as a remedy to being sad or upset about something. This practice continues and is reinforced until we become adults, at which time, it's a habit we don't even recognize.
And that's the first weapon against emotional eating: recognizing it!
This seems pretty straight forward. If I'm eating for some reason BESIDES hunger, I'm emotionally eating. But to recognize it, I'm going to have be "present" and "aware".. I've got to be present in the moment I'm eating and aware of why I'm putting the food into my mouth.
I think for now, before I eat anything, I will ask myself these questions: Are you really hungry? and why do you want to eat?
Another tactic that can help with emotional eating is coming up with alternative activities to do when you're upset. Have a list ready, at least in your mind, of what you can do instead of eating. Take a walk, phone a friend, do laundry - something other than feed your face.
You might also try eating a healthy snack for your emotional eating. How about some carrot sticks the next time you're crying or upset? You'll still get the comfort of the food without all the bad-for-you calories.
Finally, if you know you won't be able to resist your comfort food, try then to eat it with moderation. For me, that means consuming only a handful of Vanilla Wafers instead of the whole box. If we eat slowly, we'll find that only a few bites of our comfort food are actually needed to provide said comfort.
Emotional eating - we all do it. For some of us, it's the sabotage that keeps us from having long term success in our battle against the bulge. But don't let it be yours... I know I'm not going to let it be mine anymore, sad, happy or otherwise.
Are you with me?
-- Kristin
Emotional eating is the cause of thousands of pounds of excess FAT across our nation as recent studies indicate that 75% of overeating is caused by emotions. So if I'm going to win my war against FAT, I've got to get my emotions under control: a task that is easier said than done... but I will not be deterred!
The habit of emotional eating usually starts in childhood when we are offered some treat as a remedy to being sad or upset about something. This practice continues and is reinforced until we become adults, at which time, it's a habit we don't even recognize.
And that's the first weapon against emotional eating: recognizing it!
This seems pretty straight forward. If I'm eating for some reason BESIDES hunger, I'm emotionally eating. But to recognize it, I'm going to have be "present" and "aware".. I've got to be present in the moment I'm eating and aware of why I'm putting the food into my mouth.
I think for now, before I eat anything, I will ask myself these questions: Are you really hungry? and why do you want to eat?
Another tactic that can help with emotional eating is coming up with alternative activities to do when you're upset. Have a list ready, at least in your mind, of what you can do instead of eating. Take a walk, phone a friend, do laundry - something other than feed your face.
You might also try eating a healthy snack for your emotional eating. How about some carrot sticks the next time you're crying or upset? You'll still get the comfort of the food without all the bad-for-you calories.
Finally, if you know you won't be able to resist your comfort food, try then to eat it with moderation. For me, that means consuming only a handful of Vanilla Wafers instead of the whole box. If we eat slowly, we'll find that only a few bites of our comfort food are actually needed to provide said comfort.
Emotional eating - we all do it. For some of us, it's the sabotage that keeps us from having long term success in our battle against the bulge. But don't let it be yours... I know I'm not going to let it be mine anymore, sad, happy or otherwise.
Are you with me?
-- Kristin
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Fifth Complete Week
Here I am again at the end of another week... this makes five since I started this war. This morning's weigh-in was great... 184.5 pounds. That's down 3.5 pounds since last week.
I could be worried that this is too much weight to lose in one week, but remember, I've been holding water the past two weeks and all that seems to be gone today. So I expect that this loss is part FAT and part water. I'll take it. Total weight loss to date, 13.5 pounds and she's doing the banana dance to celebrate!
But lately I've been thinking it's not enough to make this journey alone. Americans are literally dying of obesity related problems and I feel selfish keeping all my success to myself. It's time to spread the word - help has arrived.
Are you struggling with your weight? Have you been on and off diets your whole life? Would like to feel like you've found an answer that will work for the rest of your life? If you can say yes to any or all of these questions, well, welcome to my world. I invite you to join me as I blaze a trail out of this hell hole.
Are you with me? Leave me a comment or email me at kristin.cohn@yahoo.com. I'd like to help you win your battle against FAT, too!
And here's the thinner girl this week... I was feeling artsy fartsy... can ya tell?
Next up --> Emotional Eating... stay tuned!
-- Kristin
I could be worried that this is too much weight to lose in one week, but remember, I've been holding water the past two weeks and all that seems to be gone today. So I expect that this loss is part FAT and part water. I'll take it. Total weight loss to date, 13.5 pounds and she's doing the banana dance to celebrate!
But lately I've been thinking it's not enough to make this journey alone. Americans are literally dying of obesity related problems and I feel selfish keeping all my success to myself. It's time to spread the word - help has arrived.
Are you struggling with your weight? Have you been on and off diets your whole life? Would like to feel like you've found an answer that will work for the rest of your life? If you can say yes to any or all of these questions, well, welcome to my world. I invite you to join me as I blaze a trail out of this hell hole.
Are you with me? Leave me a comment or email me at kristin.cohn@yahoo.com. I'd like to help you win your battle against FAT, too!
And here's the thinner girl this week... I was feeling artsy fartsy... can ya tell?
Next up --> Emotional Eating... stay tuned!
-- Kristin
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
The Power of Pilates
Last Sunday when I stepped on the scale, I was almost disappointed. Then, I put on my jeans that had been too small for a very long time and much to my surprise, they FIT! I haven't lost that much weight, yet I seem to have gotten a lot smaller. What's going on here?
I think the answer lies in the power of Pilates!
Since declaring war on my FAT, I've been watching what I eat and doing lots of cardiovascular walking (up and down big hills). But I've also been doing a Pilates mat routine at home and, frankly, that routine is helping to reshape my body.
Have you ever heard of Pilates? If not, I encourage you to read the book The Pilates Body by Brooke Siler. This book walks you through a wonderful mat routine that can be altered for beginners or the advanced. Pilates can include lots of apparatus and expensive appointments with certified trainers, but it doesn't have to include all that. A Pilates mat routine at home will work wonders as long as your consistent!
Pilates focuses on strengthening your core muscles and aligning the spine. It also teaches breathing awareness and mind control over your muscles. It was developed by Joseph Pilates in the early 20th century and today has millions of people who practice.
I've been hooked on Pilates for years, but fell off of doing a routine regularly. Well I'm back on again for the past four weeks and I can already see the changes in my shape. My abdomen is flatter, my butt is tighter and lifted and my arms and legs more slender... and even though the scale seems to only register a 10 pound loss so far, fitting into my jeans lets me know my body is smaller!
The Pilates Body by Brooke Siler - be sure to check it out!
-- Kristin
I think the answer lies in the power of Pilates!
Since declaring war on my FAT, I've been watching what I eat and doing lots of cardiovascular walking (up and down big hills). But I've also been doing a Pilates mat routine at home and, frankly, that routine is helping to reshape my body.
Have you ever heard of Pilates? If not, I encourage you to read the book The Pilates Body by Brooke Siler. This book walks you through a wonderful mat routine that can be altered for beginners or the advanced. Pilates can include lots of apparatus and expensive appointments with certified trainers, but it doesn't have to include all that. A Pilates mat routine at home will work wonders as long as your consistent!
Pilates focuses on strengthening your core muscles and aligning the spine. It also teaches breathing awareness and mind control over your muscles. It was developed by Joseph Pilates in the early 20th century and today has millions of people who practice.
I've been hooked on Pilates for years, but fell off of doing a routine regularly. Well I'm back on again for the past four weeks and I can already see the changes in my shape. My abdomen is flatter, my butt is tighter and lifted and my arms and legs more slender... and even though the scale seems to only register a 10 pound loss so far, fitting into my jeans lets me know my body is smaller!
The Pilates Body by Brooke Siler - be sure to check it out!
-- Kristin
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Fourth Complete Week
Here I am at the end of my fourth week. This week has included stress, a holiday and visiting relatives. This interprets to lots of eating and drinking - especially alcohol. Needless to say, I wasn't looking forward to my weigh in this morning, but on the scale I did get. And much to my surprise I came in at 188.0 lbs... another loss to record! Only one-half pound, but given the amount of food and drink that has passed my lips in the past three days, well, I'll take it. This raises my total loss to 10 pounds since I started this journey, almost one-third of the way to reaching my goal of losing 35 pounds... and my average is 2.5 pounds lost per week - right on target for losing FAT.
Along with checking my weight each week, I'm also checking my size by trying on a pair of jeans that have been too small. Well, even though my weight loss was only one-half pound, I was able to put on my jeans and button them! I actually wore them today out to lunch!!! WOO-HOO!! This is a great accomplishment and shows the importance of not just gauging my loss by what the scale tells me. The success with my jeans today proves I AM getting smaller.
I'm patting myself on the back for yet another successful week.
... and here's the happy girl in her jeans today! :)
-- Kristin
Along with checking my weight each week, I'm also checking my size by trying on a pair of jeans that have been too small. Well, even though my weight loss was only one-half pound, I was able to put on my jeans and button them! I actually wore them today out to lunch!!! WOO-HOO!! This is a great accomplishment and shows the importance of not just gauging my loss by what the scale tells me. The success with my jeans today proves I AM getting smaller.
I'm patting myself on the back for yet another successful week.
... and here's the happy girl in her jeans today! :)
-- Kristin
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Give Me Some Sugar, Baby
I confess - I have a sweet tooth. I love pie, cookies, cake, pastries. Just thinking about them makes my mouth water. Of course, all of these foods have one ingredient that helps to make them so delicious: SUGAR!
As Americans, we eat an ENORMOUS amount of sugar each year, about 156 pounds per capita annually. That's thirty-one 5-lb. bags of sugar per person, per year! Think about that the next time you're strolling down the grocery store aisle with the sugar bags... count them out, all thirty-one of them, and then think about ingesting all that sugar!
We don't get most of our sugar, though, from adding it to our foods. No, the majority of sugar that Americans eat is in their food and drinks already. The #1 culprit in America: sugary drinks, including everything from soda (Coca-Cola, Pepsi) to "fruit" drinks (Hawaiian Punch) to even so called "healthy" drinks (flavored water).
This is why reading labels is so important. You'll find sugar listed on the label under the carbohydrates - pay attention - some foods and drinks are nothing BUT sugar!!
I've been doing a great job keeping the sugar out of my diet by eliminating sugary drinks, reading labels carefully and not adding any sugar to my foods. But the last few days have been stressful and I'll admit to letting a couple sugary snacks cross my lips for comfort.... (we'll talk about emotional eating in a future blog post).
However, the fact I allowed myself a sugary snack isn't bad news and here's why: first, even though I had a couple sugary snacks, I didn't go over my total calories allowed for the day - discipline prevailed. Second, the snacks I had were very small portioned - a couple months ago, that wouldn't have been the case. So I consider this a personal victory.
But here is something I noticed: after a couple days of sugary snacks being included in my diet (even just a small amount), I felt like CRAP! When I was out walking, I could feel the lethargic impact of all that sugar running through my veins. It was quite dramatic and helped me get back on track by cutting those snacks out.
Bottom line: To win my battle against FAT and to feel good while fighting the battle, I'm going to have to keep cutting the SUGAR from my diet. That doesn't mean I can't ever eat a cookie again, it just means that moderation is the key along with knowing exactly WHY I'm eating that cookie in the first place!
Do you have a sweet tooth?
-- Kristin
As Americans, we eat an ENORMOUS amount of sugar each year, about 156 pounds per capita annually. That's thirty-one 5-lb. bags of sugar per person, per year! Think about that the next time you're strolling down the grocery store aisle with the sugar bags... count them out, all thirty-one of them, and then think about ingesting all that sugar!
We don't get most of our sugar, though, from adding it to our foods. No, the majority of sugar that Americans eat is in their food and drinks already. The #1 culprit in America: sugary drinks, including everything from soda (Coca-Cola, Pepsi) to "fruit" drinks (Hawaiian Punch) to even so called "healthy" drinks (flavored water).
This is why reading labels is so important. You'll find sugar listed on the label under the carbohydrates - pay attention - some foods and drinks are nothing BUT sugar!!
I've been doing a great job keeping the sugar out of my diet by eliminating sugary drinks, reading labels carefully and not adding any sugar to my foods. But the last few days have been stressful and I'll admit to letting a couple sugary snacks cross my lips for comfort.... (we'll talk about emotional eating in a future blog post).
However, the fact I allowed myself a sugary snack isn't bad news and here's why: first, even though I had a couple sugary snacks, I didn't go over my total calories allowed for the day - discipline prevailed. Second, the snacks I had were very small portioned - a couple months ago, that wouldn't have been the case. So I consider this a personal victory.
But here is something I noticed: after a couple days of sugary snacks being included in my diet (even just a small amount), I felt like CRAP! When I was out walking, I could feel the lethargic impact of all that sugar running through my veins. It was quite dramatic and helped me get back on track by cutting those snacks out.
Bottom line: To win my battle against FAT and to feel good while fighting the battle, I'm going to have to keep cutting the SUGAR from my diet. That doesn't mean I can't ever eat a cookie again, it just means that moderation is the key along with knowing exactly WHY I'm eating that cookie in the first place!
Do you have a sweet tooth?
-- Kristin
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