#fitnessfriday | this week's weigh-in

i am super excited to share my progress for the week! if it seems like i am only posting hair and fitness stuff, you're correct. i'm still getting my china posts together! #soonandverysoon

anywho, i met and surpassed my dietbet game goal (156.9 by april 8) and i am 22.4 lbs down since i began my anti-candida journey on march 1!

beyond weight loss, my body is actually feeling like it's starting to like me. i haven't gotten sick despite the disrespectfully drastic weather changes, which ALWAYS made me sick in the past. my bloating has decreased immensely and i feel much, much lighter. my feet also feel much better, and i can finally stand to be barefoot for around 30 minutes before the pain comes. i can breathe much better, and i am less winded when i take the stairs.

in pairing the diet with weigh down/intuitive eating principles (and now intermittent fasting! more on that later), i finally feel in control of my eating. even though the diet is really hard, i will eventually be able to reintroduce some old foods back. if i get the go from my doctor, i can start on april 15!

i also randomly took this quiz and a few others to verify, and i found out i am mostly mesomorphic (62%) and less endomorphic than i thought (38%). i always thought i was an endomorph based upon pictures, but i've actually been reading the descriptions for and viewing pictures of fit mesomorphs. both have been spot on for me when i'm in shape with the exception of a few characteristics i possess that are definitely endomorphic. the workout plan for promoting lean muscle mass for mesomorphs includes light cardio, yoga, and regular resistance training, which is absolutely perfect for me!

so my goal from now until the end of april is to walk 30 minutes in my fat-burning zone once per week; i will increase it to twice in may. this doesn't seem like much, but i haven't done any real exercise since my injury, so i want to ease into it.
slow and steady!

in pursuit of:

adopting a healthy way of eating that will heal my body

how is your journey coming along?

linking up with jill

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#fitnessfriday | this week's weigh-in

there have been a few times this month when i have lost complete hope in eating my diet. it's so incredibly strict (and i have been following it very strictly) and despite the fact that i have been experiencing so many benefits -- less bloating, no indigestion, shortened colds, etc -- it's just been hard sometimes to have to list off all of the things i can't eat.
today's weigh-in made it totally worth it.

as of today, i am less than 0.5 lbs from a 20-lb weight loss since march 1! whoop!
my goal for my dietbet game is 156.9 by april 8, so I will hopefully hit that tomorrow.

i have to say that dietbet has definitely played a huge role in my success, and no, i am not advertising for the site in any way. it's just nice to be in a group of people trying to reach literally the same goal (4% in 4 weeks) when no one around you is on a weight loss journey. and i have been ridiculously motivated to get my entry fees back. i refuse to throw away that money -- i'm a poor student!

in pursuit of:

adopting a healthy way of eating that will heal my body

how is your journey coming along?

linking up with jill

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#fitnessfriday | the post-china weigh-in

ni hao!
i am back from china and still recovering (rather slowly) from the time change, crappy sleep schedule, and 8-hour drive home from new york.
just popping in to announce that i won my first diet bet game (yay!) and entered a new one that ends on april 7.
since i am still in rest and recovery mode, it totally slipped my mind that it was friday and that i was supposed to take a new weigh-in pic!
oops!
here's a screenshot from my dietbet game instead.

i am officially 16 pounds down today and very happy!
happy fitness friday!

in pursuit of:

adopting a healthy way of eating that will heal my body

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#fitnessfriday | the pre-china weigh-in

today's weigh-in after strictly following my doctor's prescribed, personal anti-candida/leaky gut diet* since sunday:

isn't my little travel scale so cute?
it makes my size 5.5 feet look godzilla-sized. now i know how all you larger specimen feel!
but beyond that, i've almost lost 10 pounds since the start of the dietbet game, and i am below my goal! the key will be keeping it off when i travel and hopefully not gaining my usual 3-5 TOM pounds.

the deets:
every morning or night, i have 1/4 tsp of bee pollen granules. i also have a tbsp or two of apple cider vinegar in warm water with or without cinnamon pretty often.
from there, i focus on getting meat (everything but beef and cured pork) and mostly green vegetables. i avoid nightshades as much as possible, though i did have some bell peppers with last night's fajitas. i've been craving and eating a lot of avocado lately, which is perfectly fine since i LOVE them!
i sometimes end the night with a cup of bamboo tea that i often cry into because i miss my nightly glass of red (i don't really cry... most times).

i can introduce other foods back in eventually, but i am focusing on healing for now, and i am willing to wait. i may never get back to daily wine again *tears*, but my doctor thinks i may be able to have a few glasses per week once I'm completely healed.

my doctor warned me that china is definitely not ideal for maintaining my diet, but that if i really focus on finding good options, i could be okay.
i plan to get most of my food on the street so that i can watch its preparation. i've seen lots of posts on chinese street food that includes meat and vegetable skewers, so those will likely be my bread and butter (ha) for the trip.

with that said, i will be mostly MIA from the blog until i return on march 17, but i will be back with lots to share!
love you all, and i will see you soon!

*my diet was prescribed particularly for me by my particular doctor. if you think you have symptoms of candida overgrowth and/or leaky gut, please seek out medical advice!


linking up with jill

in pursuit of:

adopting a healthy way of eating that will heal my body

how do you keep the pounds away during travel? any tips for TOM bloating?

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#fitnessfriday | fitness confessions 4.0 & dietbet

after reading ebony's post about a dietbet game she joined, i immediately hopped on the challenge!
like her, i am super competitive and determined to win -- even if it just means getting my money back!
and because i am SO confident that i will lose my 4% by march 16, i am going to check in here with my (however embarrassing) weigh-ins.

i know, i know.
my feet are gross.
try to ignore them.

this was my initial weigh-in last week.
this is also the biggest i have ever been, and it freaked me out that i am SO close to being 200 lbs. i now weigh more than my father, and that's a REAL confession.
i knew that my clothes weren't fitting correctly and that i had definitely gained (especially after my weight watchers binges and completely abandoning weigh down when i was in minnesota), but this was a SERIOUS reality check.

this week's weigh-in:

i almost didn't weigh because i've been incredibly sick with a chronic sinus infection and strep throat, and i am retaining water like crazy. but being forced to go to the doctor for that helped me.
i was diagnosed with leaky gut and candida overgrowth on wednesday, so my diet is about to change pretty drastically. i have had pretty much all of the symptoms for years now, so i am surprised i had to go to a holistic doctor in order to find this out. in any case, this weigh-in serves as the starting point of my anti-candida diet, which i started today.

as far as dietbet is concerned, my mini goal is to get to 169.5 by the end of the game, and i will keep enrolling in new games until i reach my final goal. if i lose at this same rate, i will be at goal by the october 12. i am honestly okay with that.

i know that there's a lot more to life than being obsessed with losing weight. i have a lot of travel coming up, and i know that i won't always be absolutely perfect. but i know i can lose that 4% each month if i stay focused on my principles of weigh down/intuitive eating and consistent in my prayer.

in pursuit of:

adopting a healthy way of eating that will heal my body

what are your confessions? triumphs? challenges?

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#fitnessfriday | fitness confessions 3.0

i confess...

... i am feeling myself right now!
i have absolutely no way of knowing this because i don't weigh during my "lady time," but i feel like i've lost a few pounds, and i feel good!
i feel (mostly) in control of my eating since i began weigh down last week. i've stopped the near-daily emotional binges, and i feel like i am getting to the point where i can put food in its place: in my body as fuel when i am legitimately hungry and moving from it when i am legitimately satisfied.
it hasn't been a perfect week, but i feel like i am making lots of progress in both my relationship with food and God!

i've literally been eating whatever i want, and waiting for true hunger makes food taste so much BETTER!
i do notice that i'm starting to make better choices, though, because i get full a lot quicker on the so-called "unhealthy" foods that i crave from time to time. i either have to eat them in really small amounts, or i may overeat and then have to wait a long time before i'm hungry again. i'm working on finding that balance.

summer's coming up quickly, and i don't know if i will be where i set my own goal...

looking forward to adopting this lifestyle forever!

what are your confessions? progress this week? triumphs and challenges?

in pursuit of:

adopting a healthy way of eating that will heal my body

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#fitnessfriday: fitness confessions 2.0

so... remember how i started the simply filling technique with weight watchers?
oh, i filled up alright....

i have been a binger for pretty much the last 21 years of my life, so i don't know why i thought things would be any different just because i was eating brown rice and beans.
sike.
i was still binging, and once i did that enough times with "health food," i eventually got bored and started binging on everything.

i'm tired of dieting!!!!

i love FOOD, and i need variety!

and i loved how "free" i thought i was on low carb because i got to binge as much as i wanted and not gain weight. but as soon as i looked at a potato, 5 lbs packed on immediately.
i literally just do not know how to eat like a normal person. changing the food to low carb only worked for so long before i got bored. 

so, in thinking about the ONLY time i was successful eating anything i wanted and keeping it off, i remembered weigh down. it's what i followed back then, and it not only improved my relationship with food (food wasn't this thing i constantly thought about - i wake up immediately thinking about what i want to eat now!), but also my relationship with god. 

i tried intuitive eating, which is based upon the same principles as weigh down, but i think the lack of the spiritual aspect is what really kept me from being successful on IE. 

i am a firm believer that the mind, body, and spirit work together. and so, i confess that my ideas of food and health are completely jacked. moreover, i confess that i need help, and i am not too proud to pray about it!

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#fitnessfriday | fitness confessions

as much as i am tired of being on this weight loss and gain rollercoaster, there are just some things i cannot get myself to do!

i hate cardio. especially running.
like seriously.
i don't think i hate anything more than cardio. my last attempt at running put me in a walking boot and orthotics for the rest of my life.

i was active up until college but unless it's yoga or weights, i just cannot stick to any exercise consistently anymore. even though i sometimes get the workout high after i force myself to do it, it hardly ever carries over to the next day when i'm deciding between whether or not i want to sleep longer or hate my life for the next 30-60 minutes.

i need wine.
not necessarily in that quantity, but i definitely get my 4-5 ounces of red every night. sure, they say it's healthy now, but that'll probably change. like, remember how eggs used to be SUPER unhealthy?
here's the thing... wine could make me sprout a third eye in 10 years, and it would still have a permanent spot in my home.

i can't track.
i have tried tons and tons of ways to track my food intake, including counting calories, carbs, bites, etc, but the habit just will not stick for the long term.
instead, i rejoined weight watchers (ah!), and i am using the simply filling technique that doesn't requiring tracking. you just eat off of this list of power foods until you're full, and the only things you track are foods not on that list. i went through and wrote down everything that i could eat in all of the dining halls on campus, and there is honestly not much that i can't eat or drink anyway.
except wine. that'll be a daily 4 points.
this, to  me, feels like a REAL lifestyle change.

i weigh in on wednesdays, so i will have some updates next week!

what are your fitness confessions?

#fitnessfriday #fail | check-in #3

happy new year!!!!


i hope your celebrations (if you had any!) were as phenomenal as mine was with my favorite ladies!

unfortunately, as far as fitness and health goes, i honestly have nothing good to report minus the fact that i tried a bunch of new clean eating things in the kitchen.
and then i went crazy in the nature's marketplace at wegman's.

seafood "alfredo" with gluten-free spaghetti and asparagus

#allseasaltcarameleverything

                                                                                     
                                                                                         
                                                                             
                                                                           since i was struggling so much with being stopped up, i spent most of this week trying out a bunch of natural home remedies without counting a single thing. i needed relief so badly.
i finally gave in and took a dose of magnesium citrate and things seem to be ok for now, but i definitely didn't follow my plan.

this week's stats
daily bites: ???
pounds lost since last week: ??? i totally didn't weigh today because i overslept massively, and i likely gained.
pounds lost overall: 8.6 (from last week)
pounds to go: 45
workout completed: 1-hour 4-mile power walk

cocoa-glazed walnuts

what i'm trying this upcoming week:
*a more intuitive approach to eating. i know that i am satisfied after 20-24 bites depending upon what i am eating and the size of my bites, so instead of setting a daily limit, i am going to wait until my body tells me i am really hungry, and then eat 20-24 bites at that meal. and then i will wait for hunger again.
*lots of fish and other omega 3-rich foods!
*no red meat EVER again!


any fitness journey updates?
fitness resolutions for 2015?
let me know below!!!

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#fitnessfriday | 6-month challenge check-in #2

happy holidays!
yesterday's Christmas festivities were just amazing for my soul (until clean-up time, because then i was mad lol!).
i stuck to 70 bites all last week (even yesterday!), and the numbers are in.

this week's stats
daily bites: 70
pounds lost since last week: 1
pounds lost overall: 8.6

pounds to go: 45
workout completed: 40-minute aerobic work out and hours of shopping, cooking, and cleaning!

what was different this past week:

*i worked out for less than an hour, but i did lots more activity than i'm used to, so i don't think that accounts for the small loss. but i honestly don't know!

*i ate a lot of red meat, and my body doesn't seem to want to digest it at all! i didn't have any the previous week, and i was very "regular." when i weighed on sunday, i was down another 3 pounds, but gained 2 after i ate steaks for the past few days, and i haven't yet "gotten rid" of them.

what i'm trying this upcoming week:

*stick with 70 bites

*back to a full hour of exercise, not including daily activities

*no more red meat for a while to see if that's the issue

how was your holiday? did you stay on track?

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#fitnessfriday | 6-month challenge 3-week update

two words: epic fail.

the hair:
as i mentioned on wednesday,  this has gone completely out of the window! i am concentrating on trying to find out what works for my hair again, so i will post updates on my wash day posts.

the problem:
i have actually had to make changes with my eating plan as well.  since i live on campus and have to have a meal plan, it's been really difficult to try and get a lot of quality fats in my regular diet now that i can't have dairy. moreover, the first thing that went out the window during finals was calorie counting to determine macros, and i don't think that's something i could realistically keep up, considering how i've failed at calorie counting many times before.

the solution:

since i know i can't always ensure i can get what i need to stay in ketosis on campus, i did a ton of research on portion control instead and found out about bite counting and an app called 80 bites. i played around with the app for a couple of days to see how user-friendly it was and to track my current bites.
i was clocking in at over 200 bites many days!

there's a program attached to the app, but i am far too cheap to buy it, so i literally have just been sticking to 80 bites per day. this has been incredibly successful (more so than low carb) and i can literally eat exactly what i want. last night, i went out for happy hour with my best friends and had wine and gluten-free crepes. i also had a pumpkin spice latte from panera, and a yummy meal of lamb, rice, chickpeas, and salad from an amazing food truck in rosslyn for lunch and dinner (i ended up splitting it up).
but since i was counting each bite and swallow (of a calorie-containing beverage), i still lost weight.

i think it will be much easier to change the number of bites i take to lose more weight, slow weight loss down, and to eventually maintain once i've lost all i want. i've been using it everyday, and it's really a cinch. it's a pretty good app, and honestly, i know that i just have to make things as easy for myself as i can. similar to my workout commitment, there is absolutely no excuse to not use my bite counter because it takes absolutely no time or real effort to do.

so, i recommitted to my 6-month challenge using the app and working out at least one hour per week on sunday, december 14. my challenge will end on june 14th.
i will post every friday with bites, weight loss, and work-outs.

this week's stats
daily bites: 80
pounds lost since sunday: 7.6
pounds to go: 46
workout completed: 4-mile power walk

how's your fitness journey coming along?

linking up with yalanda

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#fitnessfriday | 6-month locks and low carb challenge

i hope everyone had an AMAAAAAZING thanksgiving! i definitely did. we had a huge gathering of family and friends in atlanta. we cooked, played games, and almost EVERYONE helped clean up! now you know that's a blessing!

as i mentioned in this post, my goal for the next six months is consistency with both my way of eating and my hair regimen! december 1 - june 1 is the timeframe, and i am excited to get this going!
feel free to join in with any kind of challenge you want -- i will happily support you!

hair regimen
consistent wash day regimen (specifics coming next wednesday!)
i will trim my ends at least once per season
i will keep my hair up when i need to wear my coat until i get inside

starting length: around mbl
last time i straightened (on the equinox), my "V" ends were there, but not the bulk.

what i want to remedy:
dry ends
tangles at the nape
dry roots when i extend time between washing

low carb regimen
my goal macros are 5% carbs, 20% protein, and 75% fat
i will weigh-in once per month on the second friday
i will publish a #fitnessfriday post at least twice per month to hold myself accountable
i will focus on working out at least once per week for an hour (no, this isn't a lot, but it's what i absolutely know i can commit to for the next six months without excuses)

starting weight:
- 0 lbs

what i want to remedy:
excess weight (duh)
inflammation and bloating
damaged gut
binge/emotional eating
allergic reactions

i will have lots of progress pictures to share as i go along (including a length check on december 19!).  wish me luck, and feel free to join in! the challenge starts on monday!

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#fitnessfriday | 6-month hair and body goals

can you believe that it is almost december?
2014 is almost over! i can't get over how quickly this year passed by, and i am kicking myself for being almost exactly where i was last year in terms of my weight.

i have noticed that for me, being regimented and consistent are the keys to success in pretty much all areas of my life. i am not one who can do "moderation." i am not one who can "take a break." i plan ahead and my calendar is my lifeline.

the one and only time i was successful and sustained my weight loss was when i ate a ketogenic diet, and the success stopped immediately when i decided i would try to include carbs back in "in moderation" last june - not because i really wanted them (because my sugar tooth and my carb cravings had vanished a long time before and i was happy and satisfied), but because i thought i was doing it wrong by not being "moderate." the subsequent carb cravings led me back to gulping down steroids and antihistamines because once i got back on sugar, i couldn't stay away from wheat, and i have a serious wheat allergy.
and now, i've been rewarded with the side effects - extreme bloating, random and increasingly frequent break-outs, and an overall feeling of a lack of control.

low carb ketogenic diet (march 2014) vs now (november 2014)

it is beyond embarrassing to post this because i see how close i was to goal in march - i had 5-7 pounds to go and for the first time, i felt in control of my body and my relationship with food.
well, i'm not going to do what i'm doing now anymore. i am extremely carb-sensitive, and it only takes a little bit to completely throw me into binge mode, and i'm just done.
i lost a ton of weight successfully, i tried to reincorporate sugar, and now i know for sure what works for me and that i'm just going to be one of those people who needs to stop trying to fix what isn't broken. it wasn't hard and it didn't feel restrictive at all once i got through the first two weeks, and i know that it will be a permanent lifestyle change this time around.

the same is true for my hair.
when i stuck to one regimen consistently during my transition, my hair thrived like crazy. my hair is doing fine, but i really want to improve its health, and it's hard to determine the factors affecting it when i keep changing things.

so, my hair and body goals are simple: be regimented and consistent.
from dec 1, 2014 to june 1, 2015, i will follow a low carb ketogenic diet and follow a consistent roller setting regimen.

i will resist making any changes unless i notice negative effects from my diet or regimen. i will resist joining in on new challenges, trying to crash diet, or anything else that will detract from my plan of action. it is hard for me to stick to things because i am continually researching new methods, products, and techniques, and i want to try them all on myself.
no more.

my goal is to have my hair and diet regimen completely finalized by the next #fitnessfriday so that on december 1, i will be ready to go and get things done. this is not to say that i will stop what i am doing on june 1, but i am challenging myself to stick to both for six months without wavering. i pray that i will be rewarded with a healthier body right on time for summer and healthier hair with lovelier, thicker ends that can withstand summer heat and pool and salt water.

in pursuit of:

treating my hair as my crown and glory

adopting a healthy way of eating that will heal my body

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#fitnessfriday | workouts for lower body injuries

fitness friday is BACK!!!!
i am super duper excited to be back with the new and improved link-up dedicated to fitness and overall wellness.

as i mentioned in my last post, i fractured my foot running and just found out today that i've also developed planters fasciitis and metatarsalgia! this means no to running and other high-impact exercises and yes to shoe inserts.

while i am healing, i am still determined to get healthy. i've definitely gained weight since starting grad school and i am not going to let these feet hold me back! here are a few of the workouts i've been doing to keep myself active even from a chair!

swimming:
swimming is one of the best total body workouts you can do and there is literally no ground impact! i've begun swimming at least once per week, and i will move that to two to three in the next few weeks. it's amazing being in the water again!

chair workouts:



this workout is short but it is NO joke! if you're big into lifting like i am, grab some weights and a chair, and be prepared to get your booty kicked!



this fitness blender workout is a challenge as well!

yoga:
yoga can definitely be beneficial for injuries, particularly if your doctor suggests lots of stretching and activating certain body parts like the achilles tendon, heels, and legs. definitely make sure you're studying under an experienced yogi that will ensure your form is perfect to prevent further injuries. i love yoga and i do it as often as i can, and i will definitely continue!

as always, check with your doctor before trying anything!

how do you stay fit when you're literally down and out?
let us know!

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