Lowest adult weight : )

I had a good feeling when I got on the scale at Horton Plaza this morning and my smile grew wide when I slid the numbers... 256.5. Yippee!

I'm pausing for reflection because I haven't weighed this little in my adult life since November 1992, when my Dad died. SBS Teresa and I were going gangbusters at the time with our Weight Watchers program and it was just a few days before that she took my picture holding a sign that said "-60." But when Dad died, I distinctly remember eating German chocolate cake everyday for breakfast for that first week--and my weight went uphill from there, rising at an even faster clip when my Mom died 3 months after Dad did.

I would get "back on the wagon" sporadically for the next few years. Doing pretty well until something would throw me for a loop and I'd dive back into the food. One good thing I've always had going for me is that I love exercise, especially walking. I'd take long walks on the country roads near my farmhouse. When I moved to Erie, you'd see me at the Hamot Wellness Center quite a bit taking step classes led by the light beings of Pam and Susan. I also lifted weights and took more longer walks at the Presque Isle. Winter took its toll on my exercise plan, though, and, not understanding my food addiction, my life revolved around fixes of food. I won't list everything here, but, for example, near my State Street apartment was a little restaurant that served chocolate chip pancakes, which I indulged in frequently.

When I moved to San Diego just over 6 years ago, I joined a gym, enjoyed step classes and took walks all year round. Even so, my weight stayed in the 320's--again, because of the food addiction. Calories in, calories out maintained that weight.

So it was just over three years ago, after joining Kathy's program, The Road Less Traveled with Food, that the weight started coming off steadily and now has taken a 14 pound drop with the 90 Day Challenge.

It's a winning weight loss formula for me: 1500 Calories a Day + NAFP + Exercise = Weight Loss. Easy!

What's Coming

As I was just telling SBF Marji, I'm super excited about the new frontiers I'm going to be exploring now.

I've been a student of New Thought for years and believer in the Law of Attraction as explained in The Secret. So I know that I am in the process of creating the reality I wish to see in the coming months as I continue to release weight -- how cool and exciting is that?! Way cool! I think that hesitation about how good that future could be was keeping me from releasing weight in the past. I'm in a different place mentally, spiritually and physically now and am wide-eyed with wonder about it all -- interested to see what good and exciting things are going to be a part of all this.

Stay tuned!

Back to Normal

Again, no problem getting back to my normal routine, which I'm grateful for. Still have to do some grocery shopping (not my favorite activity) because the spinach, egg beaters, frozen fish patties and sweet potatoes have pretty much run out.

To get back on track quickly, I recommitted myself to a good deal of exercise -- yesterday I did 2 hour long walks. That feels good.

Also, the sleep problems that were plaguing me appear to be a thing of the past. Eight hours last night and the night before. I can notice the oh-so-subtle difference, but difference none the less. After getting an average of 5 a night, I was wiped out by the end of the day. Now I have a constant stream of energy going--I'm more alert. And the best thing is that my mind is sharper, and I feel more on top of my game. What great feelings!

Oh, and I weighed myself Monday and am pleased to report that I weigh the same I did two weeks ago -- 258.5. Given the trip to Las Vegas, I consider that a success!

The Challenge was a Challenge in Vegas

Home from a week spent with SBS Teresa, Super Best Brother in Law (SBBiL) Brad and Super Best Buds (SBBs) Tara & Ron in Vegas. Had a great time, but The Challenge was a challenge in certain areas, namely calorie intake & exercise. (What else is there you ask? Well, I think there's a spiritual dimension to it, too, which I kept strong.)

Thanks to some beautiful weather and early morning walks listening to my iPod, I managed to keep on the exercise, although I didn't get as much as when I'm here in San Diego. Calorie-wise, though, gosh...I even stopped mental counting after awhile because I thought the totals would be quite staggering.

I give SBF Marji credit for traveling and doing The Challenge successfully. I find it much, much easier while in familiar surroundings. The most important thing I discovered, if I travel again during the next few weeks, is that preparation, both mental and physical, is key when looking to keep to 1,500 calories a day while on the road. I didn't do nearly enough of that.

However, the most important thing that happened is that I got back in the groove the minute I came home. It was a relief actually!

All very interesting.

P.S. Here's a pic of Teresa and myself. (Can you tell we're sisters? I'm on the right.) She said many, many nice things to me during our time together, but my favorite has to be, "Yeah, when we spotted you coming down to the escalator I turned to Brad and said, 'Who's that model? Oh, wait, it's Donna!'" :)

Still Going Strong

Life has been crazy busy this past week, which shows in my lack of blog postings.

That doesn't mean, however, that I've fallen off the 90 Day Challenge. If anything, I'm more diligent in keeping to the challenge -- it's one area of life where I don't have to "think," I just have to "do."

I've continued powering up the exercise with usually one walk in Balboa Park a day (sometimes two) and my step classes. I love both of them. I find step so meditative -- while there I hear only the music and the calls and have to pay attention to that. I'm not distracted by mind chatter. So I call that meditative. Ohm! ;)

I'm a teleseminar addict -- if you spend anytime at all around me every few minutes you'll hear me say, "I just listened to a teleseminar about that and discovered...) -- and that's how I spend my Balboa Park time: learning! And I love it!

Speaking of...the sun is coming out on this beautiful Saturday morning in San Diego. I'm off to the park!

An Even Dozen Down

Hanging in there has its rewards! (So does, I think, weighing yourself first thing in the a.m. versus just before a 4:30 p.m. step class.)

Down 2 more pounds (seven since last Monday, which I knew must have been some kind of fluke) for 12 pounds total since the Challenge begin.

And we're entering week number Lucky 7! Things can only get better (and clothes looser) from here, right? Right!

I attribute the loss for sticking to my program and also keeping my exercise intense -- I did 8 hours of step and walking in the past week. Since I have a busy work week coming up, I also prepped a whole bunch of Challenge-friendly food last night, so menu planning will be EASY, just the way I like it!

A Visit from Delilah

Delilah was messing with me last night.

Monday is my typical weigh-in day and when I stepped on the scale at MV 24 I was 5 pounds up! Pretty unbelievable, actually, given I've had more than 8 hours of "sweaty" exercise in the past week. It's true that I had 2 days where I ate over 1500 calories (approximately 2200 each day) but an extra 1200 calories does not 5 pounds make!

After getting off the scale, and while going to the normal rationalizations of water weight gain, eating heavy food during the day, etc. (yoy!) I was feeling a bit dejected, I must admit. I asked myself why me, what was I doing wrong, etc., But then, while waiting for class to start I remembered Delilah.

(As explained by Mary Manin Morrissey, one of my spiritual mentors, Delilah is the one who seeks to sap us of our inner strength. She's the voice of our fear and relishes opportunities like this to kick us when we're down in an effort to get us to give up on our visions. "Delilahs are disguises of fear," Mary writes in her book Building Your Field of Dreams. "Because our Delilahs come dressed so cunningly, we often fail to recognize them. They seduce us, lulling us into a false sense of security to the point where we grow fond of our fears. We cling to them.")

I gotta say, as soon as I remembered Delilah--once I recognized her in my feelings of self-doubt--it was like a switch flipped inside of me and the light that come forth sent all the fears away. I started to smile and even chuckle to myself. Delilah can be sneaky, but I'm not letting her get the best of me!

First of all, the reality is that I'm losing weight. Sometimes I'm not the best judge in whether or not I look like I've lost weight, but I even I can tell that I haven't put five pounds back on. Secondly, the number on the scale means nothing. Like I was saying to my Vegas friends a few weeks ago who had questions about the Challenge, thank goodness we don't all have to introduce ourselves by saying, "Hello, my name is Donna, and I weigh XXX." Not the way it's done, so, really, what does it matter what the scale says? Finally, like I've said all along, whatever the scale says isn't going to change what I eat tomorrow or the next day or next week -- I'm committed to this Challenge. If anything, it makes me more determined to stick with it.

So, thanks for visiting, Delilah, and now move it along because there's nothing for you here!

My Typical 1500 Calorie Day

SBS Teresa said some people might be interested in reading what a person who doesn't eat sugar or wheat does in fact eat. So, here's a rundown on a typical day for me on no sugar, no wheat, no aspartame, no caffeine and at 1500 calories...

Breakfast
Spinach, 3/4 cup egg beaters, 4T light cream cheese
decaf coffee with 2 T non-fat 1/2 and 1/2
calories: 240

Lunch
4 oz turkey meat
1 T salad dressing (Miracle Whip)
cucumber slices
1 C Squash with 1 t butter
calories: 385

Snack
Chicken soup (chicken thigh, carrots, celery, parsley)
calories: 160

Snack
4 C popcorn and 1 string cheese
calories: 180

Dinner
4 oz salmon
3 oz sweet potato with cinnamon
calories: 400

Snack
apple
decaf coffee with 2 T non-fat 1/2 & 1/2
calories: 110

Total calories: 1475

I've always been a "grazer," and am lucky to be in a work situation that I can do that easily, so actually my lunch was probably spread out over an hour and a half. I'm usually up at 5:30 a.m. and go to bed at 10:30 or 11. My favorite hour of exercise on a day like this is step class at my gym.

So there you go. Questions? I'm happy to answer them.

You Gotta Have Friends, Friends, Friends

And I so do! : )

The weekend was spent with a couple of my best buds, Tara and Ron, and a new best-bud-to-be, Ty. SBF Marji partook in the fun Sunday afternoon, too.

It was a great weekend laughing and talking and laughing and talking and laughing and talking with my friends. What is interesting is that my NAFP never presented itself as a topic of conversation. (And did I mention how much we talked?)

My not eating wheat or sugar never really made me feel "different" or led to discussion. I mean, we could have talked about it and that would have been fine, but it wasn't necessary that we did.

How cool is that?

The Big One-Oh

There's a sign in my gym that says:

Lose 10 pounds
in 5 weeks
for $55

Marketer that I am, I could make a sign of my own:

Lose 10 pounds
in 4 weeks
Absolutely FREE!*

*Well, I have exchanged a few things for my double digit weight loss...

• Commitment to the 90 Day Challenge (eating 1500 or fewer calories a day & doing at least 4 hours of sweaty exercise a week)
• Dedication to my NAFP (no sugar, no wheat, no aspartame, plus I avoid caffeine)
• Holding my vision in mind when the going gets challenging.

This feels good! I like this! I want more of this, please! : )

And, most of all, I am so, so grateful!

Day 20: 8 Pounds Down

Big thing on the 250, little thing on the 12.5! So that's 262.5, or 8 pounds down. Hooray!

Before doing my posting, I was getting clothes ready to wash and ran across a jersey from the Hamot Wellness Center (where I met Kathy Iorio, mentioned in the post below...interesting). It was with a stack of clothes I'll fit into "someday." Well, I tried it on and it fits! A little snug, but completely "public wear-able."

I was so happy I decided to wear it the rest of the day, but after a few minutes off it came again. And into the wash pile it went. While waiting for me to wear it, my cat Frisbee used it as a bed--it was itchy!

Weight Training Rides Again

Given the lack of scale movement last week, I thought it was time to revisit the weight room.

Weight training is not my favorite thing to do. But I know it's effective, even in small doses, especially consistent small doses.

As I walked into the weight room yesterday morning feeling rather mad, I remembered a gem from Kathy Iorio, a fitness guru/friend from Erie: You don't have to like it, you just have to do it.

So true.

So I got one session in. And SBF Marji volunteered to meet me at the gym before our weekly group meeting with Kathy tomorrow and "work it girl" again.

Who knows, I might end up liking it a little more than I thought...we'll see.

I Had a Dream

...and my therapist (mentioned previously for introducing us all to the concept of "Little Donna") would eat this up. So to speak.

My dream, as described to my computer screen:

Everyone was around a dining room table eating. I had gotten done eating and kept wondering why everyone else was going back for more. And everyone seemed “out of it.” Moving almost zombie-like around the room.

I wandered around the room for awhile (looking for coffee, actually, but that's a subject for another time). Then I returned to the table where, sitting across from me was a heavier and younger version of myself.

"Why don’t you eat more?" she asked, calmly, chewing something white. "Eat like we are."

I said, "No, thank you, I don’t feel like it."

She was going to leave it alone (I could tell she was feeling slightly embarrassed), and I said, "No, this is good, ask me again." So she did, more forcefully, but politely, and I said more forcefully, but politely, “No, thank you, but I choose not to eat more right now. I don't want to.” And I felt good that I had expressed myself.

And she seemed perfectly fine with it (as she went back to her food).

Follow-up thoughts I've had since the dream:

• I realized that I can speak the truth to myself.
  
• Actually, I realized I am speaking the truth to myself--and all of me is listening.
  
• My little girl (although really more of a teenager here) can ask for the truth and handle it just fine from "the adult Donna" without freaking out.
• Adult Donna is greatly relieved at that!

I find I'm now more at peace with myself and my food choices than ever before.

Three Years Without Sugar & Wheat

Celebrate! Celebrate! Listen to the music... whoo hooo!

Yes! The music is being played loud this morning as I celebrate three years on my NAFP (non-addictive food plan), which consists of not eating sugar, wheat or aspartame, and avoiding most processed foods. (ie: corn chips are not "okay.")

This morning I was thinking back to that first week, I had a huge headache on the first day and was super tired, but, it was no wonder. The night before I ate pizza, fettuccine alfredo, a candy bar and, this I so remember, I drank a half a can of sugared soda. To that point, I hadn't even drank sugared soda at all, but I figured, "what the heck." I didn't even like it--I didn't even finish it! But it was sugar, so there you go.

The thought of eating all that stuff now makes me feel more than a little ill.

As I've been mentioning my milestone to friends, most of them say congratulations and then frown slightly and look concerned as they congratulate me on my self-discipline. If it was all about self-discipline, trust me, I'd be concerned if I could keep this up, too.

The blessing about this whole thing, though, is that it has nothing to do with self-discipline. I'm happy to bypass wheat- and sugar-foods because, if they are completely out of my system, the beauty is that I don't crave them. Although in The Road Less Traveled with Food we say that everyone is following their own program and certain things work for certain people, the one thing we all have in common is that very thing: if it's not in the body, we don't crave it. Or, better put, if we stay clean, we stay happy, joyous and free!

How cool is that? Way cool!

So today I CELEBRATE, with tremendous gratitude, my NAFP and all those who've supported me along the way, especially SBL Kathy, SBF Marji and SBS Teresa! Plus, I honor myself and the God-within, around and throughout who led me to this wonderful life.

Yay for us!

Working It with a Cold

I'm working my way into a great routine where the Challenge has become part of the structure of my day--not a primary focus of it.

Woke up early this week with cold/allergy symptoms, the brunt of which hit me yesterday. The whole cold thing is rather foreign to me since I started my NAFP, so I'm grateful for that.

With whatever it was, I only had the energy to get in 30 minutes of my normal hour-long walk. I was talking to SBS Teresa about it and she mentioned that she didn't think it was unusual to start a new food or exercise routine and get a cold. That could be.

I can see where I could have caught cold on a number of fronts. In the beginning of the challenge, I was pushing to do more physical activity while at the same time I was sleeping less -- an immune system is bound to get tamped down a bit.

The good news is that today I'm practically symptom free. I got an hour-long walk in the sunshine and also got a sorely needed attitude adjustment after having a trying morning with work.

So YAY to that!

Binge Eating: A Simpler Solution

A Harvard study came out this week showing that binge eating disorder is more common than either anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa.

Because of its direct link to severe obesity and other serious health effects, the study also calls binge eating disorder a “major public health burden.” (Binge Eating More Common Than Other Eating Disorders)

NPR mentioned this study on its newscasts and spoke to a therapist who said the solution was psychotherapy and antidepressants.

I say, not necessarily so. And I think experts in the field (Kathy Bowes, Kay Sheppherd) would agree.

It’s been my experience that binge eating is caused by an apparent bio-chemical situation I have going on, where certain foods trigger me to overeat—overeat in a big, big way. (Before finding my solution, 2-pounder bags of peanut M & Ms were my “food of choice” and consumed over several hours during a day.)

My trigger foods are sugar, wheat and aspartame. I gave them up three years ago and haven’t binged—as long as they aren’t in my system. And I live a calmer, lighter and more joy-filled life—without therapy or anti-depressants.

Now, I’m not going all “Tom Cruise” about this—I believe therapy and medications have their place. But to me, their addition seems like a more drastic one rather than the simple solution of eliminating the foods that trigger a binge.

What do you think?

Day 13: Weight Moves in Mysterious Ways

This Saturday morning at Horton Plaza wasn't exactly as exhilarating as it was last week.

I weighed the same, 265. Actually, it looks like it's up 1/4 a pound.

This is after a week where I ate a little bit less than last week and exercised more.

What gives?

Who knows -- as Alice, my Weight Watchers leader back in Pa. used to say, "Weight moves in mysterious ways."

In the past I've not been big on regular weigh-ins of myself--I don't own a scale. This time it's different, though, because whatever the scale says, I'm committed to doing the same thing of 1,500 calories or less daily and at least four hours of "sweaty" exercise a week. So whatever the scale says, doesn't really concern me because it doesn't change my actions.

When something I desire doesn't show up on my timeframe, I say that it's "to be revealed." It's created somewhere and is in transit to me now. Maybe in a mysterious way, but definitely in a way!

Finally! Some "Before" Pictures

Finally uploaded some pix from the weekend in Portland. Here's one of Marji & myself in front of a sign for another conference. Can you believe we actually found one that said 90 Day Challenge only 2 days before our 90 Day Challenge began? I can--I'm not surprised by miracles anymore! ;)

Next up is me with Mat Boggs, of the movie Project Everlasting and an upcoming CW sit-com with title to be determined...Simon & Schuster has agreed to publish Mat's first book, based on his documentary. Mat & his co-author, Jason Miller, (another total cutie patootie, btw) agreed to let me interview them later this year for a teleseminar I'm doing about book promotion. (Check out my work site to learn more.)

SBF Marji has some great pics at her blog too -- make sure you check it out and comment on her '80s cow outfit. It's udderly cool!

Miss USA Tara Conner 'Gets' Addiction Recovery

Matt Lauer reported on The Today Show this morning that Tara Conner, the beleaguered partier Miss USA who nearly caused Donald Trump and Rosie O'Donnell come to blows, is out of rehab for alcoholism.

Before, I really didn't care one way or the other if she kept her crown or celebrity status or whatever, but after hearing her on The Today Show, I'm drawn to her corner. She is indicating that rehab for alcohol addiction has changed her life, saying, "Before I felt like I was floating, and I was looking for someone to pull me down."

I know exactly what she means. Before finding "The Road Less Traveled With Food," I described myself as being in a "fog." The thing is, we can be suffering so in that fog, and trying to find our way, not knowing that there is a solution, but looking aimlessly for something to pull us down.

I found my solution a little over three years ago by literally putting it out to the Universe through my prayer partners. I was probably around 320 or so at that point, had gotten another big part of my life back on track and had the feeling "it's time" to do something about the weight.

A few days after and I welcomed Kathy Bowes and her program into my life.

After a few months of education and then 28 days of being "clean" of sugar, wheat and aspartame, the fog I was in, the fog I was fighting, the fog I didn't even know was holding me back from living a life more in tune with Spirit, lifted! Ahhhhh! I felt--and feel-- so good! And I didn't know I could feel so good just by abstaining from those substances!

Tara Conner seems to have that same glow and feeling. I think she "gets it." That's so cool, don't you think?

5 1/2 Pounds and Counting

It was one of those cartoon moments.

This morning I got on the scale at 24 Horton Plaza and started sliding the thingys around...when it balanced out at 265 I didn't believe it. I looked first at the big thingy to make sure it was on 250. Yes. Then that the little one to see if it was on 15. Yes. Then I looked at the silver wall in front of the scale and did the math in my head again...carry the one...265. And then I looked back at the big one. And then the little one. And the big one one more time...and I was convinced.

It's still "just a number," but it's one I like better than what was showing a few days ago!

Day 5: Is My Stomach Shrinking?

It's Friday, and I'm feeling fine!

In 11th grade, in Mr. Swanson's health class, I remember being told that our stomachs don't literally "shrink" when we "diet." But I do think there is something like that going on in there because, after nearly a week of eating 1,500 calories a day, it doesn't take as much food for me to feel full--and feel full longer.

Since feeling hungry was one of my biggest fears, you can imagine my joy at having this feeling--it's one of my biggest gifts! (I better start thinking now about how I'm going to describe the gift of weighing 10, 20, 30+ pounds less, right?)

A couple of lifesavers for me this week, food-wise:

• Chicken soup. My mom's recipe (chicken, carrots, celery, parsley, water, salt) couldn't be easier. Since I no longer include a big pile of kluski (noodles) at the bottom of the bowl, it's a low calorie, satisfying meal!
• Black-eyed peas. Not typically a legume lover, those three little words have made me a convert. SBF Marji tracked down a wonderful recipe that includes some tomatoes, jalepeno heat and a bit of smoked ham for flavoring--yum!
• Microwave popcorn. I'll admit it--I like my popcorn. A friend turned me on to a cool device that makes regular, kernel popcorn in the microwave with no added fat. A couple of pumps of a butter-flavored spray and salt, and I'm happy!
  
• My NAFP. I haven't discussed my non-addictive food plan much, but basically it entails not eating sugar, wheat or aspartame and avoiding processed foods (like corn chips). On Feb. 9 I'll be celebrating 3 years "clean," and I feel so good! Being on my NAFP this week, and keeping it simple, has really helped in this challenge.
  

More lifesavers, spirit-wise:

• SBF Marji, who is quite the inspiration when it comes to calorie-counting. (Among a myriad of other things.) What a great supportive friend I have!
  
• SBS Teresa, who is always game to chat with me and offer her insights on weight loss. She is a fountain of knowledge and support in this challenge! (Among a plethora of other things!)
  
• Step class. With the music blasting and all my attention on the instructor, I can't think about any perceived "problems" in life. It's meditation in movement, and I love it!

Okay, bring on the weekend -- let's hope things remain as cheerful in the days to come.