Guest post: Elijah's story - "Dukan do it!"

Today, I'm excited to introduce y'all to one of the friends I've known the longest (and stayed close in touch with) - Elijah. I've known Lije since I was 10 years old, and we've been friends since I was about 14. We kind of "grew up" together at church camp around euchre tables and campfires, and now he has a story to share with you about his recent weight loss success. I'm so proud of him for undergoing this transformation and lifestyle change, and am so thankful for the support he's given throughout my transformation. Note, he didn't use Paleo or CrossFit, but it's a good story nonetheless. :) 

I never thought I was big. I thought I was a "healthy" weight. Sure, I never exercised or watched what I ate, but it didn't matter to me, everything seemed to be going well. I had assumed I was still about 230 pounds, as my ID said, but, as it turned out I was off by about 15 pounds (coincidentally, this is how much my dog weighs).

Upon this revelation, and through talking with Lauren, a friend I have known for over half my life, I came to the conclusion that something had to be done. Did I have a clue what this something was?  Nope, but she gave me a good, baby-step idea, change my coffee shop beverage of choice.  For years I drank white chocolate mochas as my sole drink at such places. It wasn't because I didn't like the taste of coffee and needed something insanely sweet to  deal with it, but merely because they were very tasty, and I like white chocolate. So, taking her advice I switched from my 550+ calorie drink, which I had on average 4 times a week, to a sensible cappuccino, which weighed in at a much more reasonable 160 calories. This initial switch, after a couple months, seemed to net me a loss of about 10 pounds! Woohoo! Go me!! Then the holidays happened, and BOOM! Back on they went.

Fast forward to February. My father, who was and still is, heavier than I started a diet on the recommendation of a couple clients of his. He started the day after the Super Bowl, and a week later he had lost 15 pounds! I was floored and excited by his progress! So, I decided I would give the thing a shot too. The diet we both embarked upon, and are still on, is the Dukan diet. The diet starts with what it refers to as the Attack Phase this phase of the diet allows you to eat as much as you want, but the only things allowed are lean protein and nonfat dairy, and 1 1/2 tablespoons of oat bran (for your bowels). Throughout the diet you are to consume no less than 1 1/2 quarts of water a day, which is incredibly easy! During this phase you are also required to have a brisk 20 minute walk a day, whatever pace is brisk for you.  I was on this phase for 5 days (Dr. Dukan recommends 2-10 days) and lost roughly 10 pounds.  After the first couple days I didn't have any sort of afternoon "crash' and generally felt a lot better about myself!

The next phase of the diet is where I lost the bulk of my, well, bulk! This is referred to as the Cruise Phase. During this phase I alternated one day of pure protein, and one day of protein plus veggies, again, I could consume as much as my stomach desired! I did cheat here and there throughout this phase, but after I cheated I spend the next 2-3 days with pure protein, skipping a veggie day. I finally hit my goal on may 17th, in roughly 13 weeks I managed to lose 45 pounds! The race is not yet run though. I now have to prevent myself from yo-yoing back up to what I previously weighed and the temptation to just eat whatever I want again is great!

The Dukan Diet has a third phase to help here and it requires a person proceed with this phase for 5 days for every pound lost, which for me is 220 days. I will have this phase finished right around December 3. During this phase I am required 1 day a week of pure protein, veggies are allowed every other day of the week now, I am allowed an amount of cheese and a serving of fruit a day now, and even some bread, a starch based meal, and a celebration meal consisting of appetizer, dinner, dessert, and wine! 

Looking at a comparison picture, I hardly look like the same man I was three months ago! I feel amazing, I have more stamina, and I am happier with myself over all! Today, I am the lightest I have been since I graduated High School. It's pretty amazing what can happen when you put forth the effort and willpower.

 Left - Elijah in December 2013; Right - Elijah in May 2014

Left - Elijah in February 2014; Right - Elijah in May 2014

Elijah and me, 2000

Sweat, six-packs and sports bras, oh my!

Sweat

Lord have mercy – if the gym gets much hotter than it is already, it’s going to be a LONG summer of losing water weight. I’m starting to consider purchasing actual sweatbands a la 1986. In this moment, I wish my cat would stop trying to clean my sweaty hair (disgusting). I also wish I had a six-pack already so I could just work out in a sports bra and booty shorts. More on that to follow…

Six-packs and sports bras

This week, as many of you may have seen on Facebook, I decided to share comparison photos of me on February 24 vs. me on May 27 – just over three months later, after following a Paleo-based diet (most of the time) and working out 4-5 times a week at CrossFit. The response has been overwhelming. I didn’t expect to receive even a quarter of the comments or “likes” that I did, considering no one really wants to look at a fat woman in her sports bra and workout shorts…twice. But, once again, I am so humbled by and grateful for the support of my friends and family. And now I’m sharing this photo with you. (Drumroll…) Ladies and gents, I share with you the difference that 35 lbs. makes. It’s not about the numbers alone. It’s about how I feel – happier, more confident, and ready to take on anything.

When I get discouraged, I rest in the fact that under that (still relatively thick) layer of fat on my abdomen is a six-pack, waiting to make its debut. I found it a couple weeks ago when I was laying on my bed, talking to my mom. It’s definitely in there…and now I’m taking bets on when it will be visible to the rest of the world. Anyone? (I’m hoping by next summer. I don’t think I can stand wearing shirts in the gym for another summer. I’m ready to shift to sports bras whenever my body will allow!)

Speaking of sports bras…funny story.

Last week, I spent time in Scottsdale, Arizona, for a work-related conference.  I packed workout clothes, thinking I would have enough time (and hydration) to fit in a WOD at a local affiliate, but didn’t get a chance to use them. When I returned to CFE the day after flying home, I went into the restroom to change and, after stripping down, realized (as I dug frantically through my gym bag) that I forgot to pack my sports bra. This also happened to be the night of a first (and last) date, so there was no time to spare to run to Old Navy for a new one. Feeling defeated, I put my work clothes back on and walked out of the restroom.

Before  I got halfway to the door, one of the coaches asked where I was going. I’m not very discreet, so I just told him what happened and said there was no way I was going to work out in my cheetah-print pushup. He reminded me that I could probably do the sumo deadlifts, and then offered to make me my own WOD for the day so I wouldn’t have to miss another workout (that would have been 6 days off). He followed through, and instead of the grueling, bouncy WOD that included pull-ups, toes-to-bars, and burpees. My workout was 2 minutes Airdyne, then 1 minute of modified toes-to-bars for 10 minutes. I’m very appreciative that he took the time to do that for me, even if my cheetah-print bra straps were hanging out all over the place.

Based on the feedback that I’ve been hearing, and on a “gut feeling,” I’m starting to wonder if this transformation is leading me to a new calling. I’m not sure what it might be, but my experiences over the past year and half with divorce, extensive change, and transformation may help me help others.

My story, courtesy of CrossFit Eternal

A couple of months ago, the co-owner of my CrossFit affiliate approached me about sharing my story on video with the rest of the world. I obliged (in all honesty, it doesn't take much to get me into the spotlight...I'm a bit of a ham sometimes), and the video was posted today.

Click here to visit the CrossFit Eternal website to see my story. Disclaimer: Most of the video was shot a couple months ago when I was a little bigger than I am today, and I'm fresh out of a WOD so I look oh-so-sexy with flushed cheeks, awesome hair, and zero makeup. :)

If you happen to live or visit the Charlotte area and want to see what CrossFit is all about, I encourage you to check out our box!

Transformation Frustrations

Since I started this blog, many of my posts have been about celebrating my achievements and maintaining optimism. I'm going to level with y'all. This ongoing transformation process has been HARD. It's not always sunshine and rainbows - though the sunshine and rainbows usually peek through right when I need them.

I started on this (what I believe is final) journey to better health through weight loss nearly five months ago with a visit to the doctor for my annual physical - and to talk about bariatric surgery options. My doctor is a former Olympic-trained gymnast, and she wouldn't even broach the subject with me. She told me I needed to try harder on my own to lose weight by changing my diet and exercising more, and that she believed I could do it. So far, I have to admit she was right. I just didn't know I had it in me.

I want to take this opportunity to share some frustrations I've had throughout the process. Mind you, I'm still plugging along on the journey, but these are things I've recognized thus far. Maybe you've been trying to lose weight or maybe you know someone else who can use this reality check. Here we go...

1. The numbers on the scale don't decrease fast enough. Confession: I've struggled with an unhealthy relationship with my scale. Those numbers hold power over me sometimes. Your value and ability is not predicted by the numbers on the scale. Pound for pound, muscle and fat weigh the same, but muscle takes up less volume. Even if the weight isn't going down, I know all of the squats, clean and jerks, kettlebell swings, wall balls, ring rows, rowing, thrusters, etc., aren't for naught.
2. It's possible to stop losing weight (and even gain weight) if you're not eating ENOUGH. This defied all logic for me. Eat less = weigh less, right? Kind of. It's more about eating the right things, in the right quantities, for the work your body is doing on a daily basis. If you're just starting out with weight loss and aren't following something like Paleo or The Zone, use a calorie counter and be honest about your quantities. You'll be amazed at how much healthy food you can eat for 1300-1500 calories (not a recommendation - just an example). According to my doctor, eating less than 1200 calories a day can send your body into starvation mode, which occurs when your body begins storing calories instead of burning them - survival mode.
3. Success requires getting rid of your triggers - food-wise and emotionally. Whether it's plantain chips or ice cream, or a "friend" who makes you feel inferior, the negative influences or crutches will cause you to struggle. Transformation is a 360-degree process. You have far more to gain from losing the weight.
4. Wardrobe shrinkage. I had a huge wardrobe in sizes 20-24. Now, I'm down to probably 15 total dresses/pants/shorts/tops that I can wear without looking frumpy. This a huge deal to me. Anyone who knows me knows that I love clothing and accessories, and to me, the more, the merrier in my closet. EVEN MY SHOES ARE TOO BIG. Thanks to a great friend, I've discovered the beauty of shopping the sales and shopping at Clothes Mentor (and trying everything on. Huge deal for me.)
5. Feeling successful and not getting the reactions. I know, it's petty, but I hate working so hard without the reaction. I wish the process wasn't so public sometimes - kind of like those crazy weight loss shows - so that I could see more drastic reactions to losing 45 lbs (so far) and getting my muscle definition started. This week finally seemed to be the time that people took notice of the changes to my body, and I was ecstatic and encouraged by their comments. I know I sound very egotistical...oops.
6. Not being able to work out when I want to, all the time. Of course this wasn't how I was feeling back through about March, but now I get upset when work gets in the way, or if I have to travel, or if I have something come up on my schedule that causes me to miss a WOD. Working out - constantly challenging myself - has become a habit and a part of who I am. So, I make time to work out 4-6 times a week.
7. The continued lack of attention from men. I know this sounds silly, crazy and utterly sad, but what does a woman need to do to get a date these days? I've been alone for almost a year and a half. I know I don't have a smokin' hot bod quite yet, but I did locate a six-pack the other day...to be revealed later this year (if all continues to go well)...and I am smart and funny. I also like to think that I'm kind of pretty. That is all. (P.S., any advice?)
8. Feeling "blah" after enjoying a few old "friends." And by friends I mean anything that contains gluten/grain, dairy products, or sugar. Temporary joy now equals temporary agony in the form of bloating, swelling, headaches, and/or gastrointestinal issues.
9. My name is Lauren. Not Laura. (This has nothing to do with weight loss but I decided to vent anyway...)
10. I don't look the same. Not that it's a problem, but it is kind of frustrating to look back at old pictures (just wait for the Throwback Thursday this week) and realize I could have looked so much better - and felt so much better - many years ago if I had only taken control sooner.

Have I told you before that I'm a list person? It's genetic, and therapeutic. Thanks for letting me share with you!

To close...a thought from A.A. Milne via Christopher Robin (such a philosopher, that guy) that became my theme for 2013-2014: