The Traveling Trap

            I have a confession to make. I may play fearless on Facebook but truth be told, each and every time I get on the scale – I am terrified. It doesn’t matter what I have done right that week. It doesn’t matter how much exercise I have done. I am still scared. I am scared that for some reason, it won’t work that time. I know it’s irrational because I understand the science of losing weight. But being logical doesn’t necessarily cure irrationality.

            So this morning, when I got on the scale, I was really terrified. I hadn’t weighed since Wednesday and I was scared. I didn’t completely blow off everything this weekend but I did enjoy my trip. I did drink a few (read: many) glasses of wine. I did eat queso. I did eat wedding cake (although I shared it with D). I was scared because although I did mostly eat well and I still managed to jog twice while I was gone, I just didn’t know how my body would respond to it all.

            Well, I got up this morning, jogged and weighed. And I had lost another 3 pounds since I weighed last Wednesday. So even though I enjoyed my trip, I still lost. So being me, I’m going to share some things I’ve learned. As always, I write my blog to process my thoughts. What works for me, won’t necessarily work for everyone. I’ve had several people ask me lately for advice on how to lose weight. And all I can do is share what has worked for me. But nothing is the same for everyone. So if you are on your own journey, please know that you have to go through a lot of trial and error. You have to experiment. You have to enjoy the ups and get through the downs.

            So on to my tips to avoid the Traveling Trap.

1)      Prepare and plan as much as you can! My first real trip happened about four weeks into the injection part of this diet. I put immense planning and preparation into that trip. I looked up grocery stores. I made plans for group meals with my professor. But the first tip I learned was kind of accidental. I had my water bottle that I took everywhere. And the morning we were to fly out to Chicago, I had brought it along when I left the house that morning. I carried it into the airport and it wasn’t until I was in the security line that I realized I still had water in it. So I downed it and carried the empty bottle through security. Once I got to the other side, I went to a coffee place and ordered an ice tea. The woman at the counter saw my water bottle and offered to fill it up for me. Having my water bottle with me keeps me from cheating at the airport. It keeps me from picking up a bag of skittles like I used to do. It’s comfortable and my norm and so even sitting in an airport for a few hours still has the feel of normal. Not all places offer to fill up your water bottle but they have all given me ice when I ordered a drink from them. It doesn’t hurt to ask. Especially if it helps you.

2)      Bring or buy something that will help you. In Chicago, I went to the grocery store and ate breakfast and lunch in my room each day. This weekend I went to Wal-mart and bought fruit and snacks to carry with me. I have requested refrigerators in hotel rooms and I have taken everything out of mini-fridges before. I have found that if you tell people that you have dietary concerns in the travel industry – they will work with you. It’s ok to ask for help.

3)      KEEP moving. If you have time, jog or go to the hotel gym. If not, just walk more. Walk the airport. Take the stairs at the hotel instead of the elevator. Take the stairs instead of the escalator at the airport. Just keep moving. I’ve found that just because I’m on vacation, doesn’t mean that I don’t still want to exercise. When I got to Arkansas this past weekend, my friend told me where a great jogging trail was. I couldn’t find it but passed a large, old university and found a parking lot and jogged it. I found that I really enjoyed the jog because the scenery was completely different. When I jog at home, I often just jog the same trail. So seeing something different broke up any monotony. And because I kept moving and still got exercise in, I could have my glasses of wine and still be successful.

4)      Relax. I think this is the hardest part of traveling. When I stress, I eat. So I had to learn to just relax this time. Yes, I knew that I couldn’t be in complete control of each and every meal. But for the first time this trip, I just realized that it was ok. I would do the best I could. I would pick smart at restaurants, while still enjoying my trip. And in the end, it turned out alright.

 

I know these all sound really simple and maybe they are. But they are lessons that I’ve had to learn and that I have learned. I’d love to hear what works for everyone else too! For my friends that travel a lot for work, what do you do to stay in control while traveling?

 

 

A Plateau, a new lifestyle (and addiction), a reluctant expert, and a few more recipes

A Plateau

So I'm stuck. I haven't lost a pound in a week. I've been here before. In fact, the other two times that I lost this much weight, I plateaued here and I got frustrated and I stopped. So I somewhat expected it. But it still makes me mad.

The difference is that I put my mind to getting past it this time. I went to the Internet and started reading about how to break plateaus.

I've learned a lot. I don't weigh until Thursday but I think I'm going to bust right through this. I've added some fiber into my diet. One of the things I read was how important fiber is and eating so low carb I realized that I am getting very very little fiber daily. So Fiber One to the rescue and we will see if we can get things moving.

I'm also working on zig-zagging my calories. I'm still eating the same amount of calories weekly but when I went back and looked at the past two weeks, I've eaten within 20 calories of the same amount each day. My body is used to it. So it's time to shake things up.

I have told people in conversations lately that when you hit plateaus, you just have to push through. And then I hit my first major one. So I will take my own advice and push through. I can't let this small freeze take away from the amazing success I have had the past four months. Instead I am going to have a different reaction this time and I am going to let it motivate me.

A New Lifestyle (and addiction)

I was talking to my sister the other day and commented that I don't feel like I am on a diet. This is different. I have always felt deprived while dieting. I have always resenting my situation. But this time, I don't. I just feel like I am living a healthy lifestyle.

I love my veggie co-op. I love cooking each night and I take great joy in preping my meals each night for the next day. I like that I shop the outsides of a grocery store and that when I open a cookbook, I can cook about anything in it from what I have in the house. I don't miss the days of coming home and not having anything to eat in the house and ordering out. I don't miss fast food. I (mostly) don't miss Dr. Pepper. And I don't resent that I have changed my ways. I love fresh veggies. And most importantly, I love how I feel.

And I love that I have started jogging. I love the rush I get when I've jogged a full mile or 20 minutes at a time. I love that I can go out for 30 or 45 minutes, jog and come home and feel like I've had a 2 hour workout. I like that my body feels better and I love the feeling when my abs tell me that I've done something right. I love everything about it. I'm training for a 5K in January. I plan to jog the entire thing. I can jog 20 minutes and over a mile in one stretch now. I'm making progress each night. I feel my stress melt away when I am jogging the neighborhood. I love that I don't have to go anywhere to get the workout except out my front door. Everything about it is thrilling and wonderful to me. I love that my knees and body doesn't hurt with every step when I'm out jogging. I love sweating and getting icky. I love everything about it. I've always said that I want to run a marathon one day. Now, with every mile that I jog, I can honestly feel that that is a goal that I can achieve some day. I like having hope.

A reluctant expert

Let me tell you a secret. I feel incredible inadequate to give people advice on how to lose weight. I don't feel worthy. I don't feel like I deserve the attention and praise. And its a bit scary.

I don't want to be the person who had great advice and then gained her weight back. I want to be the person that won't. I want to be the person that shows her before pictures ten years from now and has kept the weight off. I feel inadequate to post my success. I do it because my friends and family give me more drive that I could ever muster from within myself. Yet, I don't want to be the obnoxious girl that is always giving advice. I feel like its a really dangerous line that I walk.

And I say all this to say that I thank everyone who supports me. I'm not doing this alone. My sister and Charleston help me and cheer for me and try my food and ask me and push me. They do amazing things like hide cookies in the house so I won't be tempted by one of my favorite foods. They love me and they know what to do to to help me navigate these new waters.

My family and friends are also amazing. They notice things and take me in consideration when we are deciding what to eat. They know this is important. They are willing to take chances with me. They are cheerleaders.

And my school family - including my students - are so incredibly important. My debaters watch me at tournaments-- which is times when I am tired and stressed and need to be monitored - to make sure that I am eating right. They give me ideas at school. They compliment me. They can't wait to celebrate with me when I hit 100 pounds. They look up low-carb peanut butter cookie recipes on my birthday so that I can have my favorite cookie for my birthday - and not cheat.

And every friend on Facebook that has ever cheered for me is appreciated. I hope that I give back to the relationship. I hope that you try my recipes (which I no doubt stole from somewhere) and that I can answer questions if I know the answer. I appreciate you supporting me and letting me live my life outloud and transparently. And I love that I know its a safe place to do so.

I list all these people because I am not doing this alone. Yes, I look up recipes and I jog the pavement at night alone but I am not alone at all. I have an amazing support group and loves me and lifts me up and supports me. I may have advice for what has worked for me - but it's just advice. I don't feel worthy of helping anyone. Maybe someday. Maybe its my hangups. Maybe its just fear. But regardless, I do what I can. I lift people up. I share recipes. And I just hope I am right.

And a few more recipes --

Low-carb/low fat Spinich Artichoke Dip

2 cups non-fat parmesan cheese
16 ounches fress spinach, chopped
1/2 teaspoon sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 (14 ounce) jar artichoke hearts, drained
2/3 cup fat free sour cream
1 cup fat free cream cheese
1/3 cup fat-free mayo
2 garlic cloves, crushed and minced

1. Mix parmeasean cheese, spinach, artichoke hearts and spices.
2. Combine remaining ingredients and mix spinach mixture.
3. Put in baking dish and bake for 20-30 minutes at 375 degrees.

(I ate mine with celery!)

Baked Kale Chips

fresh kale (torn from thick stems)
evoo or olive oil cooking spray
salt

1. Tear all the kale leaves from the really thick stems.
2. Place the kale all over a cookie sheet. Spray it well with olive oil. Salt it.
3. Bake at 290 for about 20 minutes or until it starts to get crunchy. When you take it out, it will get crunchier.
4. Enjoy! It doesn't keep well overnight (doesn't keep its crunch) so eat it that day!

Roasted Beet and Feta Salad

This is a huge favorite in my house and one of my students made it and its a huge favorite in her house now too. I'm slowly making beet fans.

bunch of fresh beets
fat free feta cheese
green onions

1. Peel and cut the beets. Cut them in small cubes.
2. Toss the beets in a small amount of evoo and salt and spread them out on a cookie sheet.
3. Bake for about 40 minutes at 350 degrees until they are a bit crunch on the outside and soft on the inside. (I can eat them just like this out of the oven....and in fact we do for dinner occasionally).
4. Chop a green onion.
5. Mixed baked beets, green onions and about 3/4th of cup of fat free feta cheese.
6. Put about two-three tablespoons of lemon juice on the mixture.
7. Refridgerate!

Carrot and Beet Chips

Carrots
Beets
Parsnips
EVOO

1. Peel each veggie.
2. Slice the veggies rather thin.
3. Toss in a little EVOO and salt.
4. Place in a single layer on a cookie sheet. (I cover the cookie sheet with foil for easier cleanup).
5. Bake at 350 for about 25-30 minutes. Watch the veggies for when the edges start to curl up.
6. Take out and let them sit for a few minutes. They will get crunchier.

Enjoy!

LETTUCE WRAPS

This is another favorite. I've added Chinese Five Spice to mine and it adds a sweetness to it. If you double the recipe, it makes a LOT of food. It also keeps really well to take for lunches over a week or so!

1 pound ground chicken
1 can water chestnuts, drained
1 cup sliced mushrooms
5 scallions
5 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Splenda
1/2 teaspoon of blackstrap molasses
1 1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoon of oil

1. Place water chestnuts, mushrooms and scallions in a food processor. Pulse enough to chop everything to a medium consistency.
2. Combine soy sauce, Splenda, molasses, garlic and rice vinegar. Set aside.
3. Heat the oil in a wok or skillet over highest heat. Add the chicken and stir-fry, breaking it up as it cooks.
4. Once the chicken is mostly cooked, add the chopped veggies and stir-fry everyting together for a few more minutes. When chicken is cooked, add soy sauce mixture and let everything cook together for a few more minutes.
5. Wrap the mixture up in large pieces of lettuce and enjoy.

A few of my new food tricks

** I put pork rines in the food processor to make bread crumbs. Pork Rines have no carbs and are low-fat. They make a great breading to pan-fry or bake!

** I stir fry mushrooms and fresh spinich all the time in a little olive oil or soy sauce. I put it on top of chicken, in a low-carb tortilla, etc.

** I LOVE LOVE LOVE Chinese Five Spice. I find myself putting it on everything.