Amazing results

I have been in the "maintenance" or Phase 4 for 21 days. My weight is stable, so I decided to look at measurements, as Haylie suggested. Imagine my amazement to see that my waist is 2 inches smaller than it was at the start on July 29th. My upper arm, thigh and neck also reflected smaller diameters. (My hips seem to have grown an inch, however that could be from the pair of pants I was wearing this time.)

We have learned how to eat better, although we are in a bit of a rut and need to branch out a bit. I've been processing tomatoes like mad since I purchased 2 bushels of organic tomatoes. Need to make some homemade tomato soup.

My friend, Mary, is restarting this week with her hubby. She lost about 10 pounds the first round. She is not confident he can do it since he hates vegetables. It will be interesting to see how long he lasts. Mary eats meat so Phase 2 is less of an issue for her, although still not her favorite.

When I proposed doing it again to my hubby, he said "I am NEVER going to do that again." If I do, guess I'll be on my own :)

Maintenance - so far, so good

Because I could not face Phase 2 again, I'm doing my best to stick to the maintenance plan as Haylie outlined it in her book and on her blog http://www.fastmetabolismdiet.com/phase-4-of-the-fast-metabolism-diet/. Same meals and snacks. Eat mostly like Phase 3 adding in all the foods from Phase 1 and Phase 2.

Since organic dairy is on the table again, I have had one ounce of cheese in the past week. Still looking forward to a caprese salad with fresh in-season tomatoes and basil and some fresh mozzarella.

Have not had caffeine - still love the smell of fresh coffee.

Last night I had one small piece of baklava and was grateful there was no more in the house. I would have eaten it.

Tomorrow night I am planning ahead for a special outing where I will have wine and probably a dessert. The food will probably contain things Haylie would not recommend. And I am going to enjoy myself and not feel guilty. Sunday morning, I will go back on Phase 4.

Gotta get back to drinking more water :)

20 pounds less of me

Finished Day 28 last Sunday (25Aug2013) down 20 pounds from my start. I was so happy I will never do Phase 2 again. Yes, based on my current weight, I should probably do the program a few more times, although I'm happy right now with a jump start on my metabolism and a plan for healthier eating.

As a vegetarian, I always assumed I was making healthy choices already. And I was, compared to the average American diet. It was not enough once peri-menopause kicked in. The soy and wheat were probably the biggest issues, although I'm sure corn contributed. Soy and corn are the two hardest things to avoid, unless you have time to bake your own bread and make your own mayonnaise. The third hardest thing is added sugars (often corn based!). The corn and soy growers have done a fabulous job of convincing everyone that they should be part of every product. My most recent example as a part of this diet is tuna fish. Try to find commercial tuna that is not packed in soy. The "water-packed" tuna is actually packed in a soy-based broth. The oil-packed tuna is packed in soybean oil. Mayonnaise is the same. Unless you buy the expensive ($15/jar) health food store safflower mayonnaise, it is all soy-based. So I was getting much more soy than I was aware of, and we were eating mainly soy-based protein. What in the world would someone who has an allergy to soy do?

I'm already planning for my first alcohol and sugar event this Saturday. I know I will be assaulting my liver, so I'm reading and re-reading Haylie's rules for living. I want to enjoy myself, and I'm going to :0

Week 4, Phase 1

Going into the home stretch. Still down 15 pounds from the start. Still dreading Phase 2 tomorrow.

I am really looking forward to the "maintenance" version: Healthier eating for a lifetime. Good thing Haylie provides 19 "Tools for Life."

Organic dairy is back in my diet on Monday. Still need to avoid wheat (gluten), corn, soy, caffeine, sugar and alcohol (Tool #12). Most of the time. And there are "secrets" to help deal with the exceptions: a big dinner like Thanksgiving, a sugar binge, or drinking alcohol while having fun and minimizing the damage to your liver. It's important to keep your liver healthy and happy so your metabolism stays "fast".

My mom asked me what would be the first thing I eat once the 28 days is over, and I told her it's probably cheese. I'm looking forward to some fresh mozzarella with my tomatoes, basil and balsamic vinegar.

Meanwhile, my hubby is trying a new recipe for dinner - our last on Phase 1. And I need to plan for Phase 2 tomorrow. It's only two days. I can do anything for two days...

Week 3, Phase 2 - Crash

I hit the wall yesterday. I forgot to mix my tuna up the night before and after a few bites I couldn't eat it. So I went hungry, which is a no-no because it sets your metabolism back to starvation/storage mode. I'm going to have to figure out something so that doesn't happen again.

I only have one more set of Phase 2 days. Only two more days of Phase 2... I can do it. I can do anything for two days.

My friend, Mary, who started a week before me will finish this weekend. Mary has said she will make some permanent changes in how she eats, including keeping the sprouted grain bread. (I remember when you had to go to the health food store to get it and now it's available at most grocery stores.)

I considered skipping Phase 2 next week and just going straight to Phase 3, which is the most like maintenance. Since starving does not help, it is more important to eat and keep eating to keep my metabolism from switching, right? As Haylie says "Diet = Did I Eat Today."

Week 3, Phase 2, Day 1

Down 15 pounds since I started!!!

I've got the rhythm now. I know when I can eat which fruits (and on Phase 2 only lemons and limes). I know which two days I dread (Phase 2) and how to keep eating the tuna. (I gave up on the egg whites.) The hemp protein for breakkie is tolerable if a bit gritty. And my hubby makes a delicious soup from pea protein we will have for dinner. So we are making it work.

My friend, Mary, who started a week before I did pointed out that the app highlights the days you did everything right. So far, I haven't got a single day when I did *everything* right. I missed a snack. I ate outside of the window. I didn't drink enough water. The list is endless and IT'S STILL WORKING!!! :-)

I doctored my tuna last night (enough for lunch and two snacks) with green onions, dill pickle relish, Bragg's aminos, and Emeril's (red and green). I brought celery sticks and red pepper slices and lemon slices for my water. I can face the day and tomorrow. It's only two days...

Week 2, Phase 3, Day 1

Ahhhhh. The weekend at last! And the menu is (somewhat) less restrictive. I am grateful it changes every couple days and so glad I made it through Phase 2 (again). The app is the way to go to make sure you eat according to phase.

I'll admit to wanting to snatch the homemade ice cream sandwich away from the woman in the elevator yesterday, but it was Phase 2, which is tough.

I have lost about 10 pounds since I started, which makes me a happy camper. Today, I was able to have fresh blueberries and raspberries, shrimp cocktail, hummus, almond butter, and I haven't even had dinner yet.

Even though I have more than 60 pounds to lose, my goal is to get through 28 days and see where I am. If I think I can stand to do it for longer, I will re-evaluate. If not, I will make some careful considerations about what I let back into my diet.

I'd like to have sweet corn for dinner once while it's local and in season, which gives me until Labor Day. I'll probably continue to avoid wheat. I like butter and cheese and I miss them, so I will likely add them back in moderation (and only organic versions). Wine tastes so good and Haylie tells you the ways to compensate so the alcohol doesn't completely derail your liver. So, we'll see where I am in two more weeks.