The countdown has begun, there are only 13 days left in the 60 day challenge. Just when we can see the light at the end of the tunnel, we get thrown a monkey wrench, or should I say a turkey leg. There is only one day in 365 that you really don't want to be dieting, and guess what, here it is, Thanksgiving.
I am determined to lose another 3-4 pounds in the next two weeks. That means sticking to the plan, and making sure I get my 4 days of workouts in each week. But then there is Thanksgiving.
Most of the time, when I am "dieting" and come across something that is almost too good to pass up, I am able to talk myself down with the realization that as soon as my diet is done, I will enjoy the treat I am passing up. That works most of the time. In fact, in the past, my freezer would be filled with treats that are waiting for my return to "normal". In the case of Thanksgiving, I would just make a Thanksgiving Dinner when my diet was over.
See where this is leading. Returning to "normal", means that I would go back to eating and drinking as I did before the "diet". Well, actually, it was worse than that, because I would spend the first couple of weeks devouring the things I passed up while on the diet.
So why was I always so surprised when I gained all the weight back? Nothing really changed. Every year I lost the same 10-40 pounds. Total it all up, and I have lost hundreds of pounds in my lifetime.
This Thanksgiving is different. I'm not on a diet....it's a lifestyle change. My Thanksgiving is going to be awesome. I have put some thought into my menu and it may turn out to be the best Thanksgiving dinner I have ever made. Here are my parameters for the meal:
1. No sugar
2. No grain
3. No white potatoes
4. No corn
5. No alchohol
Looking at the list, it seems restrictive, and I guess it is. However, I have a menu planned that is terrific. We will not be missing anything, and it all fits into my nutrition plan, The Skogg System. Here is the menu.
Apple Brined Turkey with fresh herbs
Cranberry Sauce
Sausage stuffing (Italian sausage, mushrooms, pine nuts, eggplant, fennel, celery, apples, and watercress) Who says you need bread crumbs in stuffing?
Brussels Sprouts w/ almonds and garlic
Walnut/Date muffins (made with coconut flour)
Yams with orange sauce.
Baked Apples
To make the cranberries, boil them in apple cider instead of the water and grate some orange peel in after removed from heat. It will thicken up in the fridge.
For baked apples, core apples and put in a flat bottomed baking dish. Combine 1/4 cup Truvia with cinnamon to taste. Pour the cinnamon mixture into the cored apple, filling it half full. Top with a dollop of butter. Bake apples in the oven until they are soft, but not mushy. Remove to a serving dish and top with the yummy syrup from the pan. Best if eaten warm.
In no way will I feel deprived eating this meal. In fact, I really have to pay attention to portion control, something I am not always so good at. But if I eat a little more than usual, I can feel good about the absence of refined sugar and bad fats.
Have a very wonderful and healthy Thanksgiving.
You, only stronger!
Sue
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Sleep Apnea No More!!
Today is a great day!!
There are traits from my parents and grandparents that I have inherited, some are great and some not so great. One of the "not so great" is, I snore. So does my dad, and my brother who I'm sure are in a long line of expert snorers. It kind of sucks for them, but as men it is somewhat expected...or at the least accepted. But ladylike it is not. My snore is at 85 decibels, or the equivalent of a chainsaw. I'm not kidding!! Maybe it should be something to be proud of, I have always liked the ability to outdo men, but in this case, I'm not so happy about it.
I first discovered the truth about my snoring way back in 1995. I took my kids on a Disney vacation and shared a room with them. The two of them actually made a game out of me. Jenny and Ryan waited until I was asleep and snoring, and then would take turns poking me until I stirred and stopped snoring, only to start again. Oh my gosh, I was their plaything.
In June 2009 I went to a sleep study to see if there was something I could do about the snoring. Not only was I keeping Michael awake, I was not sleeping well, and woke up most mornings with a headache. Often I had a sore throat in the morning as well. There were days I got up, took a shower and had to immediately take a nap in order to make it through the morning.
The sleep study showed that I had severe sleep apnea, which in my case meant that my sleep was interrupted up to 72 times per hour. That equates to more than once a minute. I almost never hit REM sleep, which is necessary to become fully rested. No wonder I never remembered my dreams, I never was in REM sleep long enough to have a dream. Also, my oxygen levels dropped to dangerous levels during the night due to stopping breathing so many times.
As a result of my diagnosis of severe sleep apnea, I was prescribed a CPAP machine. This is a small machine that pumps air into your throat through a face mask while you are sleeping. It keeps your airway open so that you don't stop breathing during the night.
I was horrified when I got home with the machine, I felt like an elephant with the tube protruding out of the front of the mask attached to my face. Not a very sexy look. However, with the CPAP on, I was able to fall into REM sleep. I never really got used to the machine though, and spent much of the night moving around to find a comfortable position. While I stopped snoring with the machine on, I was still disrupting my sleep by tossing and turning.
But, today is a great day!!
Last night I had another sleep study done. My sleep apnea is GONE. One of the major causes of sleep apnea is being overweight. Due to the SKOGG SYSTEM, and the 60 day challenge, I have lost weight (a total of 28 pounds since January) and changed my diet, which in turn corrected my sleep apnea. I no longer have to wear a mask to bed. Halleluia!!
Just a side note....I still snore at 85 decibels. And please no chainsaw jokes. :) But the snoring can be corrected with a small mouth piece like a retainer. So, no more elephants or chainsaws in bed. I can feel sexy again.
If you know anyone who has sleep apnea, please let them know that there is hope. The SKOGG SYSTEM, or another weight loss plan is the best treatment for sleep apnea. It has changed my life.
Have a great day!
Sue
There are traits from my parents and grandparents that I have inherited, some are great and some not so great. One of the "not so great" is, I snore. So does my dad, and my brother who I'm sure are in a long line of expert snorers. It kind of sucks for them, but as men it is somewhat expected...or at the least accepted. But ladylike it is not. My snore is at 85 decibels, or the equivalent of a chainsaw. I'm not kidding!! Maybe it should be something to be proud of, I have always liked the ability to outdo men, but in this case, I'm not so happy about it.
I first discovered the truth about my snoring way back in 1995. I took my kids on a Disney vacation and shared a room with them. The two of them actually made a game out of me. Jenny and Ryan waited until I was asleep and snoring, and then would take turns poking me until I stirred and stopped snoring, only to start again. Oh my gosh, I was their plaything.
In June 2009 I went to a sleep study to see if there was something I could do about the snoring. Not only was I keeping Michael awake, I was not sleeping well, and woke up most mornings with a headache. Often I had a sore throat in the morning as well. There were days I got up, took a shower and had to immediately take a nap in order to make it through the morning.
The sleep study showed that I had severe sleep apnea, which in my case meant that my sleep was interrupted up to 72 times per hour. That equates to more than once a minute. I almost never hit REM sleep, which is necessary to become fully rested. No wonder I never remembered my dreams, I never was in REM sleep long enough to have a dream. Also, my oxygen levels dropped to dangerous levels during the night due to stopping breathing so many times.
As a result of my diagnosis of severe sleep apnea, I was prescribed a CPAP machine. This is a small machine that pumps air into your throat through a face mask while you are sleeping. It keeps your airway open so that you don't stop breathing during the night.
I was horrified when I got home with the machine, I felt like an elephant with the tube protruding out of the front of the mask attached to my face. Not a very sexy look. However, with the CPAP on, I was able to fall into REM sleep. I never really got used to the machine though, and spent much of the night moving around to find a comfortable position. While I stopped snoring with the machine on, I was still disrupting my sleep by tossing and turning.
But, today is a great day!!
Last night I had another sleep study done. My sleep apnea is GONE. One of the major causes of sleep apnea is being overweight. Due to the SKOGG SYSTEM, and the 60 day challenge, I have lost weight (a total of 28 pounds since January) and changed my diet, which in turn corrected my sleep apnea. I no longer have to wear a mask to bed. Halleluia!!
Just a side note....I still snore at 85 decibels. And please no chainsaw jokes. :) But the snoring can be corrected with a small mouth piece like a retainer. So, no more elephants or chainsaws in bed. I can feel sexy again.
If you know anyone who has sleep apnea, please let them know that there is hope. The SKOGG SYSTEM, or another weight loss plan is the best treatment for sleep apnea. It has changed my life.
Have a great day!
Sue
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Progress Has Stopped!
Good morning folks! I missed you all....
There is one thing I have learned over the years. If a friend "disappears", it usually means that they are struggling with something. When a friend goes into seclusion, its time to find them and let them know they have a friend...a friend who is not judging.
I know that's what happens to me. I go into seclusion when I am having difficulty. So where is this leading? You have not heard from me for the past week because I have been having difficulty. Not so much with the nutrition plan, although there are days it is difficult, but with results...particularly on the scale.
All the bravado I talked about, that the scale doesn't matter, is very sound advice. As long as you continue to see results in other ways, you are making progress. As long as your body is changing, you are making progress. That is all very true! Stay the course, drink your water, do your workouts and your overall health will improve. The bonus to all that is the aesthetics, you will look great too!
However, our bodies may reach plateaus. That's where I am right now. My weight has starting an upward climb. I have gained three pounds, and yes, I have gone back over my 150 pound milestone, bummer. It has put me in kind of a funk. What the heck! I'm doing everything right, or am I.
Its time to take a look at my diet and behavior over the past couple of weeks:
1. I have not been diligent with my water. Remember, water consumption will increase your metabolism up to 10%.
2. My meals are not as well planned. I think I have been following the nutrition plan, but I have not put as much time into planning my meals, which leads to eating what is available. Plan out your day, and pack your lunch. It will prevent "cheating".
3. I have been going to bed full. Along with not planning my meals, I have been eating my dinner way too late. Always eat your dinner before 7 PM. If you are hungry in the evening, have a small serving of protein.
4. My calorie count may be within the acceptable range, but my evening meal is the largest percentage of calories.
Our bodies can get used to a lower calorie count, and can slow our metabolism. I am going to change things up a bit. Instead of three meals and two snacks, I am going to distribute my food evenly throughout the day.
Here is my plan: Eating small "meals" every hour. The calorie count for my nutrition plan, which is a weight loss plan, is approximately 1200-1400 calories. I am going to eat 100-120 calories per hour for 12 hours. This will supply my body with fuel every hour, and bring my metabolism back up.
If any of you have reach a plateau, give this a try. Be sure to plan your mini meals, and to pack your lunch. Be sure you eat enough....you can not skip any mini meals. Be sure to hit your prescribed calorie count. Eating less doesn't equate to losing more....it simply slows your metabolism. In essence, we will be "grazing" all day long to keep our metabolism burning.
So today is my first day.....let me know if you would like some ideas for 100 calorie snacks that follow the Skogg System Nutrition Plan, and I will post some for you.
Have a great day!!
You, only stronger!
Sue
There is one thing I have learned over the years. If a friend "disappears", it usually means that they are struggling with something. When a friend goes into seclusion, its time to find them and let them know they have a friend...a friend who is not judging.
I know that's what happens to me. I go into seclusion when I am having difficulty. So where is this leading? You have not heard from me for the past week because I have been having difficulty. Not so much with the nutrition plan, although there are days it is difficult, but with results...particularly on the scale.
All the bravado I talked about, that the scale doesn't matter, is very sound advice. As long as you continue to see results in other ways, you are making progress. As long as your body is changing, you are making progress. That is all very true! Stay the course, drink your water, do your workouts and your overall health will improve. The bonus to all that is the aesthetics, you will look great too!
However, our bodies may reach plateaus. That's where I am right now. My weight has starting an upward climb. I have gained three pounds, and yes, I have gone back over my 150 pound milestone, bummer. It has put me in kind of a funk. What the heck! I'm doing everything right, or am I.
Its time to take a look at my diet and behavior over the past couple of weeks:
1. I have not been diligent with my water. Remember, water consumption will increase your metabolism up to 10%.
2. My meals are not as well planned. I think I have been following the nutrition plan, but I have not put as much time into planning my meals, which leads to eating what is available. Plan out your day, and pack your lunch. It will prevent "cheating".
3. I have been going to bed full. Along with not planning my meals, I have been eating my dinner way too late. Always eat your dinner before 7 PM. If you are hungry in the evening, have a small serving of protein.
4. My calorie count may be within the acceptable range, but my evening meal is the largest percentage of calories.
Our bodies can get used to a lower calorie count, and can slow our metabolism. I am going to change things up a bit. Instead of three meals and two snacks, I am going to distribute my food evenly throughout the day.
Here is my plan: Eating small "meals" every hour. The calorie count for my nutrition plan, which is a weight loss plan, is approximately 1200-1400 calories. I am going to eat 100-120 calories per hour for 12 hours. This will supply my body with fuel every hour, and bring my metabolism back up.
If any of you have reach a plateau, give this a try. Be sure to plan your mini meals, and to pack your lunch. Be sure you eat enough....you can not skip any mini meals. Be sure to hit your prescribed calorie count. Eating less doesn't equate to losing more....it simply slows your metabolism. In essence, we will be "grazing" all day long to keep our metabolism burning.
So today is my first day.....let me know if you would like some ideas for 100 calorie snacks that follow the Skogg System Nutrition Plan, and I will post some for you.
Have a great day!!
You, only stronger!
Sue
Thursday, November 4, 2010
I Confess, I Cheated
Ok folks, I have to admit I cheated. That's really hard to say, because I am confessing to the world. However, I am doing my best to make this real, and the reality is, I'm human too. So here is my confession.
I ate 6, yes 6 rice crispy treats on Halloween. They are 90 calories a piece, so that is 540 calories. The rice crispy part is not the biggest problem, its the sugar. The next day I felt bloated, and I gained 1 1/2 pounds back.....just from 540 calories. Since it takes 3500 calories to gain a pound, clearly is was not possible to gain the weight from eating the 6 treats. But it is an effect of the sugar and carbs in my system.
But the weight gain is not the problem here. It is the psychological effect on me that could be the most damaging.
First, I felt like a failure. Although I have gone for 28 days without cheating, this one instance, this measly 540 calories gave me a setback mentally.
In the past, I would have beat up on myself. I would have made myself feel unworthy. I would have made myself believe that I couldn't really do this. And then I would have continued on the path of sabotaging my efforts.
Have you ever eaten a carton of ice cream in two days? Have you ever eaten a whole box of cereal in one sitting? How about a box of chocolates, or a dozen christmas cookies? Yes, done it all. And then felt really crappy about myself afterward.
There is no need for that. I can accept that I ate 6 rice crispy treats without feeling the guilt. So I slipped up, I'm human. Today is a new day, and I don't have to continue that behavior. I will get back on the Skogg System Nutrition Plan today, and continue on my path to a strong, lean, healthy body.
So if you found yourself over indulging during the weekend, don't despair. That day is gone, and a new day is here.
You, only stronger!
Have a Happy Day,
Sue
I ate 6, yes 6 rice crispy treats on Halloween. They are 90 calories a piece, so that is 540 calories. The rice crispy part is not the biggest problem, its the sugar. The next day I felt bloated, and I gained 1 1/2 pounds back.....just from 540 calories. Since it takes 3500 calories to gain a pound, clearly is was not possible to gain the weight from eating the 6 treats. But it is an effect of the sugar and carbs in my system.
But the weight gain is not the problem here. It is the psychological effect on me that could be the most damaging.
First, I felt like a failure. Although I have gone for 28 days without cheating, this one instance, this measly 540 calories gave me a setback mentally.
In the past, I would have beat up on myself. I would have made myself feel unworthy. I would have made myself believe that I couldn't really do this. And then I would have continued on the path of sabotaging my efforts.
Have you ever eaten a carton of ice cream in two days? Have you ever eaten a whole box of cereal in one sitting? How about a box of chocolates, or a dozen christmas cookies? Yes, done it all. And then felt really crappy about myself afterward.
There is no need for that. I can accept that I ate 6 rice crispy treats without feeling the guilt. So I slipped up, I'm human. Today is a new day, and I don't have to continue that behavior. I will get back on the Skogg System Nutrition Plan today, and continue on my path to a strong, lean, healthy body.
So if you found yourself over indulging during the weekend, don't despair. That day is gone, and a new day is here.
You, only stronger!
Have a Happy Day,
Sue
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Things Are Changing
Last night was the 60 Day Challenge meeting. Of course there is the weight-in, which I have already established as a stressful time. But suddenly, the weigh-in is not as important as it has been in the past.
Why???
Simply because I can see changes in my body everyday. It is so exciting for me to see lean muscle in my thighs that hasn't been visible for many years. Yes, it was probably there, but it was covered up with a layer of fat.
And my jeans....heck, I have an array of sizes of jeans in my closet to fit a 30 pound weight difference. The difference now, my "skinny" jeans are too big.
Of course there is the coveted 6-pack. Yes indeed, I can see it.....well, maybe its still a four pack, but I am well on my way.
Yes, it was important for me to lose 30 pounds, so the scale was important for a while. Even if it was just to jolt me to reality. But now, the old saying, "its not important what the scale says, but how your clothes fit" has become a reality for me. The reality being that I weigh less now than I did in my 20's, and I thought I was pretty hot back then. So my fixation for a certain number on the scale is....well, silly.
Continuing on the Skogg System 60 Day Challenge, and following the Skogg System Nutrition Plan will get me where I want to be. I am shedding fat, and it is noticeable. The number on the scale is no longer important.
Follow the plan, and transform yourself. Become a leaner, stronger healtier you.
You, only stronger!
Signing off for today,
Sue
Why???
Simply because I can see changes in my body everyday. It is so exciting for me to see lean muscle in my thighs that hasn't been visible for many years. Yes, it was probably there, but it was covered up with a layer of fat.
And my jeans....heck, I have an array of sizes of jeans in my closet to fit a 30 pound weight difference. The difference now, my "skinny" jeans are too big.
Of course there is the coveted 6-pack. Yes indeed, I can see it.....well, maybe its still a four pack, but I am well on my way.
Yes, it was important for me to lose 30 pounds, so the scale was important for a while. Even if it was just to jolt me to reality. But now, the old saying, "its not important what the scale says, but how your clothes fit" has become a reality for me. The reality being that I weigh less now than I did in my 20's, and I thought I was pretty hot back then. So my fixation for a certain number on the scale is....well, silly.
Continuing on the Skogg System 60 Day Challenge, and following the Skogg System Nutrition Plan will get me where I want to be. I am shedding fat, and it is noticeable. The number on the scale is no longer important.
Follow the plan, and transform yourself. Become a leaner, stronger healtier you.
You, only stronger!
Signing off for today,
Sue
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