Protein, Fats and Food Logs… OH MY!

So last week was a BIG milestone for me in this whole ‘clean eating’ gig. I dropped my first TEN POUNDS! WOO HOO! And I honestly have to say it has been WAY easier than I thought.

Since I began the attending Lisa Carpenter’s E.A.T! Class, a local nutrition program geared toward women who want to lose weight and eat for optimal health, I look at food completely different. I am gaining a greater knowledge and respect for what I should put into my body and how it works to keep me fueled. When I think back to how I used to eat, I had taken my hands off the wheel completely. And I wasn’t binge eating or anything drastic. But really, I was simply NOT in control and here is the simplest reason – there was no thought behind what I ate and whether it was a good choice for me or not. I just flew by the seat of my pants and tried to make the decision as I opened the kitchen cupboards, the fridge door or was out with the kids I would think ‘What do I FEEL like eating?..”

Now I think, what does FEELING have to do what I eat??! But it was ingrained in me as a subconscious pattern. Now it seems crazy to even ask the question. I was indulging myself in a useless conversation knowing full well that I had a fairly limited wheel house of options I would go for – bread, cheese, pasta, with some veggies and fruit. I hated thinking about eating because I hated having to decide and argue with myself, knowing I had NO connection to whether the food I was choosing was a good for me or not. If it wasn’t good for me, I’d easily pass it off as ‘just one meal’ what’s the big deal. But those add up. Bottom line – I was not eating responsibly.

I didn’t eat a lot of food or have junk in my house but on those rare occasions when we did, as soon as my taste buds got wind, it didn’t last for long. I was out of balance and I knew it but didn’t know how to stop it. The thought of going on another round of the SureSlim plan to quickly lose the weight (as it was my go-to solution) annoyed me as I was sick of just doing these things knowing I’d inevitably hit the ‘get cocky’ phase and throw the good eating out the window. I just want to know what I’m doing…

What I love about the E.A.T! is that each week we learn ONE topic related to food and how it functions in our body and why effects body composition. Hmmm… eating with knowledge. Novel concept.

Week 1: We measured, weighed and assessed where we all were, discussed expectations and learned how to food log and pay attention to the food we are eating. We also prepared our kitchens for cleaner eating. Done.

Week 2: Protein! Biggest take away was that it is thermogenic, meaning it requires more energy for your body to break it down = more calories burned. Who knew? But being a fair weather vegetarian (that occasionally orders a veggie sandwich… with bacon) I decided to bring back some animal protein knowing this would help me drop the weight quicker. My previous diet, I learned, was so high in sodium (beans, cheese and of course the bacon) that this was going to impede any progress. So off I went to buy salmon, red snapper, chicken thighs, chicken breast and my new best friend, Non Fat Greek Yogurt. Done.

Our homework was to incorporate FIVE portions of protein into our day with at least two cups of green leafy veggies. This was challenging (not the eating part, the organization and new behaviour) but I did it. And don’t’ think that was ALL I was eating – we could have bread, fruit or a whole pizza for all Lisa cared at this point. She just wanted us to learn the protein part as the foundation. One week at a time.

Week 3: FATS – I began this class by getting on the scale and seeing that I was 11.5 lbs lighter and 8 inches smaller from that first meeting with Lisa. To have the first 10 drop so fast was just a sign that my body was sooo ready for a shift. This is the progress I needed to keep me motivated.

This week’s class was all about the good, bad and ugly about FATS and to stop cooking with oil! More importantly, I took away the emotional and physical benefits on incorporating healthy fats Fish oil, flax, olive oil, peanut butter, avocado into my day because they will keep me balanced and feeling more full. So I’m adding healthy fats to the last two meals of my day to keep me going through the night.

Tonight is CARBS and I say… ba-ring it!!

As much as I don’t want to make it about the weight, I look forward to each class to see if the weight and inches are still coming off – even if only a little. There is a part of me that is waiting for the week when there has been no shift so I can turn to Lisa and say “AH HA! I told you this crap doesn’t work!” LOL!

So far she doesn’t seem too worried about this happening…

Also, the food I’m eating tastes good (not as good as a donut) but there is something about knowing the food I’m are eating is fueling weight loss and making my body more efficient that has me missing the junk less and less. My taste buds are shifting to appreciate how whole food tastes – no additives, no preservatives. I’m eating things I never thought I would – egg whites for one. Not as horrible as I thought! And I’ve had one or two junky meals along the way of pizza and cupcakes. The headache that followed them was yet, another sign I am on the right track.

I have to say that I’m enjoying my days more because although I’m working harder to measure food and plan more it is absolute BLISS saying goodbye to the mental wrestling that went along with trying to figure out what I would eat. There is a sense of freedom I’m getting that I love. I appreciated knowing more, the structure, being in control and with no feelings attached. No more stress about the WHAT to eat. Just follow the guidelines and enjoy the ride. I’m making it a part of my life – one week at a time.

It’s also nice to know I’m not in this alone. Have other people to share my challenges with and hear theirs is really helpful and the women in the class do this for one another. There is a lot to be said for peer support and encouragement.

So for those of you who are curious, here is an example of some of the meals I might eat in a day right now (Note – I have MUCH more to learn – only 3 weeks in):

Meal 1:                 Non-fat Greek Yogurt, Greens First Powder (BEST tasting Greens product I’ve ever tried!), Quick Oats

Meal 2:                 Shrimp, natural yogurt, dill weed, dill pickle diced on whole grain bread

Meal 3:                 Chicken breast, 2 cups of chopped veggies (carrots, peppers, spinach, celery), brown rice, chick broth, apple

Meal 4:                 Shrimp, Mixed Greens, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Green onions, Mixed Greens (olive oil, balsamic vinegar, dill weed, dill pickle diced, salt & pepper)

Meal 5:                 NF Greek Yogurt, Frozen Mango, Barlean’s Omega 3 oil (Pina colada) – THIS TASTES AMAZING!!

And here are some pics of my meals too (I do this to remember for my food log at the end of the day too):

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My Adventures in Coaching.

So part of my journey right now is stepping into my life with both feet  and I’ve recently discovered the next piece to my puzzle, a piece that fills me up and allows me to do what I love in a better way , which is connect with  and help people! Although it felt like the decision to go back to school and train to become a certified life / business coach happened very quickly, the truth is I’ve been seeking it out my whole life. From as far back as I can remember, I would come alive most when I connected and helped the people in my circle overcome a challenge or support them through a difficult time.

Roughly six months ago, a close friend turned to me and said “Remember years ago when you mentioned looking into becoming a life coach – Why don’t you?” and even though I’d heard it before, this time it resonated on a deeper level – because she was right, I’ve danced around it for years but truthfully didn’t know HOW someone would become a coach. It all seemed so airy fairy to me.

Growing up, I loved watching coaches come on Oprah then religiously watched every episode of “The Starting Over House” and more recently “Breakthrough” by Tony Robbins…glued to every word and life changing moment. I just eat this stuff up!! Whatever they do, I love it. But would wonder… how could I do that? I was good at being a supportive friend that had some life experience which seemed to help me help others, but figured, that’s not going to cut it. So, it wasn’t that hard to let the idea quickly drift away into a sea of reasons why I couldn’t.

But this time was different.  I was tired of saying NO and wanted to at least look into it further. So that night I told Scott and the most unexpected thing happened… he said “Really? I JUST met a life coach this week at a networking meeting and she was really incredible. I’ll introduce you if you want.” And even though there was a huge part of me that was hesitant, I said yes and next thing I know, I met the amazing Karen Bresler a few days later.

What I thought was going to be a fairly superficial conversation with Karen turned into what felt like meeting someone I’d known my whole life. The language she used, her outlook, philosophies  – it  was like listening to myself and all these TV coaches all wrapped up into one – everything I’d ever been drawn to. The more we talked, the more excited we both got and after telling her how I got here, she enthusiastically (to say the least) ‘encouraged’ (aka TOLD…haha) me to pursue formal coach training. Of course I was thinking this is all happening too fast (little troll)– I had only just muttered the words and now I’m going to do this?? Sensing my hesitation, she insisted I at least experience a coaching session with a friend of hers and I agreed. And then the second angel-coach, Peter Valles entered my life..

What is coaching like?

Coaching to me was similar to “therapy” but more helpful in my opinion. I’ve done therapy and it has its place in the world but what I remember is that I was always left feeling better to get things out but then wondering “Now what?” Coaching is similar in creating a safe environment where there is total confidentiality and a strict ethics policy but in terms of process there is a big difference. I found therapy was a LOT more reviewing over and over what happened and how I got here. Whereas, a typical coaching session is 10% of how you got here (past), 80% discovering, acknowledging and designing the future and then 10% is designing steps to take in the PRESENT to get me closer to what I want. Love it.

What I found was, a coach asks powerful questions, mirrors back what they see and hear, makes observations, validates where you are and holds your hand through tough realizations. There is no rushing. That being said, they are also there to firmly guide you toward your ultimate vision. Yes, big emotions can come up but you don’t stay there for long and they breathe space into those moments for you to express, honour and respect your own feelings.

Since that first phone meeting with Peter, not knowing a THING about what true coaching was all about – I have begun to discover who I am, what I love and what my purpose is during this big life I’ve got. I am now blessed to call him my life coach.

With Peter’s help, I discovered what my values are that drive me forward, what fills me up and learning to serve that voice deep within that IS me and not that troll on my shoulder telling me “I can’t”. The process for me is difficult at times, but enlightening, empowering and effective.  And the real work isn’t in the sessions but between them when I am assigned homework in the form of writing, reflecting, creating or acting on something we discuss.

One of those BIG homework projects was to finally enroll and begin my coach training at The Coach Training Institute and it was a life changing experience. Over the three days, two of the most in-sync Master Coaches, Signy Wilson and Joni Mar, took twenty six of us on a journey where we dug in deep to learn the fundamental coaching tools that will serve us moving forward but also these fearless people shared their real life struggles out for all to see as we practiced coaching each other. There were HUGE laughs, big tears and times when you could have heard an eye-lash drop. It was not only a personal development milestone for me but professionally and felt like a spiritual shift by the time Sunday came around. When we said good-bye we were more than friends, we’d been through something big and the bond was palpable.  I walked away with tools that help me listen and connect with others on the deepest level possible. These tools impact what kind of a coach I become and, I think, enable me to be a better friend, Mom and Wife.

Our glowing group of coaches at “Fundamentals”, Sept 2012

I’m not sure where this path is leading or what form it will take in my life when I complete my certification next year, but I DO know that I’ve found my place and my people and it feels incredible. My life has more focus and drive than it’s ever had and although I could use more sleep, hours in a day and a baby that doesn’t want to use me for biting practice, I am happily exhausted at the end of every day and eager to learn and share along the way.

Next, I’m working on catching up with my progress in my nutrition course, E.A.T! . It is challenging but I’m seeing real result in my efforts to drop this weight I’ve collected over the years. Lots of Aha moments to share 🙂 Coming soon…

Thank you for reading and much love for all the support you are sending! xo Ker

Did I just do that?

So one of the things I’m practicing in my journey to a bigger life is telling that shitty voice in my head who lists all the reasons why I shouldn’t or couldn’t do something … to shut the hell up. So, after my original post talking about getting back into fighting shape, a friend on Facebook suggested I join her for the 6:15 class at the new spinning gym, Spinergy Fitness in Steveston Village on Wednesday.

“Haha..(said the voice in my head), You? Spin? Nope, that’s for the fit mom’s with high ponytails and tight butts. Not you. You’ll hurt yourself for sure.”

So, to spite the little bugger, I quickly wrote her back “Count me in!”

The more I thought about it, the more I truly worried that I might actually hurt myself – and this wasn’t anyone’s voice but my own talking now. People… I am REALLY out of shape. And I’m not a person with low self-esteem. I like myself… aloh! So much that I really didn’t want to hurt my awesome self. I am a realist. Last time I even semi-regularly worked out was  five years ago and even then it was a burst of 6 months and then I was done with it.And FYI, during one of those boot camp-type sessions I put my back out so bad that I was laid up for a week!

Then I said to myself “Just shut up and let’s do this.” (hence the title on this blog – I say this a lot now)

I called up Spinergy and spoke with one of their people who assured me I would NOT hurt myself. That I was in control of how hard I pushed myself and the tension on the bike. They were very understanding of my newbie concerns and encouraged me to give it a try. OK. Due diligence complete.

To make this happen I had to wake up at 5AM to pump so hubby could feed Beau, our four month old, if he woke up before I got back. Once I was up and moving it really wasn’t that bad. Next thing I know I was ready and heading out the door. When I arrived, said friend pulled right up after and I was officially doing this.

After signing the standard ‘Please don’t sue us if you die whilst spinning’  forms, I met one of the owners and primary instructor, Shannon Marshall and her trusty sidekick, Matt, who was working the computer behind the sign in desk – both VERY nice and super welcoming. I began to feel at ease.

How do I explain what happened over the following 50 mins? Well first, it’s true that the seats hurt your butt and although at times mine was screaming for mercy, there were good chunks of time where I was so focused on what I was being asked to do by Shannon  (over some of the most motivating ass-kicking tracks, ever) that the discomfort faded away and wasn’t an issue – I was actually doing it. I was spinning for crack’s sake! And although I was somewhat distracted by the excess bits of my body giggling and shaking with every pedal, instead of feeling defeated at this shitty reminder of how big my body has become or self-conscious, I heard myself shouting at it from a very powerful place, saying “Get. The. Feck. OFF! Get off! Get off!!!”

This made me laugh thinking about it after. What a refreshing perspective. I liked it.

What was the best and most surprising part? Early into the ride when we were just warming up she told us to close our eyes, get into the music and find our zone and just give it whatever we had. Next thing I knew, the gym disappeared and I was transformed to the road with the wind blowing in my face (strategic fans) and it all became a bit more do-able. I found whenever I opened my eyes, I was distracted and less motivated. There was something very zen-like in the way Shannon guided the group with her voice over the music – not a Drill Sargent (which is what I expected) but assertive, supportive, inspiring and also seemed to say all the things I needed to hear as I puffed and panted my way along. It reminded me at times of yoga with a very internal focus, listening to my body and overcoming that internal mental struggle to push myself up the hill much like trying to hold a difficult yoga move. And then we’d get permission to release the tension and the sweet relief of gliding down a steep hill with the wind in my face was intoxicating. I got it. People love this workout because its incredibly efficient and that’s just what I need. Show up, sweat your face off and get out. I’d like to add it to my cardio efforts at least once a week in combination to the Couch to 5K running program. Gotta love a plan.

To walk into my house after a really great sweat and see my husband feeding our baby and 3 year old, Denny happily playing and greeting me with a huge hug – I couldn’t help feel a huge sense of accomplishment. I did it and I CAN do this. Awesome.

And not only did I do it WITHOUT hurting myself it was a great way to start to my day and I’m still smiling. Although Shannon tweeted me later to say I may not be smiling tomorrow.

Oh shit.

Here we go…

Yes, I am blogging. Why?

I am about to make some big changes in my life and the process of writing helps keep me on track and gives me perspective as I work through issues (and I know there are going to be many) by getting thoughts out of my head and onto paper, even if virtual. When I do this, I always end up discovering something more than if I had just milled it around in my head. Writing also dumps the more unproductive thoughts out of my head so I can get some peace and move on.

Do I care if anyone reads this? Yes and no. Part of me really just wants to be able to look back and see progress. Progress will be my ultimate motivator in making these changes and this is a good method for me to monitor it and celebrate milestones along the way. It is also kind of cathartic to lay it all out there (within reason of course) and say, this is me – right now and in progress.

I’m going to share my honest thoughts and perspective which aren’t always going to look pretty and may surprise those of you who know me and think I have my shit together. By the way, I don’t… and don’t really think any of us do. Don’t get me wrong – this isn’t going to be a self-deprecating, “relate to me because I’ve had hard times too” sort of place. I have a ton of gratitude and appreciate all I have but what I’ve recently been willing to admit is that I hold myself back from having a fuller life. A fuller life for ME – not my kids and not my husband. They have their big places in  my life but know that we (women) are more likely to care about other peoples needs first and make excuses why we don’t need to be at the top of the list. It just doesn’t feel right to a lot of us. I want to change this. Not because I am a narcissistic person, I simply want to include myself in the top two or three so I can have something for me at the end of the day and to have more to give and share with the others in my list. Hence my need to write it down and exorcise some of the crap I think that keeps me stuck in a place I don’t want to be. This is my starting point. The good, bad and fugly.

So what’s ahead? Lots.

This week I embark on two major steps forward in my effort to grab the reigns of my life and ‘live the hell out of it’, or in other words, to consciously participate in my life by not sitting back and letting my life live me – if that makes sense.

Step 1. Pursue a healthier, LESS FAT body so that I first and foremost feel like a rock star and secondly I can keep up with the three energetic men in my life and even kick their butts if the situation arises … and look good doing it.

Step 2. Begin my journey to become a certified life and business coach.

It all begins for me this Wednesday when I begin E.A.T!, a 10 week nutrition course that intends to teach me how to eat for weight loss and optimal health. Did I mention that in the first class we bare-all… that means measurements, weigh-ins and BEFORE photos…. insert a big loud “Faaaaaaaack!” here. Wednesday should make for a sobering post.

The less humiliating and more exciting of the two steps is happening on Friday when I begin coach training with CTI in Vancouver. I have no idea what to expect and will explain how I got to this decision in later posts. But from what I’ve been told by friends and coaches I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and learning from – – I am headed for an incredible ride and that I was meant to do this.

And yes, I am going to do this while caring for a teething 4 month old and tantrum-perfecting 3 year old. Why not wait until things calm down? Because they won’t. Ever. And I am learning that I talk myself out of things too many times and end up doing nothing. No more excuses.

Luckily, I am also blessed with a husband that has a flexible work schedule as he builds a thriving acupuncture clinic and have the support of family and friends who offered to swoop in and help me get this done. (THANK YOU!!!) The main reason this is happening is because I asked for help and got it. Who knew that worked?!! This is something I’m learning I need to do more.

Until my next post later this week, I will do my best not to eat and drink as if each meal were my last. Kinda like CRAMMING before a test, only with food.

And just so you know – while writing this, my three year old was babysat by Spiderman and his Amazing Friends (thank you Netflix) and my 4 month old literally had poop coming out of every neck, arm and leg hole of his onesie with him and I both needing a Silkwood shower to recover. Here’s hoping I can do this and not completely neglect my kids in the process.

Wish me luck.