So here we are! I decided to wait two weeks to check my results for a couple reasons. Mainly, I know after one week you can sometimes see very limited results and get discouraged. Also, I wanted to set up a blog (still a work in progress!) to record my progress as well as keep recipes, articles, etc. My thinking is that this will help keep me committed. So here's what happened!
Measurement - First thing I did when I woke up was to measure my belly. This was the same time of day I initially measured so I figured there would be no factors to take in such as breakfast or a workout. I could tell my pants did feel somewhat looser but I was surprised to see I had lost an inch and a quarter (I measured around my bellybutton)! I measured twice, just to be sure, and my first measurement was confirmed.
Weight - Just like measuring myself, I decided to take my weight at the exact same time of day I did the first time, Saturday morning after my workout (something I have been doing for a while). I knew that the inch and a quarter loss would probably mean decent weight loss and I was correct. I am down just over seven pounds (208 to 201). I was hoping to be in the 204 range so I am VERY pleased.
Diet - I have to admit, I am still trying to wrap my brain around eating more fats and avoiding carbs. Especially after going through some programs where carbs were the biggest portion of my daily intake. I followed some of the ideas from Nerdfitness and Marks Daily Apple (MDA) as well as some recipes from various Paleo sites. Overall, this has been fairly easy and enjoyable. I mainly stayed with chicken, fish, steak and of course, veggies. Also, I found out that liver really isn't that bad! Granted, preparing it made my kitchen island resemble a crime scene but the final product was very delicious! I used a recipe titled "Bangin' Liver" from MDA but will look for more. I ended up preparing this twice, once with chicken and the other with beef. I found it somewhat amusing that, after asking where to find chicken liver, the man helping me showed me to the corner of the frozen section and pulled out the only container they had. And when I was checking out of the store, the young man commented, "I think this is the first time I've rung up chicken liver!" I also noticed a week later that they had not replaced the item with a new container. Also, I had a hard time giving up all sweets so I came up with something that I felt would be beneficial, killing two birds with one stone. I had read where dark chocolate (preferably 70% cacao or higher) can be good for you. And the obvious benefits of fruit lead me to make some homemade frozen bananas, cutting the bananas in half before freezing them. I have been using these for pre or post workout snacks and they are fantastic! And I have to admit, there were a couple times I cheated as well. First was a hot dog (yes, bun included!) on the golf course and then a slice of strawberry pie while having dinner at my sister and brother in laws (and it was well worth it!). I have learned that you cannot beat yourself up if you stray just a tad. Move on and continue with the clean eating.
Exercise - I have always exercised so this was not a great change. I really did not change much of my routine but did put in a couple days of "fun", going on a couple short bike rides with my wife. I also play softball each week and played a round of golf. Due to a rain storm the morning of our round, we were forced to stay on the cart path which added greatly to our walking. One thing I did not do but am going to be doing these next couple weeks is incorporating sprints. I did this this morning on the stationary bike and saw an obvious increase in my heart rate which I had not been focusing on in the past (hard to break routine!).
Takeaways
Keep your refrigerator stalked with good foods. It's easy to grab something unhealthy when that's all you have.
Try something new! Experiment a little and get out of your comfort zone. Liver can be good!
Don't beat yourself up. It is almost impossible not to slip up. Know this and accept it without getting upset with yourself. I've read that many people have a "cheat" day and still see fantastic results. The most important this is to get back on track and move on.
Learn! Study web sites, books or blogs (nerdfitness!) and understand how and why Paleo works. The more I understand, the better decisions I make. You will also see some amazing success stories to keep you motivated.
