Day 6 of the Sin City Diet

I am proud and a little astonished to announce that I am 10 pounds lighter as of this morning!!! I'm past the crazy carb and sugar cravings and feel really, really good. Next week marks the beginning of workout time ( I waited until I felt good and alert... Atkins can put you in a sort of funk with flu-like symptoms, ie. sore muscles, fatigue, headaches) and I'm excited and motivated to get up and get moving and watch that scale move! Going to aim for 30-45 minutes on the treadmill followed by 10 minutes of push-ups, crunches, planks, squats and arm workouts with weights. I'm debating staying on Induction (the most restrictive and weight-loss rewarding stage of the diet) for an additional 2 weeks, so 4 weeks total just to see how much I can lose before switching over to the easier, and higher carbs allowed per day stage right before we leave for Vegas. Wish me LUCK!

Day 2 of the Sin City Diet

So far, granted we're still very early in the game, I feel pretty good and the scale showed a 2 pound drop this morning! It's probably just water weight but it's a start. The last time I did Atkins I was much more haphazard about it and pretty much winged it without really researching the diet and reading the book. I was still able to drop a bit of weight but the food just felt so heavy since I was basically only eating protein (no healthy green veggie carbs like the book stresses) and bogging my system down. This time I've read the material and have been pre-packing my meals the night before so I don't really have to think once I get to work, I just grab my pre-made meal or snack and munch away. I also decided that I wasn't going to fill my daily protein allowance with red meat like I did last time. I don't eat much red meat normally so no sense in forcing myself to eat something all the time that I don't like very much :) I stocked up at Costco this weekend on lean ground turkey and salmon and am on the hunt today at Trader Joe's for nitrite-free lunch meat to fill any gaps while at work. I'm also picking and choosing my full fat condiments carefully since I'd rather get my fats from avocados, olive oil and fatty fish than from butter and full fat mayo. My only full fat total indulgence is Philly cream cheese since I adore it and usually only buy the low fat or fat free version... I'm going to get my butt back on the treadmill tonight and try to incorporate a 30-45 minute walk in every day for the first 2 weeks and then kick it up to a jog for the following weeks.

My menu for today:

* Breakfast *
2 scrambled eggs with mushrooms, spinach, and a sprinkle of cheddar cheese

* Snack 1*
1 cup of English cucumber rounds & cream cheese

* Lunch *
4 oz. Baked salmon with lemon pepper, & asparagus

* Snack 2 *
Mini Tillamook "Tilla-Moo" cheddar cheese, broccoli florets & blue cheese dip

* Dinner *
Roasted chicken breast, sauteed spinach w/ garlic & lemon juice

All in all sounds super yummy, totally satisfying and crave-worthy :)

Project "Firm Mommy"

When you have a baby, at least for me and both of my pregnancies, you sort of lose your swagger for a bit.I know that it all stems from low levels of hormones following birth, but it's kind of depressing when you see a lack of confidence and attitude in yourself that you used to be so proud of.

I've never been one of those women obsessed with my weight or my looks and I think I've only actively dieted probably twice in my life. The first was for a "biggest loser" contest at work with a cash payout for the winner, the other was right before we went to Mexico last year. I hadn't been in a swimsuit, let alone a tiny bikini (of which I bought 4 for the trip) since before Lukey Duke was born and I really wanted to try and look my best for our first REAL vacation ever. I didn't do anything too extreme, just a few weeks of low carb, low calorie and managed to get myself to a trim 148 pounds of sexy mama. I was pretty proud of myself for dropping the weight but new full well that we were trying to get pregnant, and had been for 8 months, so the thought of gaining weight again wasn't a problem. Then we had Miss Brooklyn and I was quite proud of myself for only gaining a modest 30 pounds, compared to the 45+ pounds that I gained with the Duke. It kinda surprised me when the weight started melting of so quickly after she was born and I happily accepted that the last 5 pounds were probably going to stick with me until I was finished breastfeeding...

I've never claimed to be drop dead gorgeous or the sexiest thing alive, but I think I have pretty decent self-esteem and a healthy ego for a 20 something woman. So it kinda started to bother me when I realized that I was subconsciously turning away from Matt when changing clothes. What was happening to me? Why was I suddenly self-conscious around my husband who I've NEVER been nervous to be naked in front of?

This new "timid" me was really starting to piss me off so I decided that no matter what I have to give up (even less sleep, am I crazy or just masochistic?), I'm going to find time for myself everyday. I'm going to find a way to get 30-45 minutes on the treadmill at least 4 times a week and I'm going to firm up my soft mommy body. I know that the weight and the flab won't melt overnight, and I'm ok with that. I just don't want to be hampered with bad body thoughts and I really want to be active again. My kids deserve a happy, unburdened mommy who exudes self confidence and that's what I'm going to give them...

Wish me luck!!