Personal Update

When I initially started writing this blog I weighed the most I have in my life without being pregnant at the time. I have striven to adhere to the goals that I have set for myself, only sliding once or twice in very small quantities. Doing so, I have lost 15 lbs. I have found that I have more energy, I have less appetite and I have a happier outlook on life. Lately I have been buying bikinis!

My aim is to be 135 lbs. I feel that this is reasonable since I weighed 125 lbs all through high school and it has been 11 years since, also because I am within the range of 20 lbs to my goal. Once I reach 135 I will attempt a 5 lb additional loss, but at 135 I feel that maintaining my weight is acceptable considering my height of 5 foot 6 1/2 inches.

Having had two cesarean sections to bring my daughters into the world, my problem areas are my hips and lower stomach area. I have found that lifting weights, primarily ( but not limited to) Squats and Deadlifts has helped me to tone what would otherwise have been an impossible area. I will continue to do so. My Zumba classes are fantastic and I have made many new friends there. I look forward to each class.

My diet needs some tweaking though. I find myself hungry between meals and though I snack on fruit and nuts I would rather cut out snacking all together. I am poor at drinking water, and I need to do something about that. I have never liked water.

I have gone from a size 14 to a size 8 in 3 1/2 months, building muscle all the while. I was a size 3 in high school. I probably will never be a size 3 again, but trying can't hurt too much.

I am looking into Ketosis, and considering the Atkins 72 diet for a short duration, if only to see what happens. I am apprehensive about a diet that consists primarily of meat and cheese, but at least I can still have my 2 cups of lettuce.

I will keep you posted on my findings. :)

~Sara

Playing with Ketosis

Ketosis: If the diet is changed from a highly glycemic diet to a diet that does not provide sufficient carbohydrate to replenish glycogen stores, the body goes through a set of stages to enter ketosis. During the initial stages of this process, blood glucose levels are maintained through gluconeogenesis, and the adult brain does not burn ketones. However, the brain makes immediate use of ketones for lipid synthesis in the brain. After about 48 hours of this process, the brain starts burning ketones in order to more directly use the energy from the fat stores that are being depended upon, and to reserve the glucose only for its absolute needs, thus avoiding the depletion of the body's protein store in the muscles.
The below is borrowed from 

Kickin' Carb Clutter

"There are several ways to go about getting into Ketosis. Here are three, but I'm sure there are others. These are just the ones I am currently aware of. Each method is designed to get you into a fat burning metabolism within 3 to 5 days, after which you can then choose (with the help of your doctor) which low-carb Plan/Path you are going to follow.


Kimmer's Experiment (K/E)Eat as much lean protein as needed to satisfy hunger (lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs)
Basic condiments and spices are okay
Diet beverages, coffee and tea as desired, w/o cream, but a bit of sugar sub okay
Diet gelatin limited to 1 cup per day
Chicken and Beef broth okay, homemade prefered
No alcohol, no cheese

Meat and Egg Fast (M/E)Eat as much protein as needed to satisfy hunger (meats, poultry, fish, eggs, cheese)
Fats are allowed in reasonable portions (including cream, and poultry skin)
Diet beverages, coffee and tea as desired
Sugar substitutes okay
Spices and Herbs w/o sugar, Extracts, Mustard, Horseradish, Vinegar okay

Atkins 72 InductionEverything on the M/E list plus:
2 cups of loosely packed mixed greens with celery, cucumber, and radishes
Salad Dressings without added sugar are okay (moderate portions)
Juice of 1 lemon or lime
Chicken or Beef broth okay
Diet gelatin okay
Cheese, up to 4 oz per day of hard aged cheese (no cream cheese or spreads)
Heavy Cream, up to 4 tsp per day

Eat in accordance with your appetite. Do not go hungry. If you are hungry, EAT. Don't worry about calories. These Ketosis-inducing diets are not about weight loss. They are about ridding your body of glycogen and switching your metabolisms from burning sugar/carbs to burning fat. Once Ketosis is entered, your appetite will take care of its own calorie reduction. "

Oatmeal for Breakfast!

A cup is only 130 calories! Since Oatmeal is a whole grain, and therefor is a little more time consuming to digest, it stays in your stomach longer, making you feel full further into your day. You will have less hunger and far less cravings.
It is high in fiber and low in fat. With a low glycaemic index oatmeal is assimilated slowly, keeping sugar levels stable. The American Diabetes Association recommends a daily fiber intake of 20 - 35 gms. One cup of cooked oatmeal supplies 4 gms. Eating oats can spread the rise in blood sugars over a longer time period. Control of blood glucose and insulin levels is essential in preventing many of the complications associated with diabetes.

Oats are on the short list for having one of the highest protein levels of any grain. It is gluten free, and it significantly helps to lower cholesterol.
Oatmeal, like many whole grains,  contain hundreds of phytochemicals (plant chemicals) called lignans. One lingan in specific, called enterolactone, is thought to protect against breast and other hormone-dependent cancers as well as heart disease. Oatmeal contains antioxidants and will lower risk of heart failure. 
Regardless of your reasons for eating oatmeal, you are increasing your chances of being happy.
Oatmeal just tastes GOOD!


Suggested Additives: Cranberries, raisins, strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, peaches, apple, cinnamon

The Low Down About Green Tea

Thanks Wikipedia!- Green tea is made solely from the leaves of Camellia sinensis that have undergone minimal oxidation during processing. Green tea originates from China and has become associated with many cultures throughout Asia. 
Although green tea does not raise the metabolic rate enough to produce immediate weight loss, a green tea extract containing polyphenols and caffeine has been shown to induce thermogenesis and stimulate fat oxidation, boosting the metabolic rate 4% without increasing the heart rate.





Green tea has conquered the world thanks to its unique properties: it contains a high concentration of antioxidants which help protect the human body from free radicals that adversely affect our health. Green tea is a rich source of vitamins, minerals, valuable essential oil, and flavonoids; we traditionally associate it with longevity.


Green tea and its extract have been shown to fight obesity and lower LDL "bad" cholesterol -- two risk factors for heart disease and diabetes -- but in very limited studies. One study in the Netherlands and a study in Japan showed that green tea did both.

In the Dutch study, participants who drank caffeinated green tea lost more weight, but even those who typically drank the decaf variety saw a decrease in their waistlines and body weight. Researchers speculated that the caffeine helps with fat oxidation.

In the Japanese study, 240 men and women were given varying amounts of green tea extract for three months. Those who got the highest amount lost fat and weight and had lower blood pressure and lower LDL "bad" cholesterol.