The Evolution of a Thinner Me

While the 12 weeks of our public journey has ended, for most of us, the journey still continues!! I could not have made it this far without this project, the girls and YOU, the reader !! So THANK YOU SO MUCH for following us during these past 3 months… Reading our wacky journals, adding your loving and encouraging comments, and following your own journey to Thinville!

After 3 months of the Best Life Diet, I have managed to sweat and eat away 10 lbs of the OLD ME!! I’m at 155 baby!! (Bar the menstrual weeks, because they throw me off, dam those 3-5 lbs of water, stress and just plain yech)! But yeah, TEN freakin’ pounds! I love it and am very happy with the results!! (But I SWEAR to you, these 10 lbs must have came from my thighs/quads because of those dang LUNGES!)!! My beer gut is still there, my back fat will take some more time to shrink up, and my double/triple chins come and go, depending on what facial expression I’m making… LOL… but I have some rock-hard killer thighs!! And my bum is apparently smaller! So says my aunt and a few friends! YES!!

Sadly, I am still a social smoker I don’t smoke nearly as much as I used to (thank god) and I don’t buy my own ciggies… So I mooch off of other kind smokers that understand how it feels to not have ciggies!! I still have the ultimate goal of eliminating nicotene from my life completely, but I know myself and my mind aren’t completey ready!! But I’m so proud of myself for having gone this far with the whole smoking deal!! I only smoke when I drink and never smoke at home like I used to…

My eating habits are much better… I think it’s that I’m more conscious of everything than anything else… I have visited the silly, tempting, warped drive-thrus, I have eaten crappy sweets and my crazy fried foods… but I also have days when I eat healthy, clean, energetic foods that make me feel good… I’m still working on consistency though! Well, at least I’m consistent at being inconsistent… ha ha ha!  This Best Life Diet is here with me always… I am telling you, once you are on it, it never leaves you! Because it’s a stepping stone for the rest of your life, it really is…

I can tell you that the biggest life change in me is the fact that I’m working out at LEAST (if not more) once a week! I am starting to get a running/walk high! My friend Chrissy suggested I participate in the Shamrock Shuffle and I did and now I’m hooked! Not only is it a great way to get exercise, but what a beautiful way to join the masses of runners and walkers alike! It is really thrilling and exciting to see all this unfold within a few hours… So now my new goals this spring and summer are to participate in as many charity walks and runs as I can! I love it! And I encourage you all to do the same! Get your friends involved, your family, the kids, it really is a wonderful treat!! And really something that you can do by yourself too! My next event is a neighborhood charity 5k run and after that is the Multiple Sclerois Walk ! Please research walks and runs in your area and REGISTER!! I’m just excited to be active again! It’s not too late, for anyone!! If my lazy bum can turn around and do it, so can you!! Get off that couch and get to walking!

Thanks to Yoplait and Bob Greene for making this happen… This opportunity, while at times grueling and frustrating, has been so wonderful! I am so grateful for this, you wouldn’t believe it… Thank you to my faithful READERS I certainly hope that I have motivated you in one way shape or form Or at least made you laugh! (you know ya burn calories with laughter anyway!)! It’s been a slice of heaven my friends…

Enjoy your new LIFE

You are each a QUEEN in your World!

Work it. Own it. Live it. Love it.

all the best,

~ cecilia

I’m so good at it, I should get paid for it! Boooooo!!

We are in our 11th week of the program and I can safely say that this has been the hardest… I am a yo-yo: One week I’m eating clean, healthy foods & working out like it’s nobody’s business and the next week (this week to be exact), I’m eating country fried steak & fried eggs & fried hashbrowns, licking the plate clean, adding creamy fat ice cream to my lunch and totally (and I’m not using this word loosely), yes TOTALLY ignoring my workouts… And I am PAYING for it this week… I’ve weighed myself and have discovered that I’ve gained BACK 3 lbs that I so gloriously lost… Can you believe that? That’s so insane… I’m so mad at myself! So mad, I think I’m going to eat EVERYTHING fried now!! URGH!!

But I’ll be okay… I have to, this is my life, remember? I’m the Master of it… So, as done before (I am queen of repeat behaviour, as you can see), I will again take responsibility for my falls these past few weeks and have to keep my fat 4th chin up and keep moving forward… I don’t care how long it takes, I am going to keep going and going and going… Don’t get me wrong, I still love my new fabulous body (it’s still there ), it’s just 3 lbs MORE fabulous lol… and how bad is it that I’m fussing about 3 lousy lbs? Jeesh, these mad thoughts will drive you to tears…

This is when I realize that I can’t let THIS new life, this new thought process, control me… I’ve put the scale away and have set an electronic reminder on my calendar to weigh myself again in 3 weeks (for those who know me, y’all know I LIVE by my calendar, LOL). 

I have faith that I will reach my weight goals in due time, but for now I’m going to have to accept the fact that I like to fall off the wagon from time to time and that I know that I have to work on my will power and discipline… The good thing about the Best Life Diet is that it completely STAYS WITH YOU It is engraved in your mind as part of your conscious, so you are aware of everything that you do! Every time you slip, every time you eat well, every time you break a sweat, every time you sit on the couch and channel surf, it’s in the back of your mind… or maybe it’s just GUILT?? LOL Well, whatever it is, it’s going to make me stronger, healthier and happier I’m sure of it!

Please tell me I’m not the only one slipping during this journey… LOL! Hard habits really are HARD to break! It’s driving me crazy, but it can be done, it WILL BE done!! I know it…

’til tuesday…

~ cecilia

Have you guys missed me? Wondering oh where oh where has Cecilia gone? Darlings, I have been busy! Busy admiring my new body! That’s right, ladies, I have realized that my body is 9 lbs (sometimes 10) LIGHTER!! It’s amazing, really!!

So in my last journal entry I mentioned how our lovely menstrual cycle can cause you to gain 3-5 lbs, right? It is so true! I was SO disturbed with the fact that I wasn’t “losing” anything for a while, but it really was because I was stepping on that cursed scale during Aunt Flow’s visit! When she left, I stepped on again for 4 days straight and VOILA!! I am indeed at a steady 156 lbs! I love it and every morning I wake up feeling sexy… I look in the mirror (yes, the gut is still sucked in) and I do a side profile view and say to myself “wow, you are thinning down and you are looking HOT!” Affirmations, my friends! We all need affirmations and they do work! I am okay and gosh darn it, people like me! LOL!

Seriously, I have learned in the past 9 long, hardworking, sweaty, crazy weeks, that reaching your goals is POSSIBLE! I was nervous when I first started this program… I would read the Best Life Diet book and after a few pages I would think to myself “What the heck have you gotten yourself into??” Really, I have to count calories? I can’t eat fried foods? (ok, so I totally cheated on that one!) I have to exercise? A lot? Eat breakfast? You mean, every morning? Wow, again, this stuff really does work if you focus and put your mind to it…

My original bikini? Am I not wearing black anymore?! Are you kidding?! Black is still slimming and it’s still sexy and trendy… and I still wear it like a uniform, but I am starting to get tired of it and still have a the goal of putting more color into my wardrobe! But my ultimate goal is to still slim down a bit… now that I know HOW to lose the weight, I still want to continue to work hard at losing more weight as time goes on… and I know it’s going to take a few more months, even a couple of years to get on track… I’m still notorious for falling off the wagon, jumping off the wagon, even doing a roundoff dismount off of it, but I’m still on track!! I really feel like this is my lifestyle now… I am aware of the food I take in, even the junk! I am aware of when I’ve skipped breakfast or haven’t drank enough water…

 It’s strange how my mind is reacting to my actions these days… It throws in a mini-guilt trip and then it boosts it up with more motivation afterwards! Like I’ll eat a bag of chips (yes it’s that dang vending machine at work), but then I’ll take the stairs up instead of the elevator, or walk around more in the office… as if I’m trying to shake the chips off… I love it, I love the fact that I’m focused on always being active! Ever since we’ve started the program, I have worked out at LEAST ONE DAY a week! That is awesome! This is probably the most consistent amount of activity I’ve had in my life since I was 12! And I love it! It is such a part of me now, I can’t imagine not being active. I’ve even invested in 2 work-out DVDs for when I can’t get to the gym or see a trainer! Now that’s amazing for me!!

My new goals now are still quite simple:

1. Stay consistent in being active: go to the gym at least once a week, WALK at least once a week for a few miles, rock out at home with my DVDs
2. Focus on Eating HEALTHIER:  Keep following the BLD, Try to cook a bit more at home instead of going out to dinner, watch my calories, drink more water to keep hyrdrated, allow myself to slip or have a “treat” now and then
3. Be smoke-free completely: Ok, ok, ok, I will have to admit, I have smoked here and there! I am now a SOCIAL SMOKER where I only smoke if/when I drink… or am out at a concert or something… I REFUSE TO SPEND MY MONEY ON CIGGIES!! But the goal of being SMOKE-FREE is still in sight and I know is still attainable

I know it’s hard and I still have a long journey ahead of me, but I know I can do it… Stepping on the scale helps and just looking at myself in the mirror these days, just about thrills me! I’m not saying I’m a size 6, but wow, I really do see a difference and it pushes me even more to want to rid of this beer gut for good! The mission is still not over, people!! Come join me, and you too will see the difference!

‘Til Tuesday…

 ~ cecilia

And the saga continues…

The phrase “emotional eating” always scared me and I never wanted to blame my weight gain to that… Emotional eating to me meant that you’re eating over your limit because you’re a basket case, you had a tough childhood, you’ve gone through or are going through some crazy traumatic experience, or you’ve got some deep-seated issues that only food satisfies… And that may be the case for a lot of women that are obese or overweight and I completely understand that… But I’ve slowly come to realize that “emotional eating” is much more common & much more simpler than I thought… at least that is what I’ve finally understood about myself…

During Phase II I noticed 3 major reasons that have triggered my cheatin’, my eatin’ and my self-esteem beatin’ and because of this revelation (it truely is a revelation, because it’s like WOW and DUH, cecilia!) I can move forward as a stronger woman in pursuit of her Best Life…

STRESS // These past few weeks I have been stressed out at work trying to figure out these new accounts that I’m responsible for… trying to learn more about my role… trying to understand the nature of the business… trying to deal with co-workers that I’ve never worked or met before… trying to absorb all the challenges I am faced with on a daily basis… just trying to keep my head above water… so what keeps my head above water? CHOCOLATE!! POTATO CHIPS!! PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING UNDER $1 IN THE VENDING MACHINE!! Argh!! I eat because emotionally I’m frustrated, upset, feel helpless or extremely challenged and indulging in foods takes my mind off of things for a moment…

I’M NOT SMOKING ANYMORE // This is huge… I never really thought about it until now (yes, at times I am extremely slow to the obvious)… but now that I’m not smoking (yay for me)… I find myself focusing on food more often than usual… I used to hear that people were afraid to quit smoking because they didn’t want to lose weight… I didn’t really understand that because for me, I already ate like a pig when I was smoking and the ciggie was my dessert? Smoking didn’t take the place of eating, it topped off my meals instead!! LOL that’s pretty sad… But now after I eat, I don’t have anything to top it off with, so then I just focus on my next meal… Or actually have a real dessert instead!

PMS & ME // PMS and having my period every 28 days is probably the BEST excuse for me and any woman to eat whatever we want! Our hormones are out of whack, we are about to BLEED for 5 days for Pete’s sake, we experience “water retention,” we are cranky, we are irritable, we crave sweets, our backs ache, we get these awful indescribable cramps, our mood swings more than a 5 year old in a playground, we are in tears to the sound of any cheesy lovesong on the radio and we are screaming at the top of our lungs at the idiot driver who just cut us off… We can eat whatever the heck we want during this time, dag nab it!! LOL!! I am on an emotional roller coaster right now and those glazed donuts are the only things that will stabilize me right now, so get out of my way!!

Having acknowledged these 3 major and obvious reasons for my own emotional eating these past couple of weeks, I take full responsibility in the fact that the scale hasn’t really moved from 159… at least it won’t until this “period” is over… I talked to Janis about the whole period episode and asked how it affects weight… She has advised that it is normal for a woman to gain 3-5 lbs during their period… 3-5 pounds!! of what??!! Is this what is meant by water retention?? Again, for most of you readers, I am sure this is obvious but for ME, I never really weighed myself that often to even realize that I’ve gained a few pounds during that horrid week?? It’s news to ME!!

And I know I have to work on my crazy snacking… My plan of attack: Choose Fruit instead!! I will be more mindful of what I choose to take my stress out with at work… And I’ve stocked my fridge, freezer and pantry up this week with healthy choices of foods to chow down on That always helps!!

So now, I understand that I haven’t lost weight this time around and I’m okay with it… And I also know that I’ve been working out so much I can be in my own at home workout video, so part of the reason why I haven’t lost weight is because my muscles are working and getting pumped up   The good thing is, I haven’t GAINED more weight This is what we all have to realize my dear and beautiful readers… The Best Life Diet isn’t a race… it isn’t the who-can-be-the-best-at-losing-weight-in-12-weeks program… It’s a great introduction on how to better your health, your state of mind, your entire outlook on life… it really is a GREAT start to finding out the positives about yourself that you never thought you had in you… it’s about LIVING and GIVING to yourself and to your loved ones… Living and Giving the Best of YOU

’til tuesday…

~ cecilia

Alright, raise your hand and tell the teacher… Cecilia has cheated on her Best Life Diet… again, kinda sorta…

Let’s see, I think I’m into week 2 of Phase II and so far I’ve eaten french fries as a side dish to my chicken salad, fried calamari as an appetizer to my chicken lettuce wraps, went through a fast-food drive through for a breakfast combo meal and now I belong in the principal’s office.

How did it happen? It’s called cravings & when you’ve been without something for a while, you just want a little piece of it. Well it seems I wanted a little piece of everything this past week. I was good about the salad, but the fries were just calling my name! The crunch, the warmth, the saltiness of those little sticks of goodness. I just had to have them. And they tasted sooooooooooooo good!! And then the fried calamari! Oh my goodness, who could resist? And what’s one of our six foods that we are avoiding for Phase II? Yep. Fried foods. The breakfast bit included FRIED hash browns. These hash browns are the best in my world. I could eat FIVE in one sitting… but I didn’t .  I woke up late and couldn’t eat a proper breakfast at home, but I was starving. I needed something good to eat and it wasn’t going to be oatmeal. I sat in the car and chowed down like I was dining in a 5-star restaurant. It was more than delicious.

I like to blame the momentarily bits of fried food insanity on my business trip: Oh Seattle totally threw me off course! Oh I’m just getting back and gotta get back in the groove! But really I have to just blame myself. I thought, I craved, I ate.

Honestly, there are times that I’m thinking I’m so tired of this diet and thinking of when to workout and thinking of what I’m eating and thinking of the stresses of work and thinking of my road rage and driving and thinking wow, I’ve been on the patch for about a month now. I’ve been thinking so darn much these days about EVERYTHING, my brain is fried. So fried I can eat it.

So where’s the GUILT? Oh, the guilt is lounging around in my belly, staring up at me and laughing. But honestly, it’s only momentarily. I feel guilty when I’m writing in my food journal and sending it to Janis to review and count up calories. The guilt comes in when she replies and comments that 2800 calories is not the daily amount we want to take in for this diet. LOL. GUILTY!! But again, I learn to forgive myself and keep going. If everyone wrote down every morsel that they ate each day for someone else to even just read, I think they’d be a bit embarrassed. We put so much garbage into our systems, it’s ridiculous. BUT SO GOOD!! And we pay for it when we decide that elastic-waisted pants are better than jeans.

So now, I’ve decided that falling off the wagon isn’t THAT bad and I’ll only suffer a few bruises, but not shed any blood. At the end of the day, I’m still focusing and I’m still aware of what I put into my body. And I’m taking full responsibility for it. And I move on.

What I’ve learned is that as much as I love telling myself (and other people) how perfect I am (ha ha, wink, wink), I know that I’m not (no kidding!). I know that I’ve accomplished so much in the past two months, things I’ve never thought I’d be able to do & I am proud of myself! And I also know that it’s a-okay to treat myself to a little bit of the not-so-good-for-you foods. And that cheating, slipping and falling of the healthy wagon will just make me work HARDER in focusing on the Best Life Diet and make it work for me. Baby steps. This is a life-style change that I’m aiming for and I know I can’t do a 360 in 6 weeks. Some people can, and that’s AWESOME! But I know myself well enough to know that this all takes time.

‘Til Tuesday my friends

~ cecilia

So Phase I is over and I joyously have managed to get rid of 6 lbs of me… not to mention getting rid of almost 18 years of smoking! Well, not entirely getting rid of nicotene, but at least getting rid of paying a ridiculous amount of money for cigarettes, getting rid of inhaling junk and exhaling my life away… So now that I KNOW I have the ability to lose weight (hooray!), I am now motivated to keep the ball rolling and it’s rolling me into Phase II…

Essentially, Phase II consists of eliminating 6 foods from your diet. So easy. C’mon, SIX foods? How hard could that be? Well, considering that my favorite foods were FRIED or ordered through a drive-through, it’s a bit complicated but certainly not impossible   Remember, I am now a Master of My Life, so I, Super Cecilia, can do anything!!

So what are we getting rid of for Phase II besides another 6 lbs??

1. Soda, or what I know it as, POP. That’s easy for me, considering I really don’t drink it as often as I thought I did. Any carbonated drink really is part of the elimination. I was addicted to a particular brand of a carbonated energy drink, but now that I’ve quit smoking, I no longer drink it. I miss them (both the energy drink and my cigarettes were my morning combo meal) but apparently… I can live without it. Although there are times when I do dream and crave for that cold, bubbling beverage on ice… running down my throat like an icy river… I can just envision it in my head (advertising REALLY does work because I’m replaying a commercial in my head)… I can do without it, or at least for for the duration of Phase II. I will now consider pop a TREAT for myself

2. Foods that contain TRANS FATS. What are trans fats? “Trans fats are created by adding hydrogen to vegetable oil, a process that solidifies the oil and makes it more stable.  This process is called partial hydrogenation & partially hydrogenated vegetable oils are the ingredients on the label that’s going to tell you whether or not a food contains trans fats.” Ok, I didn’t know exactly myself, so I referred to the good ole BLD book.  Wow, well pretty much everything I ate pretty much fell under this category. Ramen noodles? Hello, those are cheap and tasty and remind me of my childhood! Chips? What else am I going to use my change for besides toll and laundry? The vending machine was my best friend… it never commented me on what I ate. Dang. So, fotunately enough, food manufacturers are now changing ingredients and am marketing their products to note “0 Trans Fats” - it’s apparently the new black this season.

3. Fried Foods.  Are you kidding me? I love fried chicken (especially the breading, it’s like candy), fried calamari, fried shrimp, french fries, chicken fried steak, fried apple pies (which the golden arches do not make anymore, but they still do in the U.K.!), fried bacon (oh my weakness), fried fish (ok, I don’t really dig fish all that much but if it’s breaded and fried, I’ll take it), fried vegetables (tempura, yum!)… you get the gist… pretty much throw breading batter on anything and fry that bad boy up in hot vegetable oil and I’ll eat it!! But now… the key words are “grilled” or “baked.” Boring, boring, boring!! BUT… I am graciously learning to like them. I find that turkey bacon as an alternative to the REAL THING, is really good (not the best, but the best for now!), grilled chicken is just as tasty as fried and a baked apple pie is the way to go! And I feel better after eating them… not so heavy and bogged down like it is with fried foods… but man talk about instant gratification… Anything Fried and a big red circle and slash on it should be on a shirt… Hmmmm… in fact…

4. White Bread. Ho-hum. There is nothing like freshly baked white bread. Or even freshly bought white bread that sits on the grocery shelf. There’s nothing like it. Soft, tasty and it reminds me of growing up. Peanut butter and jelly on whole wheat bread does not register on my memory list.  But apparently, white bread is evil and should be avoided at all costs. I don’t mind whole wheat bread at all. In fact, I embrace it now, considering there are about 1,000 varieties of whole wheat bread on the market. Have it multi-grain, with oats, sugar-free, with uber fiber, you name it, they’ve got it. But my problem is, I can never finish a whole loaf! I’ll buy it, eat about 6-8 slices and then it sits there. It doesn’t call me to it, I have to learn to like it. Where as white bread… shoot, I can finish that loaf in two days! So, I don’t buy it at the grocery store too often, but I definitely opt for it when I go out for lunch or dinner.

5. Regular Pasta. Ok, this ties in with the white bread concept and for me, being Filipina, this includes white rice. I was RAISED on white rice. White rice is like family to me. It’s the Filipino equivilant to white bread or regular pasta. It’s the best thing that I can cook!! We eat white rice with just about everything! So this will be a challenge for me when I go to my mom’s house or when I go to family parties.  So I guess I will have to throw my own whole wheat bread loaf in my purse next time I go to a family function. LOL. Brown rice is the alternative and it’s not that bad… it’s NOT the same as it’s esteemed famous rival, white rice… but it will do! Now about pasta… I LOVE pasta so now when I do go out and pasta is on the menu, I’ll be sure to inquire about whole wheat pasta as an option.  Whole wheat pasta really isn’t that bad. I’ve made it once or twice at home and it tastes just as divine.

6. High-fat Dairy Products. Again, everything stems back to how I was raised. We always drank 2% milk and I thought that was fine… oh so fine. We rarely drank the “red” stuff, because 2% seemed much more healthier. Well apparently, it’s not! I mean I know we aren’t going to die from it, but compare 122 calories to 83 calories and I’ll take what’s behind the baby blue door, thankyouverymuch. And I love it. I switched to SKIM milk (also, it rhymes with SLIM - wink, wink) and I love it. Not bad at all.

Portion control is also part of the second phase. I’m already aware of this. I try to not eat with my eyes anymore and try to eat with my mind. I actually try to think “ahead” when I’m preparing foods or getting ready to order something. I think, “Do I really need THAT much? How am I going to feel afterwards? Am I going to finish the whole thing?” Yes, I talk to myself, sometimes out loud, and I try to reason with myself. I even use a smaller plate when I’m at home. A few people have suggested that to me and it works! Ah, it’s all in our heads people… all in our heads…

So those are the goals for Phase II. I’ve already started on some of them but am now more conscious about everything moving forward.  I’ve already eliminated fried foods (ok, except for that one night when I had tempura shrimp), I don’t drink pop (even though that mental image makes me salivate), I switched to skim milk (so good, so good!), I’m opting for whole wheat breads (it’s not on a daily basis though, I’m working on that) & white rice and pasta are the enemy (even though in secret, they are my best friends) and I’m armed with a slimmer and healthier mentality. Bam. All said and done. My Best Life is just around the corner from me.

Til Tuesday…

~ cecilia

Well who would have thought that quitting smoking, limiting your alcohol in-take to almost null, writing down every morsel of food & drink that enters your body into a journal, not eating fast food on a daily or weekly basis, avoiding pop or any other type of carbonated drinks, eating 3 square meals a day and healthy snacks, a good, consistent workout schedule, support from friends and family, motivation, discipline and desire could actually help you lose weight? Easey Peasey!! I mean, who was the brain behind that magic & why aren’t we all hot supermodels?

Seriously, the only ways that I ever experienced losing weight before was:

1)  I got off birth control and lost 10 lbs… then gained it back within a few weeks

2)  I chose to let another man stomp on my heart for a moment, decided that food was getting in the way of my crying spells and lost 10 lbs… and then gained it back when I realized what a loser he was!! Jeesh! Ha ha…

But now… a new dawn is here… After 4 weeks of starting the Best Life Diet (and 2 weeks of being smoke-free, thankyouverymuch), I finally grabbed the scale from under my bed Friday morning, dusted it off and stood on it (naked) and could barely believe my eyes… In fact, I was on the phone with my best friend Michaelene and I said “I can’t really see (I had my glasses on) but I swear to you, it looks like I lost 6 lbs!” Holy Crap, I lost 6 lbs! The little red needle was right behind the mark of 160. I am now (well, as of Friday morning), 159 lbs and I feel fantabulous about it!! Part of me was really feeling discouraged because I didn’t feel like I’ve lost ANY weight.

Though the girls in the group said I looked thinner, I sure as heck didn’t feel thinner… Mainly because the beer gut is still there… I know it’s the hardest thing to rid of, but it’s the first thing you want to go! I also feel like the belly doesn’t get smaller because I’m sucking it in all the time and nobody can tell what the belly actually looks like except for my alter ego in the mirror every morning when I decide let it loose… it’s kind of like when you’ve got a dog on a leash and then finally you take the leash off and let it run around the park… that’s my belly in the mornings…

So that was Friday and today is Sunday and I’m in Seattle on business, and haven’t stepped foot on the scale since… I travelled all day Friday, worked, had lunch-dinner (I like to call it “linner”) and then went to the Bulls vs. Supersonics basketball game! It was awesome! So great to be among the 15 Chicago Bulls fan in the entire arena! I LOVED IT! And I deserved those 3 lite beers that I drank! I sure did! LOL. Saturday morning comes and we have breakfast and lunch and I ate like a vulcher (because there is food around all the time) and felt like a cow afterwards. But I DID watch my portions (so I like to believe) and kept myself hydrated with loads of water… yay Me!

I then recruited one of my lovely co-workers, Dena, to schedule a workout date this morning at 545am at the hotel’s fitness center. Now mind you, I can BARELY make it to work on time at 9am when I’m at home… for me to go to bed at a decent hour and WAKE up at the crazy crack of dawn to EXERCISE… this is DEFINITELY A FIRST in my 32 years of life to ever do this… I was SO PROUD of myself Dena and I worked out for 46 minutes, concentrating on cardio! It was awesome. I felt great!! I swear to you, it is SO WONDERFUL to have a workout buddy! I had not doubt that she was going to sleep-in, so I knew I had to be there!! Today was the longest work day, and I made sure I ate And eat I did! I had breakfast, a banana for a snack, drank water all day, had a nice lunch, a granola bar for a snack and then chowed down for dinner. And then I went back to the hotel and worked out AGAIN! I am getting addicted, it’s crazy!

I just don’t want to slip this week while I’m not at home and away from the group and my family and friends (my support systems), so I am relying on myself to be mindful of what I eat, and to be sure to incorporate fitness into my day, at least 20 minutes of cardio - don’t think I’m doing crazy weight reps, or running miles on the treadmill… Just 20 minutes of a good speed and incline, and I’m good to go !!

So, now I am more than ready for Phase II of the Best Life Diet! Ok, so not really more than ready, I have to make time to re-read the chapter on Phase II, but from what I remember, it’s about boosting up my activity level (check), paying more attention to calories (working on check, because numbers are intimidating and I hate reading labels), and understanding the nature of the beast called my hunger (check)… I am getting ready, baby!!

Life is good this week… I’ve lost 6 lbs and there is no way I am gaining those suckers back! No refunds, no exchanges, no re-gifting! My dear friends, if I can LOSE this bit of weight in just a few weeks time, YOU CAN TOO!! But it really does take a lot of work… but anything worth having is definitely worth fighting for… I know you all are WORTH your BEST LIFE… you just have to go out there and FIGHT for it!! (Rocky theme song is blaring in the background… LOL)

Ok, I’ve written enough… but I’m so excited

‘Til Tuesday my friends…

~ cecilia

Ahhhh… it is truly amazing how major life-changing decisions… really do change your life!! I feel like I don’t even know myself ever since I’ve started the Best Life Diet. It’s truly INCREDIBLE!!

The conscious mind works wonders… As of Monday, January 22, 2007, I QUIT SMOKING and have started on the nicotene patch!! I’ve been smoking ever since I was 15 (for shame, for shame, I know) and it has taken me nearly 18 years to finally decide I want to live my life… I am now ending DAY 4 of a smoke-free world!! And it’s the strangest feeling ever. But it feels great… Don’t get me wrong, I do have my cravings, and I am going through withdrawal (daily headaches - urgh) but the patch really does help. I stick it on my forearm just so I can see it all the time… I show it off like a little kid… I’ve let all my loved ones know that I’ve finally taken this step and their support and feedback have been wonderful! This has definitely been the most challenging decision I’ve ever made in my life and I’m so glad I finally did it!! I’ve just started, so I’m  hoping in due time I will kick the patch and finally be smoke and nicotene free FOR GOOD! What I love about the Best Life Diet program, is that they do address us smokers at the beginning. Bob Greene says that this program is about attaining your  BEST life and that means your HEALTHIEST life, so it really doesn’t make sense to get going if you haven’t put your number one health concern behind you first. So I’m a little late, I was born late, but I’m here now and I’ve finally decided to put it past me! I’ve always said I’d quit when I was ready… And I am so ready! YES! SCORE 1 FOR ME!!

I am conscious about everything these days… especially what I eat… so I slipped, big deal… I’ve forgiven myself and am moving forward. I’m working on incorporating more fruits and vegetables now… Lately I’ve been focusing on breakfast cereals, switched to skim milk, and have this obssession with Yoplait fruit smoothies (they are SO GOOD, seriously!) and granola and oats (granola bar, trail mix bars, oatmeal)… but after speaking with Janis, I know I’m not eating enough vegetables and real fruit. So now the goal for this week is exactly that - Eat an apple, banana or orange as a snack. Eat more salads (I am not a huge salad fan, but am starting to like them)! Or just incorporate vegetables into my meal; as a side dish, into soups, etc. I just have to focus, make time to make the trip to the store and pick the right foods. Voila!

Next hurdle: Traveling… I have to go out of town for a whole week on business! There is always food everywhere! So I definitely have to watch what I eat, when I eat, how I eat… Does anyone have any great suggestions on eating while away on business or vacation?  And working out - I am now accustomed to staying active! I plan on walking as much as I can and using the hotel’s fitness center… for the first time ever! I’ve travelled many times and have stayed in countless hotels but have NEVER frequented them… not even a peek… in fact, I ignore them! Not this time I’m determined to remain focused on these new changes… And I’m totally loving it!!

I was once told by someone that I was a Jack of All Trades, but a Master of Nothing…

Well now… I am a Master of My Life.

‘Til Tuesday… Stay your BEST!!

~ cecilia

From Monday - Friday I think I’m okay… I’m focused on work, am more conscious of eating, working out, etc… Come Friday night after working out, it all goes downhill from there… I didn’t eat much during the day (seems to always fall on Fridays, where I forget to eat properly) and then we go to dinner… And I forget all that Janis suggests… I forget what I’m not supposed to eat and just devour my food like a savage!! We had dinner at a Japanese restaurant and I ended up ordering a huge meal to include teriyaki chicken, white rice, 5 pieces of california roll, and SHRIMP & VEGETABLE TEMPURA… and ate all of it (give or take a few pieces of chicken!)!! Urgh, it was the tempura that got me! I love anything fried! But hey, I drank water all with my meal LOL… I went to bed feeling guilty, but I considered it my TREAT of the week!!

Then Saturday came along… Breakfast was fine, had a bowl of cereal (with SKIM milk! and it wasn’t bad at all!! so that’s a good switch!). For lunch I had soup and crackers… eh, not too exciting but it did the job… For a snack I had a granola bar… Good, good… then for dinner… Forget it! Went to my friend’s kids’ birthday party and didn’t even really have the Best Life Diet on my mind… in fact, I just ate like I was meant to eat! I had mostacolli, potato salad (hey, there were a variety of veggies in there), bread with asparagus dip - and white french bread to boot, potatoe chips, cheese curls… oh the works… It was as if I couldn’t stop?!! I just kept eating, and eating and eating! BUT, I did manage to drink water all night, avoided BEER, even though it was right there in front of me, calling my name!! Ok, ok, how many treats of the week can I have? Exactly! I need to stop eating like a rock star…

Today wasn’t soooo bad… I’m now used to eating breakfast (cereal, so yum), am incorporating snacks and lunch… We went out to dinner at a thai restaurant the servings weren’t huge, so I felt good about what I ate… But I think it was the guilt from the last two dinners that were getting to me… This is what I don’t want to happen though… I don’t want to feel bad for eating or slipping… it’s going to happen, so I shouldn’t feel bad about it… So now I’m done feeling guilty, I can’t take back what I ate, I can’t undo anything (If I could, I wouldn’t feel the need to lose weight now would I? LOL), so I’m going to move forward with my head up high, stomach in, shoulders back… Ready for anything that comes my way!! Oh, and a vow to not eat anything fried for a long time…

ONE LAST NOTE:  Besides slipping on my eating habits… this weekend’s plus includes a new purchase… I FINALLY BOUGHT THE PATCH to help me quit smoking! Yes! I smoked my last one this evening and am now going to stop writing so I can read the details and start using it!! Let’s just hope I don’t get addicted to nicotene patches… then I’ll really be in trouble

Thanks for your support… til tuesday…

So, I’m looking for my energy… where has it gone? I thought that when you become more active and eat more, you’ll have more energy? But since I’ve started this journey, I feel like all I ever want to do is sleep!! Is it because I’m more active? Is my body still in shock with all this motion? Maybe it’s because I’m eating all the time, I mean I really feel like I’m eating ALL the time… breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner… water, water, water!! Marsha, Marsha, Marsha!! Yes, tonight I’m feeling like a whiner… I don’t know, but I’ve been hauling trucks trying to get up in the morning… Eh, I guess or I hope my body will catch up eventually…

This is the heaviest I’ve been all my life… although it’s been a steady ride for maybe the past 3-4 years… I haven’t really “done” anything real to change it… and now I am and I’m already getting tired… My brain is working overtime being so darn “conscious” of EVERY LITTLE THING that I do… I mean, I am parking further from the front door of my job, just to get some walking in… I am conscious of time and food… what time is it? is it too early for a snack from breakfast? Is it too early for lunch? OMG, it’s 9pm and I’m eating cereal?!! I’m standing in front of the vending machine at work, trying to think if there’s ANYTHING in there that is even close to being relatively healthy and realizing that all I can really get out of there are crackers… simple, salted 30 cent crackers… What’s happening to me?! It’s kind of driving me crazy and it’s only been 2 weeks!!

Urgh… but I do have some short-term goals… and I’m slowly kind of just picking them up as I find them… One of them is to run an annual 8K run or 5k fitness run at the end of March… Yes, at the end of March!! Those marathon running type of things have always intimidated me, I would always say that I’d participate… but in the audience, cheering everyone else on! But now, my friend Chrissy encouraged me to join her… And as intimidating as it may be, I decided to register! There’s no time like the present, aye?? So what if it may take me 3 hours to run 5 miles, I’m already proud of the fact the I signed up! And the cool thing? I’ve sent out an e-mail to my family and friends letting them know that I’m doing this run and have encouraged them to sign up too! And a handful of people have or are already registered!! How cool is that?!! Sharing is Caring… Awh, it really is though!! I can’t stress it enough, but once you share your thoughts and goals with those that you love, the feedback will amaze you! The support and simple words of encouragement are the best! My friend Cleo texts me every other morning just to tell me that I can reach my goal! My friend Eddie e-mails me to tell me to get the cigarette out of my mouth! That’s the great thing about texting… it’s a simple electronic thought from someone And it really helps you stay on track when someone is reminding you of your goal… gotta love it!

So now, all these conscious thoughts and movements have a purpose… and now I will move forward in my daily life with a new goal to reach!! Yes!! And so it continues… The Evolution of a Thinner Me

I don’t even know where this “quit cold turkey” phrase even originated from, but it’s just not for me… This weekend was probably the hardest for a lot of things - drinking, smoking, eating, lounging…  I understand that I can’t change all my habits in just a week or two… but in due time, something’s gotta give… I know things are changing at a very slow pace…

Gregg was right… you need FUEL to burn energy!! I learned that the hard way on Friday… All I ate throughout the day was 2 cereal bars… and maybe a half bottle of water… It’s hard when work gets in the way of eating… It’s pretty pathetic that I haven’t even made the time to TAKE THE LUNCH THAT I DESERVE but instead work through it! What, am I crazy?? So, this week, my goal is to leave work behind and indulge in whatever I have for lunch and not even THINK about work!! Last Friday’s workout was a bit of a struggle… No food = hardly any energy, and so I felt I had to work twice as hard… And pant three times as hard… and yes, I still smoked after the workout!! URGH!!! So as soon as I got home, I ate (ok, more like I inhaled) a salad with grilled chicken, a yogurt with granola bits and water (I’m loving water these days)… And felt great afterwards… very satisfied!

Later that night, we went to a bar to see a show… I didn’t smoke on the way to the bar… but I did smoke once I got there… and I had a BEER!! Urgh, I couldn’t help it, I needed something else in my hand besides the cigarette… and it was SO GOOD… and I ordered a light beer instead of my usual… and I had JUST the one beer… after that we went to shoot some pool and just ordered ice water… we were there for a while and I was okay not ordering any more alcohol, so I think that the one beer per outing rule will keep me happy for now… After talking with Janis, the Best Life Diet nutritionist, about my teeny weeny hiccup of beer, she re-assured me that it was “ok” as long as one beer didn’t beget another, and another, etc.  So THAT made me feel much better, and really took the pressure & the guilt off… I know I can’t just axe it out entirely, some people can and that’s GREAT!! But for me… all in moderation…

I even worked out a bit Saturday morning! Not as hard as Friday, but enough… and then my friend Eddie and I walked for 2 miles!  It was great, I felt awesome afterwards! It is so nice to walk with a buddy, I definitely encourage everyone to do so!!  You have time to chit chat, laugh, talk about life, it’s awesome! I never knew that having a workout buddy would be so much fun… I’m always used to doing everything independently, I guess!! Then I got home and was SO TIRED… I had to nap for a while before I went out to dinner… I really think all of this working out has really put my body into shock… It’s not used to all this moving and sweating and PAIN!! But my body WILL get used to it all and pretty soon it will be part of my life’s routine!! It’s definitely getting harder though… Sunday morning’s workout nearly killed me!! I thought I was going to have a heart attack, I was doing so much!! Sprint within 40 seconds! Do lunges & hold for 3 counts while holding this 6.6 lb weight ball over your head! Are they insane?! But I’m loving it, really! All I know is, I better at least get some rocking thighs in a few weeks, all those painful lunges!!

It’s getting harder, but I can already feel my body changing… or maybe just aching, but whatever it is… It actually feels kind of good… Even if I do workout with my stomach sucked in all the time, I know it’s getting me somewhere!! And it’s making me truly believe in myself, believe that I really DO have the power to change things in my life, as long as I stay focused and keep realistic goals… I AM INVINCIBLE!! Ha ha!!

So to re-cap, this week’s goal is to: MAKE TIME FOR LUNCH, BECAUSE I DESERVE IT & MY BODY NEEDS IT!!

seriously… lunges are KILLER! and it seems like everybody at the gym does them! with weights, without weights… then we had to do squats with a workout ball against the wall - have you done that? OMG again, it looks SO EASY and relaxing, but it’s KILLER!! everything is KILLER tonight!!

jeesh… but workout number two wasn’t THAT bad… SECOND NOTE TO SELF: quit smoking for real… that’s definitely been my biggest drawback even though we’re just at workout number two… my stamina is shot… but i’m getting there! s l o w l y   b u t   s u r e l y!

what i’ve learned since sunday, which most of you probably already know… the best way to heal a sore body is to keep it moving!! last night my good friend dana came over and we walked 2 miles around the track! in the cold! bundled up like eskimos! but it was great! rejuvenating! and my muscles didn’t feel that sore! it was like magic! although i did still had to rub myself down with some pain relieving cream (i love that stuff)… our trainer, greg, advises that the first 2 weeks are the roughest and once we get over that we’ll be fine… shoot, i better!! i haven’t worked this hard in a long time… tonight’s hour was really quite long… but it’s just something i have to get used to and i will! but i actually don’t feel as sore as i did two days ago so i take that as a good sign!!

Keeping it short, my dear friends… And again, thank you ALL for your support!! And just remember that I’m supporting all of you that are your own journey as well! By summer, we’ll all be wearing bikinis with NO SHAME!! NO SHAME, LADIES!

Seeing as how my intro video and photos make me look like a fat pregnant pig, I was very much looking forward to today’s first group workout. I haven’t worked out in MONTHS, so I knew I was in for it. Being 5 minutes late, I already felt behind the group. It’s a bit difficult to train with 4 other girls when we aren’t at the same pace… Note to self: ARRIVE ON TIME FROM NOW ON!! After 12 minutes on the treadmill, I stepped off and was nearly floating in space my legs were so wobbly… and lightheaded to boot… but I guess that’s normal if you haven’t treaded a mill in quite some time… then we had to do these lunge walks… It looks SOOOOO easy when other people are doing it but after maybe 20 lunge steps, I felt the burn… the burn that reminds me why I hate working out!! lunge, lunge, lunge… STOP… OMG I am going to die… but after while I was excited for the next step - weight machines and such… not so bad really… I was actually kind of sad that the hour was already over (exhausted, legs are going to drop off, arms are going to melt)! But now I’m looking forward to the next workout! I’ll be ready to go!! Second note to self: STOP SMOKING, FOR REAL!!

The good thing about today: Working out with the girls was cool… It’s nice to know I’m not the only one who felt they were catching their breath or dying… strength in numbers, people!!

Whenever I would master my plan in my head to lose weight and get fit, it’s always been a well thought out, brilliant and perfect program that I would execute and achieve on my OWN… I figured I can lose weight without telling anyone that I’m even trying and then BA-BAM!! Instant, hot, thin, fit, new Cecilia back on the scene!! Of course, the seed has been planted for so long, it’s never actually grown… And that’s because seeds need sunlight, water, love and nurturing to grow… and someone else to enjoy them… which is why I realize that I can’t do this alone and that having these other women with me on this journey to better myself will absolutely help! Being part of a team or support group just helps me keep myself on track… I don’t want to fall behind the other girls and feel like I’m not committing myself to this program 100% and I certainly don’t want to be the only one who loses only 2 pounds within 3 months… Nor do I want to fail our readers… I feel like I’m the fattest girl in the group and also the biggest procrastinator, therefore, leaving me to feel like I’m going to have the most challenges with motivation and energy… I’m also the only smoker in the group, so I feel like there’s a double-whammy that I’m up against… But I truly believe that each of us has our own demons and hurdles to face and by sharing them, we can help one another by offering comfort, advice and motivation to keep moving on!!
 
I don’t mind sharing my feelings with the group or writing them down for all the world to read… if it sparks someone to smile, laugh or think “what the heck is she thinking,” then that’s great!! There’s nothing else like reading about other people’s problems , I say! The number one thing that I can say about sharing feelings about our bodies and our worries is that we all can UNDERSTAND in one way or another!
 
Good, Better, Best… Never let it rest until your Good is Better and your Better is BEST. And my goal is to achieve the Best Life for Me

My ultimate goal is to really just get rid of my beer gut. It’s intimidating, it’s frightening and it’s pretty damn heavy… I can deal with the man arms and I actually enjoy a plump bottom, but this mid-section has got to go!! I’ve been meaning to change my lifestyle and behavior for the longest time… but it has become such a part of me, the selfish person within feels like I wouldn’t be me if I changed it… I drink beer, I smoke cigarettes and I eat like it’s nobody’s business… And exercise on a regular basis? What’s that? How does that work? I am a walking bad habit but in reality… I am really just shortening my chances to a longer and fulfilling life… and I’d like to live until I’m 95 but I can’t do that if I continue to live my life the way I’ve been for the last 32 years.
 

I’ve even dreamt about being thinner and healthier again… one morning, I woke up with a kick-ass 6-pack!! I was thinner, had a toned body with gorgeous arms and oh so sexy legs!! And then I woke up from the dream that I woke up with a 6-pack & this fabulous new body but it felt so real!! I look in the mirror, I look at photos of me and I think… What the heck happened to you, woman??!! If and WHEN I do get rid of the beer gut, I’m going to invest in more color in my wardrobe… even though black is slimming, can be sexy and elegant… it really is a bit boring when you wear it just about every single day! I really just can’t wait to incorporate these phrases: “I’m going to the gym today” or “I’m going for a RUN” on a daily or weekly basis… That will be truly monumental…