this is me, candid, at enchanted rock 
Monthly Archives: May 2012
Whoosh!
guess who just won the women’s fastest serve competition in match play today? This girl right here!
AND I won this lovely tennis back
pack!
Friday Update
What a successful week! It was busy, and I only got to work out (tennis) once, but the MyFitFoods really paid off:
Since Monday (note, 4 days, not the usually 7):
Weight: lost 6.4 pounds, 27.2 to date!
Neck: no change
Weight: 1″ drop
Hips: 0.5″ drop
Thankyouverymuch!
Bewbs and Diet
Bewbs:
Sooooo, today I went to the lady doctor because I’d been having boob itchage, like serious. I would wake up in the middle of the night and would need to scratch the crap out of them. Of course, when you Google “itchy breasts,” WebMD alarms you with concerns over breast cancer and so to the gyny I went.
After a thorough exam to confirm I in fact do NOT have cancer, she said it could either be my new detergent (which I had ruled out because I figured it would affect my whole body), or it could just be all my activity. Sweat and new detergent are pressed up against me where as a t-shirt is not so much. And lots of sweat finds its way to cleavage for girls.
When I told her I used to make my detergent (I still can, just haven’t found time), and told her the ingredients (Fels Naptha soap, Borax, and Arm and Hammer Washing Suds), she said I had been using a very hypoallergenic detergent, and my new one (Seventh Generation) is likely a drastic change for my skin (especially the parts of me that never see the sunshine).
Who knew?
Diet:
So I talked to her about my diet. She commended me for the 20lbs lost since I last saw her. I told her about My Fit Foods and she liked that they follow the Glycemic Index (focusing on low GI items, that is). I told her I’m frustrated because I’ve been SO active with Tennis, boot camp, the gym, etc., and it just feels like I should have lost more weight by now. She explained that for some people, it’s more about the diet than the activity, and I (and apparently her husband) am one of those people.
So, I’m going to keep on trucking on My Fit Foods for as long as I can afford it. The meals are $6-8 each for “smalls” and so $14 a day average adds up FAST. Granted, there was a time when I ate probably one meal out a day, and threw away a lot of spoiled food. I may still be in the red, compared to then, but I’m losing weight (or least expect to this week). Yay for portion control! I have lost 2.8 lbs since Monday, but that can be scale fluke.
Shorts
Me and shorts – we go way back. From the itty bitty ones I wore as a kid, to the white shorts I thought I could never wear once I started my “lady” days, the Umbros I wore in 4th grade, the plaid J.Crew ones I squeezed into in high school – I spent my pre-college days in shorts.
And then it hit me. The bumps. The cottage cheese. The dimples. It was the dreaded cellulite that is seemingly impossible to get rid of. You see tiny-in-the-waist ladies with it and think, “If she has it at size 2, I have no hope!”
And so, around college, I gave up on shorts for the most part. I still had some to work out in of course, and some to float down the river in (because heavens to betsy, nobody was seeing my rear end in a swim suit). And, before I knew it, I had none.
Then two summers ago, I moved from Chicago to Corpus Christi. It was as hot as the dickens (from what I’d grown accustom to in Chicago, anyways), and I had to do something about it. And so into Avenue I marched, on a hunt for skirts and, you guessed it, shorts. I found ONE pair, slightly too big in a size 24, but marked down because they were missing a belt loop. I looked and felt terrible in them. They were frumpy, too long for me, and ill-fitting. Only recently did I give them to a church rummage sale and realized I had no non-athletic shorts to speak of.
It’s completely possible I’m over shorts. My thighs are quite large at any weight, and there does not seem to be any length of short that meets the criteria of (a) covering the cellulite, (b) not making me look shorter than I am (5’4″) (c) being on-trend or at least modern and (d) are comfortable.
Stacy and Clinton once told ladies my age that skirts were the new shorts. Since this logic closely aligned with what I was doing anyway, I bought into it. But, I have to say, I’m looking forward to looking good in shorts one day soon. I’ve seen some really good options on other people (not in plus size departments, sadly). I’m just SO sick of wearing jeans to casual functions or volunteer events that involve being outside in the summer, or wearing skirts to functions where I might need to sit on the ground or be active.
Until that day, shorts will remain on my wishlist.
My Fit Foods – Vitamins and Supplements
So, as you may be able to tell, I’m really enjoying the My Fit Foods plan! And, though I haven’t really mentioned it on my little blog, but I’m pretty savvy on vitamins and supplements. For years, I took a multi vitamin, supplemental Calcium with Magnesium and Vitamin D, Evening Primrose Oil and more. On occasion, I also take folic acid and others. But here is the plan for My Fit Foods:
The Essential Daily Supplements:
1.) Multi-Vitamin: for energy and metabolism support
2.) Fish Oil: improves metabolism and lowers triglycerides, prevents depression
3.) Antioxidant: daily detox, fights inflammation, prevents cell damage. [my two cents: it also prevents aging (cell damage), but I feel like you get most of these from the multi...]
4.) Cinnamon: helps control blood sugar
5.) Milk Thistle: detoxification
Additional Supplements
6.) Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA): increases muscle to fat ratio, lowers cholesterol, supports healthy bone mass
7.) Green Tea: good for cardiovascular disease, cholesterol, cancer prevention and weight loss
8.) L-Glutamine: promotes the maintenance of a healthy digestive tract and promotes mental alertness and memory, may boost immune function and decrease sugar cravings
9.) Fiber: controls appetite, lowers blood sugar, keeps you regular, improves cholesterol and helps to eliminate toxins
10.) Whey Protein Isolate (Vanilla or Chocolate): helps build muscle mass
Though My Fit Foods offers all of these, I plan to take these on as I can. Purchasing them all at once would break the bank. For now, I’m taking the Multi, Fish Oil, Milk Thistle and Fiber.
And, I’ll get on my soap box now for NatureMade Vitamins – my favorite brand. They used to be my client and I firmly believe they are a quality vitamin. My general test for vitamins is the pee test – your urine should NOT turn bright yellow when you take vitamins. If it does, either you are taking them too close together (or too many in one pill), or your body is not able to absorb them before they pass through your system. Just my theory.
As I type this, I realize this is a boat load of pills. And, if you take them all at once, are you even likely to notice the difference? Hmmm.
My Fit Foods – Avoid / Include
Oh man, so much to do to commit to the My Fit Foods plan! It is a 21-day challenge (even though I’m not purchasing all my meals there due to $ constraints). So here is what the next 21 days look like:
1.) No alcohol
2.) No artificial stimulants (including caffeine)
3.) No artificial sweeteners
4.) No high fructose corn syrup
5.) Avoid high Glycemic Index (GI) foods
6.) Avoid Saturated and trans saturated fats
7.) Avoid foods with little or no nutritional value
8.) Avoid added preservatives
9.) Avoid excess sodium
10.) Include all natural/non-processed ingredients
11.) Include lean meats and quality “good” carbohydrates
12.) Include heart-healthy essential fats
13.) Include colorful fresh fruits and vegetables with anti-oxidant spices.
14.) Drink lots of water, and where possible, water that is high in pH levels (includes Fiji water, Vitamin water and, lucky for me, Austin tap water!)
I don’t yet know what I will need to sweeten, but if I figure it out, here are my options!: Agave Nectar, Xylitol, or Stevia.
Straight-up quoting packet materials now: “The artificial sweeteners that you should steer clear of are acesulfame-K, (Sunett, Sweet One), aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal), saccharin (Sweet’N Low, Sugar Twin) and sucralose (Splenda). Splenda, which is 600 times sweeter than basic sugar, is a chlorinated sugar molecule that was originally discovered in the 70′s when scientists were trying to find a new pesticide. European studies show that aspartame causes accumulation of formaldehyde in the brain and lowers serotonin levels, which is our feel good brain chemical as well as appetite control. When forced to choose, you are better off with the 15 calories per teaspoon in raw sugar than the “calories saved” using artificial sweeteners.”
So what will I be eating and drinking the next 21 days? Well, lots of water for one. I went ahead and picked up some Fiji water at the grocery store. I already drink a lot of tap water, but these will be nice for grab-and-go type drinking. I’ll also be drinking the liver cleanse cocktail each morning. I can have herbal or green tea if I really want to, but I’m going to avoid it along with my regular brewed tea. As for meals, their breakfasts 3oz of protein, 1/2c carbs and a fat. I on the other hand will be finishing up my cereal stash. Snacks are things like Greek yogurt (they recommend Fage), fruit (but not bananas), and trail mix. Lunch and dinner I got from MyFitFoods – all kinds of fish, quinoa, beans, steak, etc. etc. I even had one of my free meals tonight – a crab cake of sorts, over asparagus. YUM.
Come back soon for the run-down of their Vitamins and Supplement recommendations!
My Fit Cocktail – Update
so this morning I tried the unsweetened cranberry juice + lemon juice + apple cider vinegar cocktail, which I described yesterday as pretty rancid. if you are thinking about trying it, DON’T cut it with water! I repeat, don’t cut it with water.
the taste is really not improved or diluted by water, and so your un-tasty shot just gets bigger, making the experience last longer.
I also had cereal this morning but I sprinkled a little fiber and a little wheat germ on it. it made the cereal taste a little bark like, but i’m giving this whole thing a shot for 21 days.
by the way, wheat germ is not a my fit foods thing, it’s a Katie thing via my grandma thing. she sprinkled it on everything from oatmeal to Fro-yo to help her look younger, and let me tell you, that lady looked about 64 at the ripe old age of 84.
My Fit Foods – Post 1 of quite a few
Today, I had my appointment with My Fit Foods. As a quick background, if you’re new to this blog, I recently decided that I really have a decent handle on working out, and food is where I’m struggling the most. After looking into Jenny Craig, NutriSystem and a few other weight loss programs, I decided to try out My Fit Foods.
While I can cook a healthy meal with the ease of following a recipe, I had found that working out and cooking a meal in the same evening was proving unlikely. I’d leave work by 6, leave the gym by 7:30, and would be starving by the time I got home. Without the patience to cook a meal at that point, I turned to higher calorie convenience food (popcorn for dinner, anyone?).
My Fit Foods has prepared meals you pick up in a store. They provide everything from soup to nuts if you want it – breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, vitamins, supplements, juice, high pH water, lemons (for the liver cleanse – I’ll get to that), and so on and so on.
I have a pretty limited budget, so soup to nuts was not in the cards, as it comes in at about $625 for 3 weeks. Instead, I decided to go with two meals per day (lunch and dinner). I figure I can handle breakfast on my own (though it may not be EXACTLY what they would have wanted me to eat). And, when it comes to vitamins and supplements, I have my head wrapped around that pretty well, so the only sup I bought was Milk Thistle (which I realized after I got home was only a 2-week supply. wah wah.).
Now, the liver cleanse. This is a “cocktail” you make every morning and chug down. It includes: juice from half a lemon, 4 oz. unsweetened cranberry juice, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar. An optional element is B-12 juice, but I passed on that this time around. It tasted pretty rancid. I might cut it with water in the morning to see if that improves the flavor.
So, with 13 meals (I decided to try 1 breakfast, one snack, and I received a free meal for trying out the plan), the Milk Thistle supplement, unsweetened cranberry juice, it came out to $89. Not GREAT, but not ideal. If you load up your account with money in advance (starting at $500), you get free money. For instance, “buying” $500 gets you $525 in your account. More if you pre-pay more.
Here is what I really enjoyed about the experience. For starters, it was SO INFORMATIVE. The girl walked me through this large packet of info that was NEW to me. This really was the science I had hoped to get from the nutritionist. There was information on caffiene, sleep, supplements, when to eat your carbs, etc. etc. I truly learned several things today. I also love that their meals have a 5 day shelf life – makes me believe them when they say they are low or no preservatives. They are 90% gluten, soy and dairy free. They focus on the Glycemic Index (great for someone who has diabetes in their DNA).
Overall, it was a great, great experience and I can’t wait to report how I do and how it works. I also look forward to sharing some of the tidbits of information I uncovered!
The Other Departments
I spent Saturday afternoon shopping with my cousins and aunt at the Corpus Christi mall. Shopping, since I was in high school, has always been a non-event. Only a handful of stores sell my size (ahem, 18), and so I spend most of the day enjoying company and shopping the accessories or shoes. On occasion, I meander to a Lane Bryant or Macy’s.
Today was really no different (though it was of course wonderful to see family), but as my waistline shrinks, I start to see little glimmers of possibility. As I stepped into Francesca’s, I felt like I was in Jessica Day’s (i.e., the New Girl’s) closet; everything was bright and colorful, and easy like Sunday morning. Of course, the largest size was “L.”
I expected no less (or rather, no more) from boutique-like places, or the likes of Buckle, Victoria’s Secret, Forever 21, and all the other places my cousins shop. At the end of the night though, I made my way to my trusty ol’ Macy’s “Women’s World” department. I was discombobulated, as it has been moved to a new floor. But, I can almost always find a great deal here, in my style, in my size. The thing is, with the new location, and my near-regular sized butt (well, regular, in my head at least, is sizes 0-16), I find myself dipping into the regular-sizes departments (for tops and full-skirted dresses).
As I looked out upon the vastness of the department floor, and my general experience with shopping Saturday, I became quickly overwhelmed at where I’m going to be in a few short months (in size 16s, that is). I will be able to shop at SO MANY new stores, and be able to shop an entire floor of a department store, and not just my little department.
And it hit me – just how comfortable I had become in plus sized clothing.
I remember a time in sixth grade (yes, sixth), my mom tried to take me shopping in a plus sized women’s clothing store at the mall. I refused and was likely completely bratty about the whole thing. I was mostly concerned of being seen in such a store (as the mall was THE most likely place to run into a classmate). In fact, thinking back it is silly that I had such a strong reaction, as any person could see I was overweight. My mom was just trying to find clothes that fit me, and I was in complete denial of my size, I suppose. Anyways, the clothes were tacky (I could tell from the ear piercing kiosk I scorned the store from).
At that time, I was a size 18, but I picked up tennis around then and leveled out around a size 10. In high school I can remember being a size 14 in my tennis skirt, and in college I remember some Limited crop pants I had in a size 12. What I don’t remember is the day I crossed into the plus size department. I don’t remember the day I went to the Gap, tried on some 16s (the largest they sold in stores), and went “Oh crap, these don’t fit.” I can remember in 2003 – 2005 (post college), ordering clothes from Gap.com in 18s, then 20s, but I really, truly, cannot remember walking into a plus size store or department for the first time.
Back then, plus sized options really, really sucked. But now, recently, oh my. That department and those stores have become SO easy for me. When I was in sixth grade, I had some incentive to lose weight – the plus sized clothes were terrible, and I didn’t want to get caught in one of those stores But these days, the clothes are on-trend, made to flatter, and not frumpy. I can see how it is just so easy to stay at a larger size when the options are pretty good.
Still, the department is small. The stores that offer sizes over 16 are limited. And so Saturday night, as I allowed myself to dip into the “regular” sized clothing, I realized how much freedom I will have. Even though my options in plus are good, if I found something that remotely flattered, I had to buy it because the number of stores are limited.
I feel like I’m contradicting myself a bit, so let me explain. 18 or so years ago (when I was in sixth grade), a dress option might be rather moo-moo like. Today, I definitely have more options of cuts, colors and prints, but there are still maybe just three A-line cut dresses, and one may be an unflattering color, while the other might be too short. So, the dress I end up with is far better than a moo-moo, but there was still just ONE. Better options, but not limitless. Regular sized clothing feels limitless. And thus, wonderful and overwhelming at the same time.
One of many challenges with plus-size clothing is that since so few stores sell it, you’re stuck with the style of clothing available to you. It wasn’t all that long ago that plus size women’s clothing meant frumpy, baggy, and shapeless tops and bottoms. The waist of the pants sat inches above the belly button, and likely had elastic in it. But as retailers have recognized obesity in this country (the MEDIAN sized woman is a 12 – half of women are over, half under), they are more keen to buy the big girl version of regular sized fashions. Still though, the options were limited. And comfortable. And finite.
So plus sized clothing is double edged sword these days. The increase in availability makes it easy to look modern up to a size 32 or something; you are not incentivized (as you once were, in the early 90s) to lose weight in order to maintain some sense of fashion. And, since the finite selection of stores/options for plus size clothing was limited, your choices became easier.
As I lose weight though, I’m both excited and overwhelmed at my upcoming options. Excited because there are even MORE opportunities to find clothes that suit my fancy, overwhelmed because there are so many opportunities to find clothes that suit my fancy.
My friend Tracy tells me she finds department stores overwhelming, and only Saturday did I get a sense of that. With the plus sized department moved to another floor, I was able to dip into the size 16 dresses across the aisle and became quickly engulfed in options.
I’m so curious to see how my shopping habits may change over the next year. Will I shop more stores, or limit my stores to a select few to keep a similar experience to Women’s World? Will I discern my purchases more, knowing that the next store very likely WILL have more options (rather than wondering)? Will I ever be able to buy off the rack again at Gap? 
