I'm awake, ugh! Since starting this weight class I'm really having to remind myself that I payed for them! Tuesday weights, Wednesday gymnastics, Thursday weights. My legs still hurt from the last two days and stairs are outright threatening. Last hard day for this week!! I'm off!!!

Update! Made it through my workout! Woot Woot!! Cardio days until next Tuesday. Never thought I'd be soo happy about doing cardio ><

Cheers
CAT
 
I've come to realize that building muscle requires a very different frame of mind than weight loss. When I was focused on maintaining or losing fat it was all about restricting carbs and calories. Now, I have to make sure I'm giving my body what it needs to build/repair muscle.
I approach my highly active days with nourishment in mind. Since my work outs are all in the morning, I make sure I have a high protein breakfast with one good carb. Usually this means 1tsp evoo, 3 eggs, 1/2 Tbsp mayo, and 2 slices of little big bread (this is just squirrelly bread sliced thinner and I find it at Costco). Right after my workout I have either a protein bar (Quest all natural) or a double scoop whey shake with 3 cups spinach and 1 Tbsp ground flax seed. This layout ensures I have enough energy (carbs/protein) to get through the workout and enough fuel (protein) to repair the muscles.
The rest of my day looks pretty normal with meals like chicken and mixed salad, Greek salad (Mmmm feta), cottage cheese and cucumbers, or fish and steamed veggies. Sometimes I'll have another carb with supper and so far my body is happy. Some common dinners are steak and spagetti squash (I love to add crushed tomato and cheese with some spices), sweat potato biscuits (this is just baked sweet potato or yam mashed with some eggs, coconut flour, bacon, baking soda and chives. I bake it at 400' for half an hour or so. Cheese would be a good addition if you have calories left!) with grilled chicken and broccoli, or a hearty soup. I love leek soup! Sauté a couple leeks, add a couple cups broth, green onions, cauliflower, and a handful of scallops at the end. Salt, pepper and some hot sauce makes it superb!
Snacks are usually mixed nuts, Greek yogurt, oh and sometimes chocolate....
Want to know what kind of chocolate I eat?!? :)
It is basically the chocolate delights many hCGers know but with maple syrup and vanilla extract. I put the reference at the end!

"Maple Coconut Chocolates

1 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup cacao powder (35g)
4tbsp maple syrup (1/4 cup)
2tsp vanilla extract

Heat the coconut oil until liquid and stir in the maple syrup.
Sieve in the cocoa powder and whisk until combined. Add the vanilla extract.
Pour into individual muffins cases (to prevent spreading I put the cases in a muffin tray while filling them).
Place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Keep in the fridge until needed."

http://thingsmybellylikes.com/2012/11/09/maple-coconut-chocolates/

I keep them in the freezer and didn't bother to sieve...just dumped in the cacao and stirred. Use a high quality cacao powder as that cheap baking stuff not only tastes horrible but is not produced in a way that supports the farmers. Look for the fair trade label!

Cheers
CAT
 
Okay, normally I wouldn't post a flat out copy of someone else's words but this email to me speaks just fine for itself! I try to buy local as best I can. I don't follow the 100 mile rule. Living in BC, I allow products from BC, Alberta, and California as I think this is as local as I care to go while still allowing for plenty of variety. This is of course just food I'm talking about. I recognize that lots comes from china (like ALL our kids toys. Drove me nuts when I first realized it!!). This doesn't have to be so though!
Unfortunately, our labelling could be better to help us be aware consumers. (If you find it dragging just skip to the last paragraph for my conclusion) Read on to see what this person recently noticed:

"Worth reading, although I'm sure you already know at least some of this . . . I thought this was very interesting. I was surprised by the "NO NAME BRAND" and "PRESIDENT'S CHOICE", I thought they would be both the same.

*Well, add Safeway brand to this list... A couple of weeks ago I bought bread & butter pickles....they were disgusting, soft & mushy..... they were made in India. I checked a jar of the Safeway brand relish (I bought it because I wanted a tall jar), ... made in India! What the heck, don't we have cucumbers in Canada?
Anyway, I returned the pickles to Safeway, no problem there, explaining the situation, the customer service person said, "What?" --checked the label and said, "I would never dream they were made in India and I am not a pickle person although I just bought a jar to take to a function but I will bring them back tomorrow." I told her I would be phoning head office to tell them that Safeway Canada products should be made in Canada not India.
Next day I phoned the Canada Safeway head office customer service. I had a nice, long and very funny chat with the rep. After telling my story, she asked, "Why are pickles made in India, what type of pickles were they...?" [Bread & Butter]. She said, "I just bought a jar last night being true to
my Safeway brand.... but I never read the label." She could not believe that the pickles were made in India and said that she will return them." In awe she said, "we have tons of cucumbers in Canada."
She said she was writing up two reports, one to Corporate and one to buyers with my concerns. We both had a good laugh when I said, "... well there is some good in this -- I will be reading my Safeway labels and not assuming because it says Safeway Canada that it is Canadian produce." I told her I will not be buying any products like this. She was really funny, then she said, "What about the relish?" I said it was comparable with other no name products and I only bought it because I wanted a tall jar to put my
Bick's relish in it but I will not be buying it again because it is made in India. She then said, "I am going to write that one up as well... I just cannot believe it!"
Now you're telling me Bick's is not made in Canada ..... anyone got a canner???? Time for a revolt!

Imported food we eat -- Interesting & scary food info here. Look even
more carefully at labels now.
Did you know, Green Giant frozen vegetables are from China and so are most of Europe's Best?!
Arctic Gardens is OK.

Never buy the grocery store garlic unless it is clearly marked "from USA" or Canada, the other stuff is grown in people poop (even worse than chicken poop).

Buy only local honey, much honey is shipped in in huge containers from China and re-packed here.

Cold-FX is grown and packed in China and is full of fecal bacteria. Doesn't work anyway, big scam. If the country of origin is not clearly marked, Beware...if unsure, ask an employee.

Watch out for packages which state "prepared for", "packed by" or "imported by". I don't understand the lack of mandatory labelling in BC, especially the produce. In Ontario, the country of origin has to be clearly shown on the item in the store; not sure about other provinces.

I go to the local farmers' markets in season and keep a wary eye open the
rest of the year.

Please read this very carefully, and read to the very bottom. It's of some importance for all of us.

How is it possible to ship food from China cheaper -- than having it produced in Canada or at least the U. S.?

FOR EXAMPLE THE "OUR FAMILY" BRAND OF THE MANDARIN ORANGES SAYS RIGHT ON THE CAN FROM CHINA .... SO FOR A FEW MORE CENTS BUY THE LIBERTY GOLD BRAND OR DOLE IS FROM CAL.

Beware: Costco sells canned peaches & pears, in a plastic jar, that come from China.

ALL "HIGH LINER" AND MOST OTHER FROZEN FISH PRODUCTS COME FROM CHINA OR INDONESIA. THE PACKAGE MAY SAY "PACIFIC SALMON" ON THE FRONT, BUT LOOK FOR THE SMALL PRINT. MOST OF THESE PRODUCTS COME FROM FISH FARMS IN THE ORIENT AND THERE ARE NO REGULATIONS ON WHAT IS FED TO THESE FISH.

Recently the Montreal Gazette had an article by the Canadian Gov't how
Chinese feed the fish... they suspend the chicken wire crates over the fish ponds, and the fish feed on chicken excrement. Canadian Government recommended and stressed NOT to buy any type of fish imported from China. If you search the internet and learn what the Chinese feed their fish you'll be alarmed, eg. growth hormones, expired anti-biotics from humans... Never buy any type of fish or
shellfish that comes from these countries: Vietnam, China, Philippines....

Check this out yourself.

BICK'S HAVE RECENTLY CEASED OPERATIONS IN CANADA -- DON'T BUY THEM. Stienfeld's Pickles are made in India - just as bad!!! But many NoName pickles are made in Canada ..

Another example is canned mushrooms. No-Name brand came from Indonesia.. Next to them were President Choice brand... Product of Canada!!

Also check those little fruit cups we give to our children. They used to be made here in Canada in the Niagara region, until about 2 years ago....
They are now packaged in China!

While the Chinese, export inferior and even toxic products, dangerous
toys and goods to be sold in North American markets, the media wrings its hands and criticizes the Obama Administration and the Harper Government for perceived errors.
Yet 70% of North Americans believe that the trading privileges afforded to the Chinese should be suspended!! Well, duh. Why do you need the government to suspend trading privileges?
SIMPLY DO IT YOURSELF ... BUY ONLY ITEMS FROM CANADA & USA.

Look on the bottom of every product you buy, and if it says 'Made in China' or 'PRC' (which now includes Hong Kong), simply choose another product, or none at all. You will be amazed at how dependent you are on Chinese products, and you will be equally amazed at what you can do without.

Who needs plastic eggs to celebrate Easter? If you must have eggs, use real ones and benefit some North American farmer. Easter is just an example; the point is not waiting for the government to act... Just go ahead and assume control on your own.

Canadian Thermos bottles were made here for many years. Thermos sold out in the 1990's and now the bottles, those that keep our food warm or cold are now made in CHINA. We lost---about 200 jobs!

THINK ABOUT THIS:

If 200 million North Americans refuse to buy just $20 each of Chinese goods, that's a billion dollar trade imbalance resolved in our favour... fast!! The downside? Some Canadian/American businesses will feel a temporary pinch from having foreign stockpiles of inventory.

Just one month of trading losses, will hit the Chinese for 8% of their North American exports. Then they will at least have to ask themselves if the benefits of their arrogance and lawlessness were worth it.

START NOW and don't stop.

Send this to everybody you know. Let's unite and show them that we are
intelligent Canadians /Americans, and NOBODY can take us for granted. If we
can't live without cheap Chinese goods for one month out of our lives...WE
DESERVE WHAT WE
GET!"

Okay, harsh ending, way too much yelling (I find solid capitals very annoying, condescending and rude) and too long to get to the point. That said, the writer is right. We need to make a stand and push for local. Nevermind the horrible distance but the utter lack of regulation in production is unacceptable.
I vow to read labels more carefully (especially looking for the PRC -people's republic of china-) and not buy these products. I will continue to buy local!

Cheers
CAT (haha, okay so I use caps but only in my signature! ....and it's nice and short)

 
Rest day today and tomorrow. I'm going to do measurements today so I have a marker over the next while. I'll post them once a week and we'll see how I do!
Cheers
CAT
 
I did it! First day at the gym.
I started out with some running to warm up and then some stretching. Since I did a lot of core and upper arms on Wednesday (gymnastics) I decided today was going to be all about my legs. I set the weight low and worked for 3 sets of 10 on each machine. Once I got through them all I did it again. To finish, I tried the eliptical machine. Wow, that gets you sweating fast! In total, I was there about an hour and a half. Not bad for first time through.
I signed up for a twice a week course called Women on Weights. It goes for the next 6 weeks. I'm hoping it will get me used to working with free weights again as I don't want to be limited to the machines. Machines are a great starting point and reduce the risk of injury but the true benefits come from working with free weights. It challenges more of the muscles as you have to focus on form and strength.
I know I worked my legs good though! I could barely drive home. It was as though I had lead feet. I had two options: Drive fast or stop!
Now to go shopping and ensure I have good nutritious food to keep fuelling my body.
Cheers
CAT
 
Today I walked into a new gym and signed the papers....When I filled them out I took my time. I felt so out of sorts! Within 5 minutes of me arriving I saw 3 people I knew. I should have felt at ease that there was the mom (can you really keep track of everyone's names, lol) of so-and-so. The lady at the desk actually taught part of the kickboxing classes I took for over a year! The place was busy though.
I decided that since I couldn't get into an orientation class until next Monday...I might as well have a good look around. So I walked the hall that lead to the first weight room. Glass windows framed the sweat fest inside. The door opened as a group moved out. They were explosive in talk, fit in form and....young. Where was this fear coming from?!?! So what!!! So I walked on....
I came to the next weight room. This one looked quiet...too quiet! Again, it is all glass in this place. So as I cautiously peered through I realized there were five people in there. If you can call these five rock hard bulks of rippling muscles and tendons men!!!! The testosterone was practically condensing into small clouds above their heads as they strained against the weights. I thought, oh my gosh, I can't go in there!!! So I walked on....
The hall curled (yes the walls curved) to the left and I came to (a couple washrooms...good to know where those are) a veranda over looking an indoor soccer field. When I looked up I could see the much talked about indoor track. It was at this point that I realized I was in a full blown panic attack. I texted my workout bud who was going to get her membership right quick too. No response, So I walked on....
I came full circle to the front desk. I smiled at the lady and said see you next time. By the time I made it back to my truck I felt silly. I sat there a moment thinking it all through when my workout bud texted me back. She was just about to pull in so I told her where I was (remember, it was crazy busy and more than a couple people had stalked the row of parked vehicles) and said she could have my spot. I realized something.
If I had stayed (feeling awkward and uncertain) I would not have been there to help her out. She did have her hands full with a busy schedule and her son home from preschool. It's a good thing I was leaving! LOL
Sigh
Ah well, we had a quick chat and decided that Friday would be perfect timing for us. I left feeling happy that I got to look around and got the membership all done. I went to the pool instead and did laps for 40mins :) While I swam I realized that I've been building up courage bit by bit. First with swimming because it is something that I feel very connected with and comfortable doing. Then with gymnastics where I've been pushing my physical and mental capacities once a week. Both helped me deal with presenting my body, in a way, comfortably in public. This was a big deal for me! I have always felt the need to wear loose clothes and to do 'activities' well...discretely. Well I can tell you that bathing suits and what we wear to do some of the crazy positions gymnastics calls for has nothing to do with discrete! The people I do it all with makes all the difference.
I know that I will face this challenge (I have to! I already paid for the membership) but I'm very grateful that I won't face it alone. Some things are best done with friends :) So I walk on....
Cheers
CAT
 
Grrrr...my posts are posting out of order! Look back over the dates for the last 4 entries. It's all mixed up!
:( Not sure why....
 
My day when I do it right:

7:00am wake up B12
7:15am water
7:30/8am Breakfast
8:30am water
10:00am Snack
10:30am water
12:00pm Lunch
12:30pm water
2:30pm water
3:00pm Snack
4:30pm water
5:30pm Dinner
6:30pm water
8:00pm Snack
8:30pm water
10:00/10:30pm bedtime
This ensures that I have at least 8 cups of water in my day. It often works out to much more as my cup actually holds 2 1/2 cups and I don't limit myself to only the scheduled times. B12 is a morning kick in the rear! Without it, I feel sluggish and unmotivated. I've also found it important for me to get at least 1000 calories in by the time I finish lunch. It makes the second half of the day much easier to manage the remaining calorie needs. As a bonus, I don't find I want to eat my right arm off when it hits evening. There is nothing worse than finishing a huge dinner of 500+ calories but not feeling satisfied. It defies reason!! But if I'm short on my daily calories...my body lets me know! This can lead to evening binging in a snap. On workout days (which are becoming more often than not) I have a much higher kcal need. This means I'll aim for almost twice the norm by end of lunch. So far I'm fine having my last snack 2 hours before bedtime. This might be due to the fact that I often don't go to bed when I should! I'm working on that. As a general rule though, I think it's best to stop eating at least 2-3 hours before bed. I can't count how many times I've gained because I ate then went straight to bed even though I was within my calorie count. It may look like a busy and tedious schedule (amongst the rest of the things we all do in a day) but honestly, it's (mostly) second nature now.
Cheers
CAT
 
Since I've finished my hcg part of my journey my focus has shifted to fitness. Being the way I am, I also research what challenges others might be encountering. For example, my dad is also working through the hcg diet and learning how to stabilize/maintain.
Age is a factor! Someone in their early 20s (let's say overweight but no health implications yet) will experience less challenges than someone of the same weight/height in their 50s who's now either diabetic or at least orderline. The younger we are the less loose skin will be an issue from weight loss in excess of 60lbs. I've seen some lose over 100lbs in their mid 20s and have zero loose skin (lucky)! Being in my mid 30s I can say that, yes, I have some loose skin but it's not bad. I feel confident that with time and exercise I can greatly improve the functionality and appearance of my physique. It is to my benefit not only now but in the long term. The best news is that it is never to late to make this change in your life!
Studies show that increasing activity in midlife can greatly improve quality of life. Those who got off the couch and committed to simply walking almost every day for only 20 minutes decreased their risk of chronic deases. Read more here: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/05/the-benefits-of-middle-age-fitness/
I think I'll invite my dad out for more walks. It'll be good for both of us! :)
Cheers
CAT
 
I follow a lot of blogs and groups focused on health, nutrition, motivation, weight loss, muscle building, etc. It breaks my heart to see all the hatred many hold against all the different forms of weight loss supplementation and diets that don't fit into their approach. Claims of fake before/after shots. Miracle pill degradation. Side effects blown way out of proportion (or made up with no basis). I get it. Weight loss is a huge $$ industry and yes, there are many scams on the market. That doesn't mean every diet and supplement should be banned and critiqued into a single category as fraudulent. I am real!!! Right here, right now! I did not fake my pictures!! This is me, a real person who did the hcg diet and lost 88lbs with the supplement and persistence. My total loss is 111lbs (yes, I did some without supplementation). It is not water weight. I'm not 'gaining it all back plus more'. This is what worked for me.
I would like to see people approach their health goals (which is much better than a weight goal) with a bit more responsibility and respect. Research with an objective eye!
When I studied the hcg diet I noticed a trend. All...and I mean all negative criticism I read was coming from writers that either never had a weight issue in their life or were promoting their own business (and their parrot followers). Every study done was not able to 'debunk' the success of this diet even though many made claim to. Number one problem was none of them actually followed the original protocol! They made adjustments that nullified their results like increasing calories, adding oils, or under dosing.
I used a clean version of hcg so their was no risk of side effects that are actually associated with the added aminos and other appetite suppressants found in many versions on the market (many also have zero hcg and just the appetite suppressants). I took the time to learn everything from all angles on what I was about to try!
It was my choice to do this diet and I will never regret it! I just wish I could contribute more to the communities I join without landing myself in a hate fest. Many times I choose to not comment on threads as I can't see it as productive. Instead, I stick to sharing recipes and cheering others on in their quests. It just hurts knowing that they hate my success without evening knowing it. That they think me a fake. That someone like me is just telling herself a lie.
I have learned healthy eating habits (yes, I slip...doesn't everyone?), incorporated a higher level of activities (and increasing weekly), and shared it with all of you! This is me finding me the best I can.
Cheers
CAT