food

Losing 20 pounds – post 7

/ christinaparisi / Leave a comment

I did it.

I joined a gym.

This is a first for me and I’m not going to lie. I feel… nervous and apprehensive. I always pictured gyms as large sweaty rooms full of people trying to show each other up. I’m hoping I’m wrong but I guess I won’t know till I’m there.

Fortunately, my husband is a trainer-quality gym-goer so I am in very good hands for my first session, which will likely be tomorrow. If it wasn’t for him,  I’d be struggling far greater. I truly have only been inside a gym maybe three times my whole forty-year life.

I want to slap the 28 year-old me who took for granted a super fast metabolism. I should have been nurturing it and appreciating it.

But yes, hindsight is twenty/twenty.

Now, pictures of myself are becoming harder to look at. Quite simply, I am not happy with the way I look.

I should mention this is extremely personal. It is NOT a statement on how others should feel about themselves at any given weight. It’s about feeling good about oneself and if there is something you want to change to make that greater, then you should, as long as it’s done in a positive way.

For me, this means losing twenty pounds. That’s my truth and what I’ve determined will make me feel better about my body and my health. If I want to be around for a lot longer, I have to take steps to help ensure that, no?

And I’ve tried the past several months and appreciate all of you who have come along with me, but now, still weighing in at 141, I’m pulling out the big guns.

I’m a certified first-time gym member.

Stay tuned…

 

Losing 20 pounds – post 6

/ christinaparisi / Leave a comment

Hello again. It’s me, the same 141-pound woman who is trying to lose weight but keeps failing at it.

I’m still at that above weight mark. Fortunately, I haven’t gained more but I am not losing either and am getting beyond frustrated.

But then, leave it to my loving husband, to bring me to reality and tell me the real reason my weight loss plan is not going as well as I’d hope –

I drink too much wine.

There’s nothing like a glass of wine or two after a long restaurant shift but that’s 300+ empty calories I’m taking in. There’s nothing like a glass of wine as I write my latest article but wouldn’t some green tea be a much healthier pairing? There’s nothing like a fun happy hour on the weekends but really, is three glasses necessary followed by more at dinner?

When I think about how much I involve wine in my life, I realize it’s likely the reason I am struggling with losing weight. As my husband pointed out to me, my eating habits have gotten healthier and are not bad. It’s the extra calories and carbs that come along with this beloved beverage of mine (yet another unhealthy one…)

So, here it is. I need to be honest with myself. I am going to drink much less. I will likely be grumpy about it but I know it will help with my weight loss goals, not to mention it’s just plain healthier living.

Wish me luck. I’m gonna need it.

And thank you all for following along on this journey of mine. Your support means a lot to me.

XO

Quitting Diet Coke – uh oh

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I’ve been dreading writing this post. In fact, a friend of mine just last night asked me about my Diet Coke addiction and I told her the post was coming, knowing full well I should have written it by now… Thankfully, she reminded me I shouldn’t wait any longer.

So here goes…

When I went to Palm Springs March 21-23, I allowed myself a few Diet Cokes. Hey, I was on vacation, so I gave myself a pass.

But then, I returned home and went without them for a bit but then allowed a couple here and there. I have by no means returned to drinking that dark bubbly liquid but I would say I’ve allowed about four or so and I’ve only been back three backs.

See, I opened the door and unfortunately, the timing sucks.  I remembered how helpful it can be for losing weight and if you’ve been following my other series, you can appreciate that a DC is helpful. If you opt for this soda, it has no sugar. And for me, it can tide me over all morning/afternoon, letting me have my first meal in the later afternoon without batting an eye and for intermittent fasting, that is awesome.

I should mention I don’t drink coffee so without it,  intermittent fasting is much more difficult.

BUT NO

I have to stop myself. I’m better off without it, keeping it in very small doses, for traveling and weddings and such :) so I just have to come up with another solution.

FYI I have not gained weight but I haven’t lost either.

The struggle is so real people. And for me, it’s daily.

Still weighing in at 141.

Stay tuned….

Losing 15 – no wait, 20 – pounds post 5

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Seeing that my weight is now at 141, I decided to change the title of these posts to reflect the truth.

I want to lose 20 pounds after I somehow gained a few pounds while I tried to lose… what?! I know…. (read post 4.)

This past week has been okay. I haven’t added any weight but I’m still not losing. It’s beyond frustrating.

The little changes I’ve made along the way feel good but they are clearly not enough and not as effective as I want them to be.

So, I’ve been doing some research for external help. Weight watchers app seems cool but another method has caught my attention.

Intermittent fasting.

This has been tremendously helpful to my husband, who maintains his chiseled physique with the gym, healthy eating, minimal drinking and intermittent fasting.

The idea is to fast for 16 hours a day. I’m not sure if this is going to work for me, but I’m going to give it a try since I don’t like to eat in the morning and typically wait till the afternoon to eat anyway. It’s not a diet per se, but a style of eating.

I am going to start this in a week because my husband and I are going out of town this week to do a little relaxing since I finished a large section of the book I’m writing and he finished mixing an album he’s working on (he’s an audio engineer/producer) and I don’t want to fast on vacation. I mean, come on….

BUT, I will be beginning this next week and in the meantime, I am going to accept myself and my body and feel confident rocking my bathing suit at the pool, all 141 pounds of me.

#losingfifteenpoundsdamnit

 

Losing 15 pounds post 4

/ christinaparisi / 2 Comments

I messed up this past weekend and when I stepped on the scale this morning, I looked down in horror to find it reading 141.

UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

So not only have I NOT LOST weight, I’ve GAINED!

When I was 25, I could eat a whole pizza and still lose weight. I don’t understand what has happened to my body. I had no idea metabolism could change this much.

But enough of this pity party for one.

I didn’t take it serious enough. I started the week off doing sit-ups and ended with pints of Baskin Robbins ice cream, bottles of wine and a second helping of spaghetti bolognese.

Lesson learned – I can simply no longer rely on my body to do what it did in my twenties. It needs my help now. As I enter my forties (I’ll be 41 in August,) there are things about my body that I have to accept.

It doesn’t mean I have to accept it and roll over though.

So without wasting anyone’s time with more words, I will write again in a week or so and this time, with serious action and hopefully, a much better report.

(I better because my husband and I are going on a little desert springs getaway after some deadlines we have and I will be getting in my bathing suit… wait, what?!)

Have faith, will lose

#losingtwentypoundsdamnit

Losing 15 pounds post 3

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I feel like screaming.

It’s been two weeks since I started my #losingfifteenpoundsdamnit journey of healthier eating and living but the results have not been what I expected.

I haven’t lost a damn pound.

I haven’t gained one either but still.

Not one pound?!  How is that possible???

I’ve forgone tortillas for lettuce wraps. I’ve swapped out licorice for strawberries. I’ve tried to kick it up a notch in yoga and I’ve walked to do my errands. I drink sparkling water at ever meal.

But still, I have somehow not shed one damn pound.

Well… fine then. I am not going to take this sitting down.

But okay, body, I hear you. You want me to work harder and give up more of my unhealthy habits. I know the amount of white wine I consume is certainly not helping my plight and neither is the bread addiction.

Oh, how I love my bread but damn, I have to accept it can’t be a daily thing for me anymore. Multiple-times-a-day-thing if I’m being honest. And power yoga twice a week is not enough. It’s time for me to take my husband’s exercise tips to heart and take my workouts to the next level.

I thought I could get by with minor changes but my body got a good laugh with that one.

Not again, though. It’s on.

I will not look at the scale again for two more weeks but I will definitely be trying harder.

Stay tuned…

#losingfifteenpoundsdamnit

 

Losing 15 pounds post 2

/ christinaparisi / Leave a comment

I need a moment to vent.

We all do. I believe it’s good for the soul…

I was just at 7-11 and wanted a soda but since I quit Diet Coke, I knew a Mountain Dew or Dr. Pepper was going to be full of unwanted sugar and calories and carbs. So I talked myself out of it, (literally, right there in front of the soda machine,) and moved on.

Then, I came home to make myself a late breakfast. I took out the sourdough bread and realized I’ll be having bread later when I have dinner with my family, ugh…. so I break one piece in half and only put one of those halves in the toaster.

I know these decisions are going to help me in the long run. I know this.

But it doesn’t make them any easier. I really wanted that soda and my over medium egg just isn’t the same without a couple slices of toast…

BUT I didn’t give in. 

I did, however, take to my blog to vent. And there’s nothing unhealthy in that!

Thank you all…

#losingfifteenpoundsdamnit

 

Losing 15 pounds post 1

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Okay, it’s been a couple days since my very public proclamation about losing weight. And even though it’s been a mere 48 hours, I’ve already made some difficult choices and learned some important lessons.

But it’s only the beginning.

So, I thought I’d do what I often like to do with my travel posts and list some of my observations thus far, on this journey of weight loss:

Looking at the scale should not be a daily thing right now. The focus is on change and that damn thing only brings me down so I’m stepping off it for two weeks…

I can go without bread and not perish. I like my bread like a baby likes her bottle. Maybe it’s the Sicilian in me but bread has always been included in the meal. This habit of mine though is already being broken. I literally just ordered a grilled chicken taco without the tortilla (and you know what, it’s still delicious!)

Challenging yourself is awesome once you do it. Although I’ve been doing power yoga twice a week for quite a while it was only this past Tuesday that I decided to step it up a notch. I do the extra challenges my instructor offers and I try to stay in the more difficult poses for longer than I ever have… (It feels tiring, yes, but also great!)

Eating healthy will not be easy. There’s a reason “convenient” and “fast” food is typically not good for you. I’ve learned time has to be given to one’s diet if they want to be healthy. But I do believe it’s about finding a balance that works for you between what you have to get done and the time given to what you put in your body.

The support I’ve received from you, my readers, has already been incredibly helpful. From the likes to the social media props, from direct messages to pats on the back, I channel it all to keep me going and deeply appreciate it.

Thank you.

May we all help each other on our weight loss journeys. I’d love to hear more about your own…

#losingfifteenpoundsdamnit

I want to lose 15 pounds

/ christinaparisi / 1 Comment

I was one of those fortunate people who never had to think about their weight while growing up and entering adulthood.

I was 105 pounds from pretty much 16 to 33 years of age.

I say this because when I entered my early 30’s, I was placed on a medication to help me deal with my extreme case of OCD (not just talking about washing your hands more than normal here…), and my body changed. My doctor told me that the meds might make me gain weight, as it was a common side effect.

And, boy did they.

Add that to fact that as I aged, I found myself drinking more wine and eating more food than I ever had and that certainly didn’t help my body weight. Coupled with my body getting older and beginning menopause (yes, I know I’m only 40 but it’s already happening to me so… so be it,) I did not expect to look at a picture of myself and see someone that didn’t even look like me.

But that’s what happened a few days ago…

Bottom line is my body doesn’t even feel like my own anymore and it’s time I do something about that.

You, my blog readers, have been insanely helpful when I quit Diet Coke, which btw I am still going strong on! It’s been almost five months since I’ve touched the stuff and I feel great. So… I thought I would write this very personal info on my site, put it out in the world so I could be held accountable, and take you all along for the ride with me.

My plan is to lose fifteen to twenty pounds, to put me around 120, which is the weight I want to be. Everyone has to be comfortable with themselves. That is what works for me. When I was 105, I was too thin. (I should mention I’m 5’6.) But right now, at 138, I don’t even feel like myself.

So I invite you to join me as I try to navigate losing weight while being healthy and active about it.

I thought I would start with severely limiting my carbs because when I sat down to study my eating habits, I realized carbs were not only the star of the show, but also the opening acts, ticket takers and audience. In other words, it was the whole show.

Carbs are WAY toooooo big in my life. And I mean the processed, unhealthy kinds. Candy, chips, bread, white rice, crackers, snack bars…

So, first things first. I am limiting them. I am taking the first step.

And I have a feeling I will not be thrilled about this initially, just like I wasn’t about quitting Diet Coke, but no pain, no gain.

And away we goooooo!

Stay tuned….

#losingfifteenpoundsdamnit

 

 

Quitting Diet Coke 3.10

/ christinaparisi / Leave a comment

I completely understand how an addict falls off the wagon. It’s incredibly easy to do.

I haven’t had a Diet Coke in approx. four months and today, I was grabbing a quick snack on the way to a meeting and thought to myself, “Why not have a Diet Coke? It’s been so long, you can have it. After all, you’ve shown you can go without. What would one do?”

Sure, Christina. That’s what a junkie tells themself.

Though this little narrative in my head was doing its best to convince me just one wouldn’t do anything, I repeatedly told it to shut the f*ck up!

And I didn’t drink any.

The cravings may come and go much less than they have in the past but they’re still there and no matter how much I want to convince myself otherwise, I know I am an addict and “just one” will lead to another, and another and before you know it, I’m back on a 2-Liter a day.

Sigh.

Will it ever get easier?

I now get why meetings become a part of an addict’s daily life. It’s way too easy to deny one has a problem after they’ve quit for a while. The inner demons will try to negotiate with the inner angels and convince them just one won’t do anything.

Well, Devil, I didn’t dance with you today and I’m not gonna, so STEP THE F’ OFF.

116 days and counting..

#quittingdietcoke

 

(photo via Pexels.com)