This is a post from my new client Christine who documenting her weight loss journey while receiving my training and nutritional advice. You can read her first post here.It was really great to end week 3 of working with Caitlin with the San Francisco 49ers in the play-offs. My husband’s play-off party showed me just how far I’ve come in 3 weeks.
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| Salt and Pepper chips used to call my name! |
My husband decided to have some of his friends over to watch the play-off games, and he picked up a bunch of traditional game-day snacks like chips, cookies, and sodas at the market. I’m happy to tell you, it was not a problem for me. I repeat, NOT A PROBLEM, and parties have always been a problem. Even though the 49ers aren’t going to the Superbowl, I feel triumphant! I did not eat a cookie, or a chip, or take a sip of soda. And even better, I didn’t want to. I honestly think it was the first time I’ve been at a party in which I didn’t snack the entire time, and then feel guilty and gross afterward. You can read some of Caitlin’s tips for surviving parties under the Party Tips category.
I believe this new super power is entirely due to the food plan Caitlin put me on. I’ve been following her suggestion of the eating whole, unprocessed foods that consist of mostly meats and vegetables with restrictions on grains, dairy, and sugar. So yes to steak, no to pasta. I did struggle a bit at first, but with Caitlin’s support and suggestions, like l-glutamine powder for sugar cravings, I got through the first week with just a day or two of feeling a bit run down. By mid-week last week, I started to understand that I wasn’t missing pasta, rice, or bread, I was missing the feeling I get when I eat them, which is a kind of warm, relaxing feeling. The problem is that now I know WHY I feel that way with my blood sugar spiking and feel-good chemicals going to my head. It’s also a beast that needs to be fed continuously.
Eating mainly meat, vegetables, and fat feels nothing like eating low-fat with whole grains. A few changes I’ve noticed are: my hunger has changed, (it feels less intense and nauseating) my cravings are way down, and I feel more in control when junk food is around. For example, back to the game day snacks, we picked them up on Saturday, and they sat in the apartment all night. Just me, the cookies, and my sweet tooth. In the past, double fudge cookies and salt & pepper chips would be impossible to get out of my mind and I would have broken down and eaten something. Not half the bag or box, but a few cookies, a small dish of chips and I’d feel proud of my restraint because I didn’t eat more. Saturday night, the only thing I thought about those snacks was how I had no interest in them! Hand on my heart, I didn’t have a single sensation to have “just one,” and it felt amazing to not struggle with it.
The other amazing thing is that this is the first eating plan I’ve been on where someone is telling me to “eat more!” I have never been a woman (or girl) who needed to be told to eat more! I’ve always been the one who gets “tsk, tsk, should you really be eating that?” so when Caitlin told me to “eat more, especially good fat,” I was pleasantly surprised.
And while I’m on amazing things, the workouts with Caitlin are going great! I am learning a 30 minute strength/cardio routine that can be done 3-4 days a week. Combined with the all the walking and hill climbing I do around Nob Hill, this workout is perfect to strengthen my major muscle groups and make my body feel really good.
These realizations have gotten me even more excited for this journey. I always knew I wasn’t really setting myself up for success with the choices I was making, but I had no idea that things I thought were healthy for me were actually contributing to my ongoing cravings and sugar addiction, and even driving me to eat more. I’m starting this week hopeful that this will really work for me, and that is quieting the voice of doubt that tells me I will never conquer my dysfunctional relationship with food.
And on a final note, I can tell you that the proof is in not only how easy it was to say no to cookies, but in how my body has already change. The bloat in my stomach is gone, which is great because now I can see all the fat I’m going to blast. 😉 But seriously, it’s been 3 weeks and my clothes are loser all over my body and my back has stopped aching, both due to reduced inflammation in my body. Now is when the real excitement begins.
Next week, I’ll talk about my cooking and shopping experiences on a low carb paleo diet, and my mini and long term goals that keep me motivated throughout this journey.
Caitlin’s Comments: I am so proud of Christine! The first week is always the toughest but now I think she has come out on the other side! She really listens to my suggestions and puts them into practice. If she sticks with this she will be back in her old clothes and feeling her best. We will continue to refine her diet and find ways to pack in more nutrient density. We will also look for ways she can make her kitchen and home more green and weight loss friendly. We will look at ways to reduce stress and improve her sleep over the coming weeks.
I'm so excited for Christine! I am looking forward to following her blog and her progress. I'm cheering for ya girl!