Keeping it up

Day 24 of burpees! I am trying to get as many in in one set as I can. I can get 6 good ones, but then they start getting sloppy. I am thinking about adding in Ashy Bines Bikini Challenge (no, not to get into a bikini!), you can find out more info at www.abbbc.com.au. Right now, I am just focusing on burpees, which is a great core, arm and leg workout, but working on my abs should be a priority too. The challenge is sit ups, crunches, leg raises, and planks, increasing each day (with rest days included). I spoke to my hubby about another round of hCG. Since Oct., I have gone as low as 191, and as high as 208, but I usually remain at my LDW of 204. My theory is that if I hCG to 170-ish, I will maintain there with Paleo eating. If it was possible to subtract my loose skin weight, I would be lighter by about 15 to 20 lbs. My hubby is OK with me going another round, now I just have to come up with the funds. I will be doing Body Shapers again (www.bestlifehcg.com), which have worked so well (125 lbs don't lie!). Off to go figure my budget!

Coming along

Hi all! Today is day 16, and yep, 16 burpees! I am getting very impressed with how strong these are making me. My 16th burpee was almost as good as my first. I did 8 then rested for a couple of minutes (well, made my bed), then did 5 more, then after a 60 second rest, completed the rest. All told, I exercised for about 4 minutes. Everyone knows that I don't put a huge priority on exercise. Diet is my main concern. Contrary to the general belief that it's all about calories in/calories out, it's not. Anyone who has ever done the chronic cardio thing knows that 2 hours on a treadmill, while only eating 1,000 calories, isn't going to slim you down. In fact, the USDA's high carb, low fat, diet isn't helping anyone lose weight. With the big push to eat the standard American diet, America as a whole has only gotten fatter. Low carb diets come and go. Right now it's on an up swing, and those who can are cashing in. That makes it even more important for those of us who want to eat right to read those labels. Once you do, you'll be amazed at the amount of chemicals and corn, are in EVERYTHING! I am having a heck of a time finding BBQ sauce. So read those labels! If the ingredients list is longer than your arm, put it back! Today is a shopping day. I will be going to Sprout's Farmers Market, which is a great place to get Primal/Paleo foods. Other than fruits and veggies, a Sprout's run is only for me. With the family diving head first back into SAD, it makes it very hard to stay on track with Paleo. I do keep a separate supply of food stuffs. I make my own mayo, have my own bottles of ketchup and BBQ sauce (I love condiments), which are made with sugar rather than high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Since I am the only one who actually cooks, everyone else is compliant with what I cook. I tried out a new recipe I found on (Juli is a wonderful cook and now has a cookbook out, so check it out). It was a Honey Mustard Crunchy Chicken and Plantain salad. What I have come to learn with Paleo cooking, you will use ingredients you've never used before. A plantain is a member of the banana family, but isn't sweet. In fact, it doesn't seem to have much of it's own flavor, but instead absorbs the flavor surrounding it. It has a potato like consistency, and would be a great substitute for potatoes when using as a filler. Lately, I have had a mad craving for all things cake-y. I make sure that I acknowledge my craving, and then set about finding something else, or just ignore it. Something else will usually be some dark chocolate and a fruit (banana or orange). I may do some baking, but it will be Paleo. It's funny, for a group of people like my family, who are so dead set on eating crap, they will scarf my baked goods faster then anything! Off to start the day...

Day 12 and the big 4 6 is tomorrow!

12 days into my 100 burpees in 100 days.  The first 3 burpees I do are pretty good, the rest...well, I do them (sorta).  Tomorrow is day 13, I'll let you know...

Tomorrow is also my birthday.  Nothing special planned, but my eldest son got me flowers (awwwwww, isn't that sweet).  His dad is teaching him that when in doubt, get flowers.  The Colonel got us a new car a couple of weeks ago, so it counts as a birthday present!

Things are going pretty well.  I was hitting the 35% in fat ratio, which is not good.  This morning I was down to 34%, I want to get down some more.  27% would be awesome, but I'll take what I can get.  Now I am just working to 33% (one third seems like a lot, but there was a time I had a 47% body fat, yep, nearly half my weight was fat!). I am hoping that circumstances will allow for me to do another hCG round. I have stabilized well, and other than minor issues, I don't see a problem with doing another round to get to my holy grail weight on 160 to 175. This range would be good for me. All the experts say 148 is ideal, but I am not out to be a twig, just at a healthy (for me) weight. At dinner tonight, my birthday was brought up, and to be cheeky, my father in law said "39 again, and holding", I told him that I don't mind being 46, considering that two years ago, I didn't think I would make it to 46. He asked why. At 44, I 325 + pounds, sore knees from carting around all that weight, being prescribed high blood pressure meds, given a paper with a bunch of fake "heart healthy" foods to choose from to "control my cholesterol. When I asked about "something" to help me with weight loss, I just got the sad, pouty face from my nurse practitioner. I was treated like a lost cause. I felt like a lost cause. I also asked about hCG, and was told that it's a scam. Everyone who has used it just regained the weight. It wouldn't work. I should just eat the USDA heart healthy diet, and I would eventually lose the weight. Really? Because I have eaten "heart healthy" recommended diet for 44 years, and I was as big as a house! Sometimes you have to choose for yourself. I took the plunge. I did hCG, I took the time to research new ways of eating that involved whole foods, I made the choice to stay away from grains, legumes, processed sugar, almost all dairy products. In return, although still overweight, I have maintained my losses for 8 months now. I will never be "skinny", and I don't want to be. I am happy with who I am, another 20 to 40 lbs would be great, but even if I stayed in the 200 lb range, I can live with it. I have said before that I am a rebel. I do what I do, I take the time to learn, I take the easy road when I can, and the hard road if I have to. Barring any unforeseen tumbling episodes on the stairs, I will be alive tomorrow and for many years to come. I don't fear high blood pressure, because I don't have it. I don't fear high cholesterol because mine is normal. I don't fear a heart attack, because I am stronger and in better health now at 46 then I was 10 or even 20 years ago. I will wake up a happy human tomorrow. I will hug and kiss my husband and children. I will thank God for all that I have.