A Look Back at 2017

The holiday time is always a time for recalling the previous year, reflecting on what we have accomplished (or not accomplished), and making plans for the future. As I look back at 2017, I can't believe the changes I have made in my life! For 6 years, I had been a vegetarian - eating no meat, but substituting that with carbs. Lots and lots of carbs. Sweet carbs. Bready carbs. I was tired of being the fat person, the lazy mom, the unattractive wife. I decided that I needed to make a change. So after speaking to some friends who had been successfully losing weight on Ideal Protein, I decided that I needed to try it. I was skeptical. I knew that people saw some quick success, but many of them gave up before they got to their goal - or gained the weight back (and then some). I knew I had to change my entire way of thinking and doing. In early March, I started having meat again in preparation for the diet. I knew I couldn't do it without eating meat - how can you possibly have a low carb lifestyle when all you eat is carbs? I started with chicken broth and then moved up from there. It was much easier than I thought, going back to the carnivore lifestyle. And I realized I had missed the taste of BBQ. On March 22nd, I had my intake meeting with my coach, Jenn. Instantly, I felt like I could tell her about my woes. I was disgustingly overweight with high blood pressure. With a diabetic father, I knew it was only a matter of time before I was getting the same diagnosis. I was having aches and pains everywhere and no energy to do anything with my boys. I was a bad mom. I love my kids more than life, but I wasn't engaging with them in a way that a mom should. They started to learn to look to their dad for the "fun" stuff. They stopped asking me. The first week on the program was dicey. I definitely experienced the "keto flu" as my body went into ketosis. On days 3 and 4, I had to have an extra IP packet because I was so dizzy and lightheaded. But after a couple of days, things improved and those problems went away. At my first weigh-in, I lost a whopping 10 lbs and 6" (most of it off my chest). I was so happy to see the success I had. I was anxious to keep going. Since then, I have settled into the program nicely. I do cheat at times (I'll have some peanut butter - on a spoon, cheese, and diet soda) and I use the IP products to satiate those sweet cravings I still have. But I've learned how to eat properly. I eat my veggies and protein each day and thoroughly enjoy the changes I've seen in myself. In just two months, my blood pressure went from being high to optimal. I check it regularly in the pharmacies and grocery store. The aches and pains in my feet and legs went away. I don't have any of those anymore. I feel so much better and healthier.

In the summer, 5 months into the program, I started working out. It started with a bootcamp (too intense) and now, it morphed into daily morning workouts at a local no-frills gym with my dad as my workout buddy. He picks me up every morning and off we go. I've been going to the gym religiously since August, 4 months now, and I feel fantastic. I'm getting stronger and I can see muscles forming in my arms that were never there. But with the workouts, came a complete stall in the weight loss. I'm still losing weigh, but there are weeks that I gained a pound, or stayed the same. It's taken me 3 months to come to the realization that I can't obsess over the number on the scale. The benefits I am getting from the workouts far exceeds the slow rate of weight loss. My inches have still remained good, so I'm trying to focus on that. I'm 50 lbs from my goal. I know I can do it. I WILL do it.

March 2017 - 10 lbs. lost
April 2017 - 9 lbs. lost
May 2017 - 12.6 lbs. lost
June 2017 - 9.2 lbs. lost
July 2017 - 5.8 lbs. lost (with a 2 week trip to Ireland in there!)
August 2017 - 9.2 lbs. lost (this is when the workouts started)
September 2017 - 6.6 lbs. lost
October 2017 - 3.6 lbs. lost
November 2017 - 5 lbs. lost
December 2017 - TBD

Most importantly, I am a better mom and wife now. I spend more time actually doing the fun stuff with my kids. We play basketball together, and road hockey. My husband was diagnosed with diabetes in May and has jumped on the healthy lifestyle bandwagon with me. We are doing this together which has helped us to connect more. Our lives are so busy, but we are making time for each other. In March, we are going on a childless Mexico resort vacation and I cannot wait.

As I look forward to 2018, I am excited for my future. I have made eating healthy and working out part of my daily routine and will not stop this new way of living. I know I will lose those 50 lbs in 2018 and I am excited to finally be where I want to be. I've made this promise to myself for so many years - I am thrilled that I have finally found the willpower and strength to see it through.

Happy Holidays!

Amping up my Game

I feel like this journey has really given me a voice to share my trials and tribulations with others. I care more now about how I look, and I’m more into fashion than I ever have been! I really want to amp up my blogging game with the hopes of inspiring someone else to take control of their life, weight, and happiness. I’m all about my happiness now. I’ve lost a total of 71 lbs and almost 54 inches. I feel amazing. I go to the gym 5x a week and my resolution for 2018 is to meet my weight loss goal and improve my overall gym activity. Also, to pay off our debt. I’ll be doing some research on other fitness/beauty/weight loss blogs and will incorporate a new look soon. In the meantime, you can follow me on Twitter @jillweighsin and on Instagram.

50 lbs. GONE FOREVER!!!!

I had my week 19 weigh-in yesterday. Since I have started a mini bootcamp, I wasn't sure what the effect on my weight loss would be. I figured my weight loss would slow down, but my inches lost would increase. My scale at home is not reliable (different readings depending on where it's located in the bathroom) and it told me I had only lost 1.8-2 lbs. this week. I get on the scale at my coach's office (after she told me that she thinks my shape has changed again) and was DELIGHTED to see that I had lost 4.2 lbs.! Then it occurred to me that this loss pushed me over the 50 lbs. mark in my journey! I have officially lost 50.8 lbs. and 60 seems so close and attainable soon. I measured in at 1.75" smaller than I was last week as well. I am certainly not losing weight as quickly as some people out there, but this is OK. I will continue to power forward. I am happy with the results I have achieved so far, and in such a short amount of time. I look forward to seeing what other changes I can make. I am also happy with how the exercise regime has made me feel. Once this program is done next week, I plan to continue on at a local gym. I have recruited my dad to be my workout buddy. He will hold me accountable. He's also one of my biggest fans.

IP works! (for me, anyway - I realize it's not for everyone)

Before and During pics to come on next post. :)

Ideal Protein - 18 weeks

I have been on Ideal Protein for almost 19 weeks now (my weigh in is in two days). My last weigh-in revealed that I have lost 46.6 lbs. and 31.5" from various places on my body. I feel fantastic! I'm fitting in chairs more comfortably, I have way more energy, and my confidence is growing every day! I am getting accolades from people I haven't seen in a while. Nothing boosts your confidence than getting compliments!

Week 18 also saw the beginning of my fitness routine. I have signed up for a 3 week mini bootcamp at a local fitness facility. It's HARD. But it's good. I'm going with a friend and every day, we are sweating our asses off and feeling like we are near death. But we made it through week 1 and I imagine that week 2 will be marginally easier. Once I'm done the bootcamp, I plan to join my dad at the gym. He will literally drive to my house and drag me out of bed if I try to get out of going for any lame reason. He will hold me accountable to keep going. Once I begin the gym routine with him, I will post my workouts.

So now I will go out on a limb and post some selfies that chronicle my journey so far. I still have approximately 80 pounds that I want to lose and it will come. I have no intention of stopping this weight loss since I have finally found something that WORKS for me! I'm excited to see how much further I can go!

Stay healthy!

Ideal Protein - 12 weeks!

I am now 12 weeks into my Ideal Protein journey. My stats are as follows:
Weight loss: 34.6 lbs.
Inches lost: 26.75" down

I have become a well-oiled machine on this program. My breakfasts usually consist of a coffee with the vanilla IP drink. Sometimes I get frisky and make muffins with the IP pancake mix or have the actual pancake with Walden Farms syrup. Lunches mainly consist of salad with chicken and then Newman's Own Oil and Vinegar dressing. Lunch is also when I have my restricted IP product (Dill Zippers, Lemon Wafer, etc.). I find this helps with my weight loss. Dinners are protein (meat) and veggies. Then I have my last IP product for a snack around 7:00 p.m. This is usually a vanilla crispy square, drink, or sometimes the IP chips. I find this routine for eating has really worked for me. I try to make sure I add some different veggies to keep things interesting. Also, the last 3 weeks, I have added in some cheese to my diet. I'm not supposed to, but the extra fat and calories are helping in my weight loss which has been higher the last few weeks. If it starts to slow down, the cheese will be the first thing to go.

I have a goal to reach 40 lbs. total loss by July 2nd which is the date we are going to Ireland. I'm looking forward to sitting on an airplane and not having to have the seatbelt as loose as it will go!

Ciao for now!

Almost 5 weeks into this "Ideal" journey!

I meant to be posting a lot more regularly, but that hasn't happened. The best part is that nobody is reading this, so it really doesn't matter. I am almost 5 weeks into this journey (5 weeks on Tuesday) and I feel great. Here's what's happened so far:
* I have lost a total of 24 lbs. on my home scale in morning weigh-ins
* I have lost a total of 16 lbs. on my coach's scale at 6:00 p.m.
* I have lost a whopping 13.5" in total - over 2" just from my boobs!
* My blood pressure (which was high) was calculated today at 124/85 - completely normal!
* My nails and hair are growing like mad because of all the protein I'm having

Never mind the fact that I feel fantastic, my clothes are getting looser (I need to buy new jeans), people are starting to see the difference (those close to me), and my overall emotional state has improved greatly!

I don't find the meal plan hard to follow. I have never intentionally cheated. I'm in this for the long haul. I still have a lot of weight to lose, but if the next 5 weeks are anything like the first 5, I'll be where I want to be in no time! That said, I don't want to lose too quickly because I don't want saggy skin everywhere.

Ideal Protein - Day 1 Introduction

I had my first initial meeting with my new Ideal Protein coach last night. She is incredibly easy to talk to and not once did I feel judged at all. We went over the protocol and what it is, how it works, and what I can expect from the work I put into it. I got my folder, my journal, and 4 boxes of IP foods, my vitamins, a shaker bottle, and I bought Janeva's Ideal Protein cookbook. Then I remortgaged my house to pay for it. I was feeling horrible about the money to which my dad replied, "It's not a waste of money - it's an investment in your future." Smart man, my dad.

I woke up feeling hungry. Not good, I thought. But I drank a cup of water, took my vitamins for the morning (a multi and a potassium), and mixed up the vanilla drink mix and water, then added cold coffee. Yum!!! Think of a vanilla iced coffee, but with skim milk and sweetener. I can get used to this!

Each day, I am supposed to have 8oz. of protein at dinner. I figured a chicken breast was 8oz. Nope. 4! So, I am splitting up my protein through the day. Today, I have chicken and vegetables for lunch and a salad with the IP sweet and spicy trail mix. I will save 1/2 of the trail mix to have with my salad at dinner since I'm splitting up my protein (at the advice of my coach). Tomorrow, I think I will have 2 hardboiled eggs with my salad and then have the chicken for dinner. This is way more protein than I'm used to having.

I'll report in later to record how I'm doing.