bring it on ...

Ya know what's great? Losing weight. Well, maybe not for everybody... but for those of us who could stand to shed a few...  it's pretty fantastic. I have always been up and down, up and down. Ever since I got my stupid jerk fat cells I have had a constant battle. My weapon of choice was always exercise. Whether it was jogging, walking, Tae Bo, Pilates, Step aerobics, interval training etc ... I always thought exercise was the key. I learned just this summer that it isn't. Well, not on it's own anyway.

A friend of mine introduced me to the "eating clean" concept in July. Basically, eating measured portions of lean protein and complex carbohydrates every 3 hours, drinking a gallon of water a day, no dairy, no salt. I decided to give it a shot. I was already using the treadmill 5 days a week so I made no changes to my exercise routine. For the first few days my biggest challenge was to actually EAT every 3 hours. I was so used to eating only twice a day that I wasn't hungry most of the time. By day 5 I felt as if my metabolism had already sped up. I was hungry for my meals right on schedule. I felt my energy increase. I woke up earlier in the morning and more alert. I couldn't believe the change and how quickly it took place. It is so amazing to learn how the body works. This lifestyle change is SO simple I only wish I knew about it 15 years ago. And it's not like I am eating twigs and acorns. Egg whites, chicken breast, turkey, wheat bread/bagels/English muffins, lean ground beef, ground turkey, protein shakes, potatoes, brown rice, fruits and vegetables ... there are a lot of choices and most of them are foods that I ate regularly - just never the right combination.

In the first 3 weeks I lost 16 lbs. To date I have lost between 20 and 25. Random sinus infections and throat infections have slowed my treadmill action dramatically over the past month. I am not proud of that. I am someone that needs structure. When I fall out of a routine like that it is super hard for me to get back into it. But I will start up again faithfully. I'm pretty proud of my accomplishments even though it's really a no-brainer and anyone can do it. In the beginning I promised myself I would "do it until at least October and see how it goes". Well guys, October is basically a day away and I have no intentions of giving this lifestyle up. It's what works for me.

With the change in seasons taking place over the past few weeks I have been rummaging through the closet for warmer clothes. It's pretty awesome that every pair of corduroys and jeans that I bought last year, and could barely zip, are now so baggy that I pretty much refuse to wear them. My shirts, jackets and sweaters all fit so much better. I can button things that I never had any intention of buttoning. And finally the items that I purchased thinking "if I lose 5 lbs I can totally wear this" I can totally wear. This is truly a feeling that I am not used to. I NEVER compliment myself and grew up thinking that it was wrong to do so. But I told Gregg tonight that it took me so long to find an outfit today because I LIKED the way all of the shirts looked and I couldn't choose one. Normally I try on 10 things, hate all of them and then bail on our plans because I am disgusted. I just feel fantastic. It's like a whole new Sheri. If only I could afford a new wardrobe... :)