Day Four of Prep!

It's already quite exciting - I'm seeing changes just from taking advantage of the little bit of information available already.  Sure, it might just be all in my head, but does it matter?  Feeling positive means I am more likely to keep going. I am feeling well, my tummy fat feels looser (yes, that's a good thing!  It means no bloating!), and I am bouncing with energy!

I'm looking ahead now and with most of the month still ahead of me before the program begins, I am torn apart with anticipation!  Okay, so maybe I used a little creative licence there!  But I am super keen to get started! 

I am mapping out my time instead of just waiting around!  I signed up exactly 4 weeks prior to the program start date of September first, and my Day 1 of Prep began the next day - so 27 days of preparation before I begin with four of those days done already!

I weighed in at just under 65kg the day before I signed up and I will weigh in again on Sunday.  If I do that each Sunday then I will be able to see just how much I lost while preparing for the program!  Five kilograms would be awesome, but realistically, if I get down to 63kg then I am on track for losing weight in a healthy way!

My main focus is just working my meal planning and recipes into my weekly schedule without stressing out about it!  Results for me is lasting healthy changes in my diet, not weight loss in itself. 

It will be interesting to see the set-up for the meal planning in the GCF program, but I will still need to adapt it onto my lifestyle once the program ends.  I use an online program called 'Plan to Eat' to keep my recipes and meal plan for the week.  It has been great to use and is certainly helping but it will take a bit of extra work to integrate the GCF meals into it.  But I'm getting ahead of myself!  No need to worry about that until the meal plans come out so I can see how they work!

For now I am winging it!   Trying out the recipes (like the Shepards Pie using cauliflower mash) to see what I like and how my body reacts to the new food.

I am going into this with a strong directive of making it work for me, not just blindly follow the program to get some transformation photo at the end.

Last night:

I was really hungry just before bed so had a peanut butter sandwich and a glass of milk

Bedtime was about 11pm, 7am wake up

Today:

One egg, prosciutto, spinach and feta

Cup of coffee 

Lunch was leftover T-bone, with the Ceasar salad, I added a bit of feta to that as well.

I had two pieces of the flaxseed crackers and two bliss balls

Shepards pie for dinner
Water: not quite a litre

Steps: 9000

Notes: I was starving most of the day after skipping morning tea, and having afternoon tea so late.  Oddly, I still felt okay, not weak and panicky like usual!

Day 3 of Preparation

Looks good right?  My dinner for tonight!  

Another day off today as I fight off the remnants of this head cold, so I spent the day cleaning, with a bit more cleaning on top of that!  Why?  Because I have a cleaner coming tomorrow morning!  Yes, seriously!  If I want the floors vacuumed and mopped then I need to be able to see said floors first!  

It's all part of preparing for this program.  I don't want to be worried about keeping up with the housework, and I need to reduce my stress levels! 

I am very happy to report that my husband is fully on board and keen to start cleaning up his diet (said while he was eating tomato flavoured crisps!).  He is thinking along the lines of more vegetables, more protein, and less processed food - exactly what we should be getting from the GCF program!  Given that he is usually the person who cooks dinner, this is fantastic news!

A little on my husband:  He is 41yo, 177cm and weighs in around 67kg, this hasn't changed much in the whole time I've known him!  He has naturally low body fat, and builds muscle easily.  His work environment isn't condusive to over-eating, and he finds it quite easy to make changes when he is motivated.  He started setting up a home gym three weeks and has done strength training every second day consistently since.  I am quite proud do him!

He will be quitting smoking tomorrow - he did quit two weeks ago but because I was still smoking, and he had pre-quit patches rather than full strength, he didn't last too long!  Now that I have quit as well, it should be much easier going for both of us!

I am feeling quite healthy even though I am sick.  I don't seem to have any issue with not having  refined grains though I did have two pieces of bread and the muffin yesterday!  And the extra water is always good!  No medication required tonight so hopefully no restless legs keeping me up!

From yesterday:

I snuck in a chocolate muffin before bed!

Sleep: 11:30pm to 7:00 am (restless legs)

Today:

2 coffees

Eggs with spinich and feta

Piece of chocolate

Salmon, egg, with salad and ACV dressing

2 choc Brownies, cup of tea (2 normal sugars and milk)

Half a T-bone steak, cup of veggies and three small potatoes.

Water: 1L

Steps: over 14000.

Day 2 of Preparation!

It's not the healthiest refridgerator, but it's clean!

My cold is still in full force so I tackled my fridge, cleaning all the shelves, throwing out dated food, and taking note of things to use up before the challenge starts.

Having a husband and three boys to accommodate will mean that I will have other foods available, but with proper planning I can introduce the GCF meals and snacks without too much complaining from the men of the house.  They all liked the Brownies I cooked yesterday (I will have to bake up double the recipe next time) which is a good sign that the recipes will be well liked!

I quit smoking yesterday and, as usual, struggled a bit with motivation this morning.  I cannot wear the patches at night as I don't sleep as well so the morning is always the toughest.  I am feeling much better for it though, and this cold is making it a lot easier to resist any cravings.

The weather is warming up quickly during the day so I am eager to get results (results being fat loss!) so I can be comfortable in my summer wardrobe!  If all goes well I can lose a few kilos before the actual start of the program, making my goal weight of 53kg more achievable in the twelve weeks.  My current weight is 65kg, though I had been sitting at around 60kg for the last year.  My ideal is 50-55kg though I could go less given my height and frame.  But I am not expecting to lose weight that quickly.  I am in the process of making big changes to my lifestyle and it is those lifestyle changes that are my true goals, not the weight loss.  The weight loss is my motivation, and feeling healthy!

It will be great to be able to move again.  To get out of bed without rolling off the edge, to be sit comfortably on the floor and be able to get back up again!

And to have the energy to get through the day!

I like that I am starting off slowly, having a cold stops me from going all out and wearing myself out before I even start!  There is no guilt about not doing exercise yet or not getting things done perfectly, I'm doing what I can.

Food today:

Coffee with coconut sugar and a dash of milk

Two eggs with spinach and Parmesan cheese

A handful of grapes, 2 peices of 75% chocolate, and another coffee

Cheats Ceasar salad for lunch

2 small peices of the Chocolate Brownie

Morrocan Pumpkin and Chickpea Soup (le Zuppa) with 2 slices of 9 grain bread

1 piece of chocolate

Water: 1l

Exercise: nil,  just over 5000 steps.

The day after.. Day 1 of preparation for Get Commando Fit!

 I have a cold so took the day off my studies and cleaned the kitchen.

It was a much bigger job then I care to admit!  I cleared out the pantry and went shopping for some of the pantry essentials.

I made up Ceasar Salad for lunch using the recipes available already, and cooked enough chicken and eggs for today as well.  I didn't have yogurt so made up the Apple Cidar Dressing.  Afterwards I made up the chocolate Brownie Recipe as well.

My pirates are trying to figure out how to create a squad but are having some teething problems!  We've emailed to see if we can get some help!

My food for the day:

Coffee with milk and sugar

Eggs and spinach

Grapes and 2 pieces of 75% chocolate

Cheats Ceasar Salad with Apple Cidar Dressing

2 peices of Brownies

2 peices of 75% chocolate

1L water

Exercise: no specific but had over 10000 steps on the FitBit!

Get Commando Fit

Today I signed up to do a 13 week program called "Get Commando Fit".

An hour later I realise I'm coming down with a cold!  

But my measurements are done and I'm interested in seeing how I go with the high fat, high protein diet.  My biggest hurdle will be the planning.. If I can do that consistently then I can follow the plan consistently.

I wanted this for my fast approaching 40th birthday, it's now or never!