“Whoa, whoa, whoa, I gotta turn this ship around!”, is what I said to myself a short while ago.
So, I am going to be really vulnerable here. Over about a year’s time, I started slowly piling on a few extra pounds that are not doing me any good.
Besides vanity, there are some great reasons for me to lose this weight.
Biggest reason? This extra fat is inflammatory and is holding onto toxins; and I want to get rid of both. Both will keep me from aging well, sap my energy, and contribute to ill health.
And well, the clothes in my closet don’t look good on me right now. And I feel blobby.
In case you are surprised…
What kind of health coach I am not: Ultra fit, body of a model, six-pack toting mama.
What kind of health coach I am: A little bit of “do as I say and not as I do”, sometimes. I pretty much know the right things to do, but I am inconsistent in doing them. So far, at least. But I am turning this ship around.
Here’s a peek into my world – often my brain doesn’t work well, and my energy levels are very unreliable. I have chronic health issues that plague me. I have to be careful not to get too hot or too cold, or too tired, and avoid exposure to strong odors, avoid many foods, etc.
But I am a certified health coach, and others will attest that I am very effective in helping others make changes in all areas of their lives.
Anyway, reasons why I may have gained this unwanted weight:
Who knows for sure, but I am educated-guessing that stress-induced cortisol levels (which increases insulin and blood sugar levels, which in turn increases fat storage); eating more yummy gluten-free, processed foods; and moving less; are the main culprits.
My “Whoa, Whoa, Whoa – Turn This Ship Around” Plan
So, I love experiments. I came up with a plan. I am going to see how far I can get in 5 weeks without torturing myself. My goal is ten pounds in 5 weeks. I may nickname it the “10 down in 5” plan…we’ll see.
To turn the ship around, you need to shift gears. You have to go in the other direction. But I am not going to abuse my body by starving it or by making it get up when it’s dark to do CrossFit.
Basically, this is the bones of my plan:
- Eat life-giving, nutritious food. This includes quality protein, organic vegetables and herbs, minimal fruit, bone broth, no grains, minimal amount of processed grain-free products, good quality fats. Eat protein and vegetables at each meal. Eat three meals max, no snacking.
- Fairly low carb, keeping it under 25-50 grams daily.
- Intermittent fasting. Going at least 12 hours between eating from dinner to breakfast. Occasionally a bit longer. I may do a Bone Broth Fast or two.
- Keep well-hydrated. Water allows cells to function more optimally, makes one feel fuller, plus flushes out toxins.
- Minimal or no alcohol, but no wine, only vodka, gin, or tequila. Minimal is defined as 10 drinks the whole 5 weeks (1 drink = 1 shot = 1.5 ounces), and no more than 1 drink in one day. I may end up going the no alcohol route, but I wanted to give myself some options and create a very doable plan. It feels less constrictive. However, I fully realize that some people have difficulty moderating alcohol. So if this is you, I advise that you totally abstain.
- Log X amount of steps daily on my pedometer. Increase each week.
- Do strength, sprint, and stretch workouts to improve fitness. This first week I am daily doing what I named, “The Fab Four”. I dance/exercise to 4 songs with a good beat, performing sets of 4 different exercises within each song, then stretch at the end, or at some other time of the day. For instance, I may do 15 squats, 15 jumping jacks, 15 push-ups (counter ones count), and 15 of some other exercise with each song. The latter varies. Then I move/dance in between. This typically takes 12-15 minutes. Next week I will change it up.
- Get plenty of sleep.
- Reduce stress/manage stress better, deep breathing exercises, praying, meditating on Scripture.
- Have a Start-Build-Continue mentality. If I do not perfectly execute my plan on a particular day, I will remind myself that progress counts. However, I will remember that the more diligent I am to follow the plan, the better results I will see. No starting over.
Caveats
So, you too may have found that you have gained some unwanted weight. This can be really discouraging. Discouragement is a downer, and downer things don’t lead to success. But you too can turn your ship around. And, we need to put this situation in a positive light. Okay, first of all, it is what it is. Feeling bad about it won’t help; and it will probably make things worse. Secondly, your body is serving you well in a lot of ways. Dwell on that. Dwell on what specific ways it is. If you are unhappy or disappointed with yourself for letting this weight gain/muscle loss thing happen, let it go. It’s unproductive. Rather, channel this into doing what you need to do today (or soon) to make healthy changes and progress.
Motivation Tips
Spring is here, and summer is just around the bend. It is easier to lose weight in the warmer months. This is your opportunity!
Easter and all of its landmines will be over soon. Sure, Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day, and that wedding/party/big event is coming up, but hey, there will always be something. Instead of procrastinating, make now the time.
For some of you, ten pounds may not sound like much, but just losing ten pounds can make a big difference in the inflammation in your body, your blood pressure, your blood sugars, even your liver health. Plus much more. Anyway, start with ten, then go from there if you want/need to lose more. Again, Start-Build-Continue.
Set a realistic goal for a certain amount of pounds in a certain amount of weeks. I set a goal for 10 pounds in 5 weeks, although after that time I am going to keep the ship moving in the right direction.
In conclusion
Jumping on my ship?
I hope so. Life is too short to waste being frustrated with your health, weight, or fitness. You can do this!
If you would like help creating a customized plan just for you, go here.
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