Phase 3: OMG!

So, phase 2 didn't last long. I kept cheating, switched back to phase 1, kept going back and forth trying to figure out what worked best for my body. Trainer Jill saw me waffling about and sent me a very specific NEW meal plan, to be followed for the next 4 weeks. Same meal plan, every day. Again, I've promised to not share exact details, but let me at least tell you about breakfast . . .

For the past four days, I have eaten a large portion of broccoli, a large portion of green beans, a small portion of hummus, and 6 hard-boiled egg whites. Oh, and my coffee to help me stay sane and to wash it all down. (Now don't get on me about the coffee. I have recently discovered it, and I don't know how I survived the past 10 years without it. Considering that most of my family & friends should have Diet Coke running intravenously in lieu of the 64 oz. mugs, I seriously do not understand the double-standard, but to each his own.) Back to breakfast . . . It was taking me entirely too long to chew up all those green chompy veggies. I felt like the lazy cow in the field, chewing her cud. Mama just doesn't have that kind of time in the morning! So today, I tossed my lightly steamed veggies into the food processor and let it whir away just to the point of chunky, not pureed. I mean, I do still have all my teeth, so I have a little pride. Then I topped the mish-mashed veggies with the hummus, scooped it into the egg whites, and ate it like a very strange devilled egg. Yum. Surprisingly, hummus is delish any time of day. (I was highly dismayed that Costco did not have my fave hummus in stock on Thursday! They ALWAYS have it; until now that my diet depends on it!)

Obviously, I have been tappin' the Beano. I discovered Beano Meltaways, & I'm in heaven-- strawberry-flavored, dissolves in an instant, and you only need one to do the job of 3 regular Beanos. Now I just need to dump them out of the bottle and into a Tic Tacs container and I'm good to go in any public setting. Unless the kids see it and start nagging for a Tic Tac and curious store and restaurant patrons wonder why I'm yelling, "No, these are MINE and they're expensive and I won't share!" Although, on second thought,  my son could really use some . . .

So I'm a few days into this new phase of dieting, and I already look leaner. Admittedly, I was not too keen on it when I saw it on paper. In addition to broccoli for breakfast, it requires me to eat a plethora of spinach, (and not in yummy fruity shakes but in its leafy, stemmy glory), cottage cheese, a food I have to choke down-- it's a texture thing. Bleh. And greek yogurt. In between workouts. I wasn't sure if it would stay down during my Zumba class, but after a couple songs, I felt fine. The problem is I do my own workout before I teach a class, and I was going too long without a meal. So now I'm prepared. Toss an ice pack and my yogurt into a baggie (and a spoon when I'm smart and remember it), and I'm good to go.

Trainer Jill wasn't lying about the cooler thing. I have to keep one on hand, filled with whatever meals I'll need at certain time increments throughout the day. To be unprepared is to fail. Because that's when blood sugars get all out of whack and you go for the nearest edible thing around, eat too much of it, and screw up your blood sugars even more. It's a vicious cycle. Then your mealtimes get all messed up, too, and your macronutrients, and your math, because then you'd have to figure out your proteins, complex carbs, and fats all over again. It may be hard to follow this regimen, but at least the thinking has been done. Am I in the mood for Mexican or Italian? Doesn't matter. It's time for cottage cheese. Should I eat an apple or a banana? Neither. They're not on the menu right now. See? No thinking required. What is required is trust. Trust that my trainer knows best. Trust that my body will respond the way I want it to. Trust in myself, that I have the willpower to not give up on this crazy goal I've set for myself.

It's amazing how, when you take away mindless eating, you have no choice but to face yourself. Face your fears, face your issues, face your self-deceit. I have these moments, when I can almost hear aloud my ego and deeper self arguing. My ego pouts, stomps, kicks, whines, "But I waaaaaaaannnnnnnt it! I want a banana split. I want a bowl of cereal. I want a bag of pita chips. I want a jar of peanut butter!! I want it, damn you, and I deserve it, and it's really not that bad, and it tastes so good, and I just waaaaaaaaannnnnnt it!" And then my deeper self just watches. Observes. Doesn't judge. It asks me what I really want. And then I close the pantry door and walk away. Because what I really want is to reach a goal that requires much sacrifice, time, and patience. In that moment, I won. Too bad it doesn't always end that way. But the deeper self does make sure that it's just one spoonful of peanut butter or just 2 pita chips. It's my deeper self that reminds me, if I slipped a few times today, get back up and do it right tomorrow. Stop wallowing in the mud of regret, guilt, and shame. Because that's when you get so muddy, so entrenched, you decide it's just too hard to get back up.

Some of my fitness class participants were so inspired by my progress and journey that they asked me to put together a challenge for them. A one-month program to empower them to lose the fat or to change their eating & exercise lifestyle. So I initiated my first ever Fat Blast Challenge with Christy. I advertised it for a little over one week. We have almost 40 participants! I really do hope they achieve success and feel empowered with the knowledge they need to change their lives!

Well, my last meal time is calling my name . . . peace out!