When I started the slow carb diet, my goal was to test my discipline and see if I have significant results in weight loss.
I soon found another reason to continue and a more compelling one.
I think I might I have insulin resistance. Not that I went to the doctor for a check up or anything. I was looking up for ways to get rid of a dark skin patch (I’m asian fair so any dark skin on any area is odd) at first I thought it was dead skin cells that you can scrub over or some bruise I acquired from pole dancing until I came across symptoms for insulin resistance and how it might lead to type 2 diabetes. Some of the symptoms involves; fatique, weight gain. ability to focus which are general symptoms if you are overweight. I will have to go to a the doctor to find out more. Not that I am particularly alarm but I feel like it might in some way contribute to why I feel like I am always very ill discipline that perhaps my body is reacting and not responding the way it should if it was being optimum.
I do not know if the lack or the excess of carbs contribute to the insulin resistance. I heard that diabetics shouldn’t eat a lot of carbs so perhaps less carbs does do more good.
I was so sore from the pole routine the other day, I wanted to fit in some stretching but I was hurting so much I decided to skip any form of activities I wanted to do.
I hadn’t really noted what I ate as the entire week went through with much of a blur but I know I was eating better.
I also know at some point I have to take a reality check with the scale or the measuring tape. I don’t really like confrontations. My fat percentage however is still at 45.6% which haven’t drop since a week ago. I don’t know if that is a good thing since I don’t gain any fats. I seem to think that cheap “fat analysis” meter I bought from China wasn’t any good. I can feel my body change even if the number don’t seem to prove it.
And I know it because my workout numbers seem to improve today; some more than the other.
Friday’s Pole workouts – Pole Strength Routine
Pole Squat – 10 reps 2 sets
Pole Plies – 1 reps 2 sets
Pole Lunges – 10 reps 1 set
Pole Leg Lifts – 10 reps 1 set
Pole Single Leg Squats – 10 reps 1 set
Pole Hold – 7 reps first set 5 reps 2nd set
Pole Row – 10 reps 2 sets
Pole Triceps Push – 10 reps 2 sets
Pole Shoulder Push – 10 reps 1 set
Leg Hook Side Crunch – 10 reps 1 set
Knee Tuck – 0 reps 0 sets (I was too sore and tired by the time I reach here!)
Yesterday was the pits. Today I decided to redeem myself with my pole exercises.
A shout out to Duke for the pep talk. Thank you!
And instead of just going through the motion, I challenge myself to complete a full 10 reps per set. I only did 1 set of each exercises so I can pace myself to finish the entire pole strength routine. It was not easy. Especially after a day’s work, I was tired but I wanted to compensate myself after a break down yesterday. Just so I can feel good about myself and that I accomplish something.
Wednesday’s workouts – Pole Strength Routine
Pole Squat – 10 reps 2 sets
Pole Plies – 10 reps 2 sets
Pole Lunges – 10 reps 1 set
Pole Leg Lifts – 10 reps 1 set
Pole Single Leg Squats – 10 reps 1 set
Pole Hold – 6 reps 1 set for each arm (I only managed to do 1 when I started so yea!)
Pole Row – 10 reps 1 set
Pole Triceps Push – 10 reps 1 set
Pole Shoulder Push – 10 reps 1 set (This was a vertical push up with the pole to assist you, I used a chair variation but I surprised myself when I can actually do a full 10. Another yea!)
Leg Hook Side Crunch – 10 reps 1 set
Knee Tuck – 3 reps 1 set for each arm (By the time I reach this exercise, I was tired and sore and my arms was shaking, so this was the toughest for me to complete today. This is kind of like the vertical leg lifts)
A slap on the wrist for yesterday. A pat on the back for today.
Today is Day 14. That is 2 weeks into the challenge and I am not doing as well as I should in terms of weight loss or fat loss. I have progressed yes, in terms of food choices and awareness but I cannot claim to be one of those people who can boast a 30 pounds in 30 days kind of weight loss.
The last couple of days was tough in terms of diet, I was on a cheat day on Saturday and I was ready for no carbs again on Sunday, however I had a couple of lunch and dinner invitations and that really screws me over. I cannot resist some of the potatoes (and the pasta, and the pizza…) it was tooooo tempting, I just caved. I cannot just have a bite, it lead to two bites and then it was a slice of pizza..and then pasta. I remember telling myself ‘That’s enough, or ‘gosh what you are doing, no carbs!’ and then went into this spiral fall of guilt. I felt like a total failure. Again.
And even though I had no carbs on Mon and Tues, I still feel like a failure. I was doing so well and why do I have to mess it up again? What is wrong with me, why can I not be as discipline as I should.
I think I need to think of something to “punish” myself. An embrassing ‘before’ picture would probably give me a kick in the butt.
As far as this diet goes, I had been pretty good in keeping up refraining from carbs. I try as much as possible not to stray to far from the goal.
I have not realized that it was already cheat day today. It wasn’t until I went to the supermarket and my fiance asked me if I wanted to have a bag of chips. I love chips but I haven’t one since I started this diet. I don’t know if my fiance was trying to be supportive or kind or disruptive because he was the one who reminded me of my cheat day today. It was a mix of feelings when I realized it was cheat day. I was secretly happy because I do want those bag of chips so it was very timely to give in to some junk. At the same time, if my fiance hadn’t reminded me of my cheat day I probably won’t have finished the bag.
I decided I was just going to enjoy the cheat day. I suppose psychologically it would have made me less anxious about eating carbs. It is a cheat day after all, a kind of ‘treat’ after having spend the week without carbs so I was not going to beat myself about it anytime soon.
Craving for carbs has been creeping slowly and I find that the more I resist the more I kept thinking about carbs like bread or pasta.
So in order not to torture myself I will have a bite of a pc of bread or a spoonful of rice and chew it really slow. It just takes one bite and for the rest of the day I won’t think of anymore carbs. This method helps me stick on this challenge more.
Fat percentage hasn’t dropped since 2 days ago and my meals has a lot more greens than it used to be and I am really happy about that.
This is going to be a rather short post.
1 week into the challenge already and…I dont lose significantly a large amount of weight but I am very happy to announce that my fat percentage did drop a little.
Yippee!
And my meal for the day. This is the first day that I actually feel sick of chicken. It was wings the entire day! I think I’ll have myself some nice meat tomorrow.
After the cheat day, I decided to own up my reality. I still was a little bit apprehensive about finding out my weight so I purchase this fat meter to find out how fat I really am. Percentage wise. At least that will give me an indication if I am improving or not. And its easier to use than a fat caliper.
Shocking.
I don’t even know how accurate a fat meter is but still, shocking. Half of me is like fats. Eww.
True wake up call.
The good thing is, this slow carb thing is probably one of the easiest diet I have ever done. I do not feel deprive in any way. Which is a good thing.
Here’s what I ate the last 2 days. If you see potatoes or fries in there, it goes to my fiance. He has been very happy with the extra food.
http://tinypic.com/r/2q1ywqp/6
http://tinypic.com/r/1zl82uu/6
Here’s to hoping that my fat percentage drops a point tomorrow. Fingers crossed.
I have not weigh in myself. I have this phobia that I might have gained weight or have not improve on the scale and if any of those happen I might I get disappointed because sometimes I can be really impatient with results. So I judge with how my clothes feel around my waist and hip. It is a good indication that I might have lost weight, water or fat if my clothes is starting to fit better. Even if I feel better overall, I still take it as an indication that I am improving in general. Eventually, I will get on the scale and take a realistic look at numbers.