Week 3 - Juli's Top Ten
So week 3 of the program has finished, and I find myself somewhat surprised at the subtle, but definite progress that has been made. As I said before, I know all the theory but I still find myself surprised when it gets put into practice and actually works! And no, I haven't reached any significant milestones already - it's nothing like that. But what I have found is that these simple, subtle things that we are doing really add up and DO make a difference. Week 3 was a very tough week for me, I won't lie. Incorporating slow, mindful eating, as well as rediscovering my forgotten practice of regular, daily exercise required a lot of focus. Don't get me wrong, I especially enjoy the exercise part. But, as you well know, once the momentum has stopped it takes some time to get it back. Week 3 involved a certain amount of arguing with my own brain. The plus side is that I was able to not only cycle 55+ km on Saturday (half on a paved bike path and half on a mountain bike trail), but also do a fairly aggressive 2.5 hour hike - all in 100-degree (F) heat (or 38 degrees C for the rest of the world) on Sunday. And I am still able to walk today, my body doesn't ache all over, and I definitely feel stronger. Oh, and I had fun both days. If that's not progress, I don't know what is!
Even more surprisingly, and in spite of not yet changing my diet (meaning the kind of food I eat - I am NOT counting calories), I've managed to lose 1.4 pounds and 5.25 inches since all this started! I was so skeptical about this that I re-measured 3 times, and re-calculated the loss 3 times. But the numbers are the numbers, and I am grateful for the success! I know my body, and I know very well that the numbers will bounce around quite a bit, but having that kind of initial progress is really motivating.
So, that said, I've decided to do my weekly review/wrap-up in the form of a Top Ten list of the things I've learned, experienced, and/or discovered. It will be helpful for me to think about all the positives in negatives in this way, and my Type A personality loves lists. The added benefit is that for those of you who don't want to read all my preliminary babble, this will provide you with an easy summary you can just skip to. So, without further adieu, here it is:
Top Ten, Week 3:
Eating slowly is really hard.
Good food tastes amazing when you actually take time to chew it properly.
Chewing thoroughly and eating slowly minimizes belching/gas after a meal.
Eating slowly fills you up with less food.
If you pay attention to what you are eating, chew thoroughly and eat slowly, you don't want as much food.
Since digestion improves when you eat more slowly, cravings magically diminish.
You can enjoy "treat" foods in smaller quantities and still make progress with reshaping your body.
It's possible to eat slowly in social settings but requires practice.
It's important to use slow eating techniques in situations where it's easier to be successful at first, then try to apply the practice to situations where you normally have trouble controlling your intake.
There is no 10th thing.
OK, sorry about number 10 - it's my Monty Python personality coming out. I'll provide one next week, I promise.
A few last thoughts about the week.
- It's helpful to have a great bunch of ladies all experiencing the same thing together, even if we're scattered around the globe. I've always tried to go it alone because I figure I'm the only one who knows my body and the only one who can do anything about it. While that statement is absolutely true, there definitely is strength in numbers. It's also quite nice to know that I really am the same as everyone else.
- The workouts I've been given seemed to be a bit of a joke when I first looked at them - very low reps with multiple sets, and seemingly easy exercises. Having done them through a couple of times now, I have to say they are quite sneaky! I'm feeling muscles waking up that haven't been noticed for a long while. It's nice to feel them working, and even nicer to be able to fit an effective workout into about 40 minutes.
- I think my foam roller is trying to kill me.
Have a health of a day!
Juli