So now we are pretty much caught up on my two giant weight loss moments in time. My addiction to all things food, the lack of a signal when I am truly full, and the constant stream of excuses as to why I DESERVE this brownie right here and right now have brought me full circle to where I am today. Am I anywhere near my highest weight? No. No and thank goodness for that. I’ve managed to curb it before I reached the full crescendo of food madness. That in and of itself is progress. I am not planning on having any more children, so I don’t need to worry about my unbelievable lack of control whilst pregnant. What am I doing now? My goal is to lose 50 pounds before my birthday.
I meddled with Keto at the very end of my last diet. I had success with this diet. This is a low carb, high fat, moderate protein diet. Historically I have never liked diets that are restrictive of one particular thing, in this case carbohydrates. How can one give up bread? Better yet, how in the hell do you give up pasta? As it turns out it is easier than I thought it would be. I substitute my pasta for spiralized zucchini. Potatoes? Cauliflower has become a damn fine substitute for potatoes. This way of eating gets a lot of shade (no it is not just eating bacon for every meal) that I feel is pretty undeserved. In all fairness I do try to keep this simple as well. Eggs, sausage and cheese for breakfast, a lettuce wrap for lunch, then there is dinner. My family does not follow this way of eating with me nor do I expect them too. I plan around that. When planning meals for the week, I plan out something that I can work around. For instance dinner tonight will most likely be Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes, and green beans. The Salisbury steak is an absolute no for me as well as the mashed potatoes. I can however have a cheeseburger, a salad and the green beans. This takes barely any extra time on my part. There are even dessert options for when I am absolutely craving something sweet. I’m not hating it. Last time it helped me lose my last 40 pounds. I do not plan on eating this way forever. For me, that seems impossible. Eventually I will put more carbs back into my diet and I hope to have the discipline and control that I have not had in the past. Really, you just must find what works for you. Both a “regular” diet and keto have worked for me. Keto works better with my lifestyle personally. You find what works for you. A caloric deficit is truly what makes you lose weight.
Also, I hate the word diet. Changing your body and eating habits are more than just a diet. This is a complete and total lifestyle change. This has to be forever. I do not ever want to be in this spot again. At the end of the day I have to matter to myself more than all of the cheesecakes in the world. I need to be healthy and fit for me first and foremost. I need this because it helps me to feel better and more like myself. I need to do this because of all of the active things I want to live long enough to be able to accomplish these things. I want to rock climb, go cave diving, a marathon, and hike the entire Appalachian trail. I am unable to do these things in my current state. The Appalachian trail is 2200 miles long. I would absolutely not make it at this juncture.
I also want to be able to run and play with my kids again. Most importantly I want to teach my children the right ways to eat. I want them to learn that exercise is not something you just do in P.E., but a habit just like brushing your teeth that is part of your life always. As a mother, teaching my children the correct eating habits, and how to exercise their bodies in the right way is my job. I never ever want them to have to go through what I have gone through. I never want them to have to struggle with their weight or eating. I want the absolute best for them. Wanting is not good enough. I need to give them all of the tools they need to live a long, good, and healthy life. I never want them to be able to say well no one ever taught me that. Once they have those tools, when they are older they can make their own choices about how to live. If my 6 year old could eat peanut butter on waffles in sandwich form for every single meal he absolutely would. I’ve tried them, he is not wrong, it is like having a little bit of heaven in your mouth. Dinner with him is a fight on most nights. I don’t give in. He eats what we eat. If I give in I am teaching him nothing except the same bad habits I learned about instant gratification instead of long term goals.
I digress.
I’m also taking up boxing. Sure I could do the same things I’ve done before with exercise and I would be successful. I need to switch it up. I need to keep things fresh. Otherwise, I fear I will become bored and uninterested. Not to mention it is always better to mix things up when it comes to exercise so your body does not become complacent. I am currently watching videos, reading books and researching boxing. I have a pretty good starting routine worked out which I will be posting to this blog as soon as I have tweaked it to my liking.
Tomorrow morning I will be getting up at the hideous time of 3:45am, stumble my way downstairs, stretch and then start my morning with a few good solid hits to that punching bag. The thought of that hour of the morning is making me a bit nauseous, but it appears to be the only time of day I can make this happen. I will make this happen. Should you have any questions about keto, or about anything else I’ve written please feel free to message me! I’d love some more feedback.
Next week: Progress photos, my workout routine, and any other little thing that pops in my head.