I’ve missed a post or two this week, and I apologize. It’s a very busy time in the Sowul household right now, as we’re in the middle of getting our floors redone. The previous owners left us with nice, shiny wood floors covered in a very cheap sealant that started to peel within months of our purchase. These little peels of plastic stick to our feet and get carried all over the house, even to the downstairs and the baby’s room, which are carpeted. We have to be vigilant about checking Edwin’s hands and feet to make sure he’s not about to suck on a floor-covered toe. Needless to say, as Edwin is crawling everywhere, re-doing the floors is a necessary chore, though not a welcome one (to me). It requires packing, moving the furniture out, moving out of the house for several days, waiting for the floor to dry, moving back in, carefully replacing the furniture, wiping sawdust off every surface, and waiting for the smell to dissipate (it’s been a week since the first rooms were done and it still smells like a wood-shop. Not unpleasant, but a little disconcerting). We were also away in Lancaster County (a favorite vacation spot) for a few days this week, and this weekend we’re gearing up for Floors: Part 2. So I haven’t been as writing-centered lately. I’m not going to make the excuse that I didn’t have time, because I know I could have found some even with everything going on. I think it’s more honest to say that it wasn’t top on my priority list. I’m putting it back on the list for this coming week, though, as I have a lot of ideas for posts!
For the past five weeks, I’ve been doing a mini health challenge. I made a contract with myself that I would:
1. Exercise 250-300 minutes every week
2. Avoid all desserts (and sugary breakfasts, like French toast with syrup) with two exceptions: dark chocolate (only 2 squares a day) and Peachwave plain tart frozen yogurt with berry and nut toppings (no candy). (Peachwave is our area’s Pinkberry, and it is amazingly delicious and nonfat.)
Those were the only two changes I committed to, and I set an end date of Tuesday, 7/23, exactly five weeks from my start date and the beginning of our Lancaster vacation. By the morning of 7/23, I’d lost 4.5 pounds and an inch from my hips. I’m now only 2.5 pounds away from my pre-pregnancy weight. I used to think that a few pounds either way didn’t make much difference, but now I understand how body-altering even one pound can be. I’ve been committed to strength training since college, so when I do gain or lose weight, I can be sure that it’s 100% fat, not muscle. If I lose a pound, that’s two sticks of butter that is no longer attached to my body. Go to your fridge and look at two sticks of butter. That’s a lot of fat! Since the end of June, I’ve lost the equivalent of 9 sticks, and I couldn’t be happier about it. After I ended my contract, I did eat some of my favorite Lancaster desserts, but it was hard to over-indulge since my stomach capacity had shrunk. I’m going to start a new contract on Sunday, lasting until our vacation to the Outer Banks in mid-August. Hopefully, I can lose those last 2.5 pounds and maybe even wear a two-piece on the beach. (I used to wear bikinis when I was at this weight before pregnancy, but my weight distribution has changed from hips and thighs to belly, which is harder to disguise in a two-piece.)
I think the reason I was successful at weight loss this time was that I set myself an end point. It was much easier to say no to birthday cake and morning waffles when I knew I could have them in a few weeks. It was also important for me not to eliminate everything I consider a treat, which is why I allowed the dark chocolate and frozen yogurt. I highly recommend this system to anyone considering weight loss (obviously modifying it to restrict your own personal food kryptonite), and I’d be happy to share my “contract” with anyone who’d like to see it. I signed it at the beginning and the end, and notated my starting and ending weights. I kept track of my weekly exercise minutes on the whiteboard in my office. (I generally do this anyway, but I don’t always have a time goal in mind.)
The best thing about cutting down on sugar wasn’t the weight loss or even the energy gain. It was a sense of well-being and a stabilization of mood that lasted throughout all five weeks. I’m not going to say I never got angry or frustrated (my husband would call me a liar) but I did feel more in control. I didn’t get that feeling of overwhelming emotion that seems unconnected to a cause. I really believe that sugar affects my brain and mood at least as much as my body, and I’m going to keep that in mind going forward.
But I’m still going to have my favorite Lancaster cookie-frosting sandwich for dessert tonight. Because weight loss is important, and so is mood control, but life isn’t worth living without a delicious dessert now and then.
I’m impressed. And the thought of sticks of butter is ridiculously motivating. We just got back from a week-long vacation and I was thinking about some sort of health challenge—I may steal yours, though sweets aren’t my thing. Maybe no “snack foods” (chips, crackers, nuts)—with healthy, portioned snack ideas instead?
Ana, using snack foods sounds like a great idea. I’ve found a lot of great lists on Pinterest of healthy, low-cal snack ideas. I think this kind of challenge will work for anyone who eats mostly healthily, but has “vices,” like me and sugar. The important component for me was setting an end date for the challenge. As much as experts say that dieting is bad and changing habits permanently is better, I think that’s unrealistic. No one is ever going to have the self-control to give up a beloved food forever. Besides, after you lose a little weight, it’s healthy to just maintain for awhile before trying to lose more. It takes away the feeling of always needing to be on top of your diet. I’m glad the sticks of butter image works for you- it really does for me! Good luck!