Month 2 Results and Progress Photos

Month 2 Results... 

I've been on this diet for a week now with some pretty exciting results!

Waist: down 1.75 inches down from last month- and .5 inches in the last week!
Hips: down 1.5 inches from last month- .75 in the last week!

Week 7 weight: 186.7

Current weight: 185.1

Weekly total: 1.6 pounds lost

All time total: 13.1 lost

Current

Beginning

I forgot to have the hubs snap a new photo of me yesterday morning, so I'm a day late in posting. All stats are from yesterday.

This was the first week I could really see the results I've been working so hard for! On Sunday I was able to wear a shirt that hasn't fit me for over 8 months :)

I crushed my goals this week!!!! The biggest and best part of this diet is the lack of hunger! Fat keeps you full far longer than carbs- in fact there have a been a few days when I'm not hungry enough for meals (usually I'm ravenous) allowing me to spread out my eating in a way that cuts snacking. It's been over a week since I craved carbs and I'm extending my tentative 3 week low-carb goal to as long as it takes to hit my goal weight- this is that much easier that conventional dieting!

My doctor warned me that although the number of pounds lost each week might not skyrocket, on this diet my body is continually burning fat and the inches lost will show the real progress being made (I'll be checking that weekly from now on). The way she explained it, as the fat cells so quickly empty of fat the body fills them with water (which weighs more than fat) until it is ready to let that water go. There may be weeks with big drops and weeks with none, but as long as my morning ketone test shows positive I'm burning fat. 

Food goal: Sticking to my allergy food diet and low carb goals.

Exercise Goal: 3 days cardio for 30 minutes, 2 days strength training 30 minutes 

Week 7

Week 7 Results... 

Week 6 weight: 188.4

Current weight: 186.7

Weekly total: 1.7 pounds lost

All time total: 11.5 lost

A lot has changed since last week! I met with my doctor for weight loss tips and she encouraged me to try a ketogenic diet. It's similar to Atkins (but safer and healthier). Basically I'm cutting almost all carbs (except veggies) and eating moderate levels of protein and high levels of fat to put my body in a "ketogenic state" where it switches from carbs as it's preferred energy source to burning fat as energy. 

My doctor said after having kids she did this diet and burned between 4 and 7 pounds per week! And since you aren't starving yourself the pounds don't pack back on the minute you switch back, as long as you stick with a healthy diet. With results like that, it was worth is for me to turn life upside down for a little while to try it!(Especially since its was a doctor who recommended it)

I started Thursday (it takes several days for your body to switch modes) and it hasn't been as bad as I thought it would be. By Saturday my carb cravings were way down (even at a waffle breakfast!) and noticed I didn't get hungry as often. I have had a few headaches, and times when my energy was quite low (especially during the first few days) but apparently that is part of the carb/fat switch my body is making. Or it could be that I'm supposed to start my period today :)

Anyhow, I volunteer myself as the group guinea pig and if the results are great I'll post more info for those who are interested! Alternately, if you want to try it with me I can shoot you a few good websites I've found explaining the whole thing (one that is tailored for MFP, which is nice). 

I mostly stuck with my goals this week, but broke the allergy diet to eat the milk-chocolate covered strawberries my husband brought me for Valentines Day :) I also missed one workout day with how crummy I felt when I first switched. 

Food goal: Sticking to my allergy food diet and low carb goals.

Exercise Goal: 3 days cardio for 30 minutes, 2 days strength training 30 minutes 

Week 6

Week 6 Results...

Week 5 weight: 191.9

Current weight: 188.4!!!

Weekly total: 3.5 pounds lost!!!

All time total: 9.8 lost

It felt really good to look down at the scale this morning! I changed a few things up this week that might have contributed to such a difference, the biggest of which was sticking perfectly to my allergy food diet. My doctor explained awhile back that my body can't properly digest foods I'm allergic to, something about them being processed as sugar and getting stored as fat. I think I believe her now ;)

I also changed the order in which I ate things. In the past I'd eat fairly lightly in the morning/ afternoon in order to save enough calories to eat whatever I wanted for dinner. I've been forcing myself to eat more "real food" in the morning (as opposed to protein bars or shakes) and save the protein shake for a late afternoon snack. This way I'm not starving by dinner which gives me better self-control, and calories to burn overnight when my body isn't using many calories. 

Last, I set My Fitness Pal from "lightly active" to "not very active". I did this mostly out of desperation to see some results because the last few weeks were pretty discouraging. I'm going to return the settings to their more accurate "lightly active" so I don't lose too quickly and end up yo-yoing :)

I had planned to allow myself a non-allergy food treat tonight, but getting such good results makes me want to stick with it, so gluten-free yakisoba it is :)

Calorie goal: Eating to lose 1lb, having only 3 "sweets" this week, and sticking to my allergy food diet. 

Exercise Goal: 3 days cardio for 30 minutes, 2 days strength training 30 minutes 

Week 5

Week 5 Results...

1 Month weight: 192.2

Current weight: 191.9

Weekly total: .3 pounds lost

All time total: 6.3 lost

Last week we were on vacation, so I was only eating to lose .5 pounds. I stuck to it almost every day, with the exception of one glorious day at the beach where I gave myself permission to stop tracking and enjoy myself. For me, fudging only one day on vacation is a big step :) I also did cardio 4 days and strength training 3, going over and above my goals in that department. All told, my weight results were about what I would have expected. 

This week I am feeling refreshed by my bit of freedom (and the fact that I had some results despite that freedom) and plan on sticking to my goals with gusto! I am also committing to maintaining my allergy food diet 100% and cutting out coffee. The last few weeks I got a bit lax on that, and it seems to make a big difference both in how I feel and in weight loss. 

Calorie goal: Eating to lose 1lb, having only 3 "sweets" this week, and sticking to my allergy food diet. 

Exercise Goal: 3 days cardio for 30 minutes, 2 days strength training 30 minutes