In February I signed up with a personal trainer. To be honest I am not sure that I am a better person for it. But fine, I signed the contract, I’m in for 3 – 4 months.
Part of the deal is that I give a specific diet a try even though I said several times I did not want to diet because I was sick of it being such a focus in my life when nothing ever changed. And, only three days in I was pretty much Bitchy McBitcherson and convinced I would not give it any further time or energy. I spoke to my PT about it, he helped me figure out how to work it into my life and schedule and so I carried on.
It’s something like 6 weeks later and nothing has really changed that much. At least not on the scale. Well, wait, that’s not the truth because I have seen 81.5 KG recently, which is a whopping 700 grams less than when I started the diet :) So, just weight wise, I’m not super convinced. I have NOT been 100% and I’m just putting that out there because I am fully aware that I can not blame the diet, the trainer, the candy jar, or anyone or thing else for ANYTHING except for myself.
As we have had a fairly rough start (he’s been ill and cancelled many appointments) I also don’t see a huge change in my body shape or fitness level. On Monday I went to my appointment and basically said “I want to get fit. I want to work out. I don’t want to diet.” However, I promised I would give it another 30 days with the weekdays being full on and shooting for under 1500 calories and the weekends being a bit more free and having bread if I want it (and I don’t eat much bread but Hubs makes it fresh and damn if that is not hard to pass up!), for example.
I did notice that after 3 weeks of no pasta, one night I decided I was just going to have it, I totally felt a difference in my digestion! My stomach was working VERY hard to process it! This was even whole wheat pasta, you know the stuff that is supposed to be good for you! Now I’m not going to tell anyone to throw out their pasta and rice but honestly, had I not gone without it, I wouldn’t have known. I also had rice a couple of times and noticed a slight tinge, but not as bad. As for dairy, I still have a wee bit, but again I never really had much milk for example, and was limited on cheese. I tried coconut milk on my cereal (well muesli – and on this plan I have TWO carb meals a day and FOUR protein/veg/fat meals) and I LOVED it! So, score on replacing some dairy. Goat’s cheese is fine, cottage cheese is fine, kwark and greek yoghurt is fine too (as a protein though, so NO fruit or sugars with it, I’ll pass thanks). Yoghurt is fine but it’s a carb, so I have it with fruit (preferably berries, totally skipping my banana for the time being).
The change we’ve now made is to have only ONE carb meal a day and replace the other with or a little protein or just munching on veggies. That’s fine, I am prepping a load of veggies on the weekend and then just taking little baggies with me. I’m eating so many vegetables, it’s kind of insane. Like at least a kilo. I feel LESS hungry than before I was eating this way.
I am getting a little bit bored with what I have so I’ve actually bought a cook book called Well Fed and I’ve been listening to Robb Wolf‘s Podcasts of the Paleo Solution. I like the science behind the solution, but I do not think I could fully avoid grains, dairy, legumes and potatoes the rest of my life. I do think I could sustain quite a lot of the plan, simply because I feel pretty good at the moment.
I also feel good because Operation Get Enough Sleep is actually working out quite well and that has a lot to do with the supplements that my PT recommended – namely Magnesium Citrate and Melatonin. I am also going to be picking up some Vitamin D soon (even with sun you can be deficient) and I take Valerian from time to time when I feel my stress levels rising. So actually food, plus exercise, plus sleep, plus less stress actually is not a bad deal. It really shouldn’t be able the scale, even though I am still officially overweight. I’m going to say it again, I don’t want it to be my focus, it doesn’t create a good feeling for me.
More food on the paleo front:
Chicken jalfreezi with sauteed courgette
Chicken sausage with mushrooms and spinach
And look I’m still running, in fact hubs started running with me again!
I admire your honesty about the whole process, good and bad and hope you find your groove and start seeing results soon. It’s hard to stay motivated when (though we know things are changing inside) we don’t see change on the outside. Stay strong!
Thanks Rachel! If anything I AM honest!! It’s been a long time of frustration, but it seems if I just keep going, at some point something will happen!
Proud of you keeping at it, you are doing great. And I think it’s awesome that you know what you want and don’t. If you know you won’t keep at something on a permanent (or semi) basis then I agree it’s best to find something else that you will :)GO RENEE!!
thank you so much Penny!! xx
Well done for hanging in there. I saw a PT a few years ago but after 12 weeks (and 2 sessions a week for over $100/wk) I felt no fitter. I was quite overweight at the time and used to think that the PT(s) in question had no experience with bigger people. Their expectations were pretty high and I noticed their other clients were all super-fit athletes (the PTs were involved in competitive / professional cycling etc).
Fortunately though, they weren’t too strict about my eating – so I didn’t have that added worry.
Deb
you may have a point, though I see my PT working with bigger clients, but I can’t say I notice differences (because I haven’t really been paying attention). I think there is something to the paleo diet and strength training and whilst I’m not always happy about it, I can at least try to do it 90% of the time if it’s helping (the food part), right?
Renee, you are looking great!! I also have been dipping a toe in the paleo foods and like a lot of them. Paleo brownies rock. Have you tried cauiliflower rice? I was dubious, but the texture is great and I can easily replace rice with it.
Great post! :)
hey Susan! paleo brownies??? but how???? and I eat cauliflower quite a lot to replace rice – I get sick of it after a while but have been trying to jazz it up with spices or other stuff in it (like son dried tomatoes).
Thanks for the compliment, you are also looking amazing!!!
I know where you’re coming from. I had a PT for a while last year and didn’t see much difference. But it’s good to hear that you’re sleeping more and that your husband is running with you. I’m so jealous. :-P
I think once we get a real rhythm I will maybe see or feel a difference. I can say I feel like my legs are pretty strong at the moment from all the squats and my core is feeling strong lately (when it’s not muffintopping over my jeans…). Hubs is not happy with his few KGs extra so it’s helping him to be more active AND eat a bit paleo at dinner as well!
Your plan is SO similar to mine. I am doing pretty much the same thing, but I can have yoghurt (Biogarde) , no fruit, no sugars, I can have nuts etc. I also feel much better even though there has been some bitching! Calories under 1400 as well. Only bad point I had was yesterday when we tried to go out for lunch and everything was bread-based. Finally found somewhere and I got an omelette which was truly divine – tomato and gorgonzola filling on a bed of Ardenner ham with a salad. I noticed I can taste much more now without the sugar-anaesthetic. I am also sleeping a bit better, despite waking up 16 times a night according to the Fitbit. Will be interesting to see how we both do.
eating out I find tough as well Ash!