I am half way through my self-imposed challenge. Ten days of clean eating, no cheats. I have to say, I feel really good. Mentally, I'm proud of myself for sticking with the plan. Physically, my body is definitely responding. I stepped on the scale at the gym yesterday and I am down two pounds. It wasn't my weigh in day, so it's not "official" but I looked down at myself and thought, "Hey! That lump used to be much larger." Indeed, some of my lumps are smaller now.
Of course, the weight loss cannot be attributed to diet alone. After a week of no exercise during Spring Break, I have stepped it into mega high gear this week. With the goal of a marathon before me, and a "someday" ultra marathon on the horizon, I have already put in more than 20 miles this week, and the week isn't over yet. I also adopted the insanely difficult Oxygen abs program, which I have yet to complete because it is so crazy hard, and am continuing with my weight training, both at home and at the gym.
A two pound weight loss in less than a week is not a sustainable rate of loss. I know that my body is just responding to some rapid changes in a positive way and that weight loss will become more and more difficult as I get smaller and smaller. Some friends of mine and I have decided to join The Columbia Slimdown Challenge. The team with the most weight loss after 12 weeks wins a prize. No idea what the prize is, nor do I care. As far as I'm concerned, the prize is motivation to get to my goal weight. That is, my new goal weight.
So back to yesterday. For meals I had Ezekiel bread with peanut butter for breakfast, a spinach and tofu sandwich with jalapeno hummus for lunch, greek yogurt and almonds for snacks, and dinner was a sandwich from Pickleman's. I had never been to a Pickleman's before. I honestly don't even know if it's a chain or what. Our goal was Jimmy John's, but I happened to be parked closer to Pickleman's and in a mad rush so I made the split decision to go there instead. I've heard people rave, but as far as I'm concerned, it was a big, giant flop. The sandwiches were yummy (I ordered a veggie on wheat, extra avocado, hold the mayo) but they were expensive and SUPER tiny. I had to come home and heat up the leftover mac and cheese to go with the sandwiches just so my husband and the kids wouldn't starve. I did fine just eating my little, sad sandwich but I was still crazy hungry all night.
I also hit the gym yesterday and managed 24 pullups on the machine at level 7. I cheated through six at level 6, but really it doesn't count. I did all of my weights and some ab work, and then I was just drained. I tried to do the elliptical but my body wasn't having it so I put in some cardio on the recumbent bike. I usually hate using the bike because it totally feels like cheating, but I really pushed myself hard and ended up a sweaty mess.
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