Catch up!

Hey all! In the past few weeks, I've been pretty busy with school projects, assignments, counselling clients, and slowly chopping away at my thesis paper (very slowly!), there's not much exciting to report. I've hardly even seen Dan in the past couple weeks!

Well there is one thing that's exciting (to me anyways): About 3 weeks ago, I started a figure/fitness "diet", because I'd like to get into ultra lean/toned shape (think models gracing the cover of Oxygen magazine) - NOT big, bulky bodybuilder shape. As most of you know, I'm crazy about being fit and love, love, love working out... so I decided to push my body to the next level (the level I've been trying to accomplish for a long time, with not much success- e.g., Kinetix). I've been thinking about trying some sort of nutritional diet to get myself into figure/fitness shape, and it wasn't until I met a girl who inspired me to get on board to do it.

About 4 weeks ago, Dan and I were over at his neighbour's place, who turns out to be personal trainers at the gym we go to (they are also lesbian and married). Very cool gals! Anyways, they had invited us over for a BBQ dinner, and there, I met a client of theirs, Loraine, who is dieting for bodybuilding. I was intrigued and asked a million questions about her program, and shortly after, I hopped on board, hired the personal trainers to make me a diet as if I was getting in shape for a Fitness/Figure competition.

Basically, I eat the same thing everyday, and my diet consists of 50% protein, 50% carbs. I can eat whenever I want and in addition, I can substitute alot of different foods for each type of food I'm required to eat. Eating the same thing everyday definitely has got my creative juices flowing - I like to make chicken with various spices; try various recipes with egg whites to make them like omlettes, or sweet treats, or oatcakes (with oatmeal). Yogurt is usually my dessert. The BEST part about this is that I totatally do not feel like I'm "dieting" - as I am always eating and don't feel hungry. My fave thing is the calorie-free flavoured syrups (cookie dough is my fave!) that I use in egg white recipes and oatmeal. In fact, oatmeal (usually have it for breaky) would be my fave meal of the day! When made with just the "right" consistency, mixed with the syrups, it can be almost like a dessert. My sweet tooth is satisfied with yogurt, calorie free chocolate syrup, or teas mixed with the syrups.

The only 3 things I (sorta) miss and can't have (unless it's a cheat day) is peanut butter, nuts and cheese (not together)! But these are also the same foods that I tended to overindulge in and probably was the main reason why I wasn't getting the bodyshape I want. In fact, I haven't had a cheat day yet, and I am not tempted to. I've been seeing amazing results; in the first week, the fat literally melted off me! I'm almost 10lbs lighter, and my waist line has shrunk (YAY!) and overall, I look more lean (esp. in the arms). It's so much fun challenging myself, and seeing the changes in my body; I can't wait to see what I'll look like after 8 weeks of being on this "meal plan". My ultimate goal is to get down to about 11-14% body fat (I'm probably at about 25% currently).

Of course, getting married in August has definitely been a huge motivator too! ;o) Dan's been slowly jumping on board with this meal plan too, so it makes it even easier to be consistent. I've already had the ultimate test: friends eating chocolate, ice cream and peanut butter in front of me...and I was not tempted to eat! I notice when I eat high sugar or high fat foods, I feel really tired and sluggish the next day (yuck!), which is another reason I'm not tempted by junk food anymore. I am allowed to start having cheat days but I don't have any desire to. In fact, my first planned cheat meal will be in a couple weeks, for my friend Sholly's birthday. We're going to eat African food (I CAN'T WAIT! I've never really tried alot of African food!)

If I'm brave enough, I might consider posting pictures of my progress...(ha! I bet you're smirking at "lil' miss I love taking photos of me"!) hehe. Yeah...but this is different- I'm up for critique here!

Alrighty, enough self-absorbed talk from moi! I'm in Lacombe/Red Deer this week for Human Sexuality intensive-- whoohoo! A whole week of sex talk!!!! Should be fun!!!