Facing the Facts

After years of trying to lose weight on my own, I realized, I needed help. I felt defeated, frustrated, tired, stressed, and overwhelmed. That's a lot of emotions at age 24. I blame the grey hairs I currently have on my stress from my weight. Clearly, my plan of eating healthy and working out during the week coupled with going out and eating Jimmy John's on the weekends wasn't working out. Seriously, I would eat healthy during the week and then one carbo loaded meal later I would watch the number on the scale jump up 3 lbs. Don't get me wrong, I still eat Jimmy Johns, I just get an "unwhich" now without the bread!

I started doing research and had some blood work done to find out if I had a thyroid problem, food intolerance etc. Turns out- my body has a HUGE food intolerance for dairy, whey, casein, and wheat. I bought the book Dairy Free for Dummies and read it cover to cover in a day. I also made the best decision I could have ever made and went to a nutritionist, Dr. Christopher Ogilvie (see other page for his info). He was so bluntly honest with me it was refreshing.

As you know, I don't have height on my side, I'm not Snooki short but I'm pretty close to it. Not only was I overweight -- my weight and BMI were considered obese for my 5'2 frame. He asked about my normal day, what I eat, when I eat, workout routines etc. and he came to the conclusion that based on what I was working out I should be a lot smaller than my current weight (which is what I thought for years) so that clearly meant it was all about what I was eating. He asked what I ate for breakfast and when I told him, "scrambled eggs with veggies and pineapple salsa" he responded with, "oh I like to put a cup of sugar on my eggs too!" For the first time, I had someone tell me that I only get one metabolism and one set of genes. Unfortunately, my carbo cravings genes were keeping me from fitting into any of my jeans. If I wanted to keep eating subs, pizza, sandwiches and pasta, that's fine. I was headed straight towards Diabetes and fast. 

Going Ape Ropes Course August 2011
 Dewey Beach August 2011
September 2011 

He gave me a good list that consisted of protein, veggies, and very limited fruits (low glycemic index ones). I, again, took a picture of the list and had it on my phone so anytime I was out and about I had my list so I wouldn't cheat. It took about a week for me to have this list memorized. The first month- the weight just fell off. I had shocked my system so much that I lost almost as much weight in a month as I had the entire year so far. Basically, my body was spending all of it's energy digesting all of the carbs (which turn into sugar) that it didn't have any energy left over to work on breaking down the fat which is why I could never lose any weight. As soon as I took the carbs out-my body could focus on breaking down the fat which is why I lost so much weight in the first month. 

He asked my biggest concern about starting the program and anything I saw standing in my way of weight loss. My answer: my lifestyle. I live in Arlington. I can walk to a ridiculous amount of bars and restaurants. Most of my best friends either live with me or within walking distance meaning we frequent happy hours. I'm the party planner and I love being the party planner. 

His answer: you don't have to stop having fun to lose weight.

I just had to cut back and tweak my habits. 
Then came the big question: was I willing to cut out alcohol and I said yes! I was at the point where I was willing to do anything and if cutting out drinking was going to be key to my success then it was happening. Throughout the fall, I picked certain days that I was going to drink (bestfriend's engagement party, birthday's, holiday's etc) and I stuck to them. On those days, I ate tons of protein and still stayed away from the beer. My weekends became much more productive and I was actually working out on the weekends instead of laying on the couch watching an SVU marathon all day. (I won't ever hate on an SVU marathon, I just have to do something active first)

 October 2011
 October 2011 

November 6, 2011
DECEMBER 2011 
I hit my 35lb mark!! 

Current weight: 158.0 lbs
8 lbs to go to my goal of a total of 50 lbs

As the weight started falling off, I didn't want to eat sandwiches and pasta. I have always loved salads so taking out the bread wasn't a huge shock to me diet wise but it was weight wise. I started eating good protein at EVERY meal and I wasn't hungry in between meals. I didn't need to go get my afternoon coffee. I didn't feel like laying my head down on my desk for a nap. My energy level was through the roof.

Once I lost another 10 lbs, that was reward enough in itself. I took 3 bags of clothes to donate to Goodwill  that didn't fit. (If it was too big, it got tossed, NO GOING BACK FOR THIS GIRL)

New Years 2010

New Years 2011