Getting back on the nutrition wagon.

I've been with Austin Adventure Boot Camp since October '06. I've lost weight and now I have officially plateaued. I'm about 25-30lb shy of my 'ideal' weight. I say 'ideal' because I've gotten incredibly comfortable in the size I am right now. Which is great! But when I think about the goal I set out to reach I wonder if my saying I'm comfortable here is just a way for me to avoid the stress of achieving my weight loss goal. Probably. So I must move forward.

But why the plateau!? Well, I have to say my attendance over the last few months has been less than stellar. But also I've stopped paying attention to what I am putting into my stomach.
Yup, that's me. Mindlessly eating.
And it has to stop.

But what do I eat? Ever since I found out that I was allergic to everything and revamped my eating I've been on a carb overload, not because of any reason except that I love carbs. Plus, now that I have lost the majority of the weight I don't even know how many calories I should be eating. I had done an online calculator and it said somewhere in the 1700-1800 calorie range. *shrug*
So I contacted Nanaz and set up an appointment for a RMR test.
During this test you lay still (without napping) and just breathe while you wear a little mask. This mask is connected to a tube and the tube is attached to a machine and based on your breathing and I'm sure some other science that includes a calculation of my height and weight and how active you are, it spits out (with some help from Nanez) the number of calories you need to survive and the number you need to maintain your current weight.

So how did the online calculator do? VERY POORLY. AT 1700 calories I was eating 300 calories less than my body needs to just run. Not moving. Just laying there. SO in essence I've plateaued because I'm not eating enough calories. My body thinks I've abandon it!!
So with this knowledge, the plan is more lean proteins! More leafy greens! And don't trust internet calculators!
Next week I am going in to have my Vo2 Max test to find my prime workout heart rate and I'm excited. I've been wearing my heart rate monitor during class but I've not been paying attention nor, do I know how to read into the percentage of fat burned. Knowledge is power!
I'm really looking forward to the new meal plan too. Nanaz is going to set me up with different choices so I can pick and choose what I want out of what I need.

All very scientific and very interesting. I am looking forward to getting off this plateau!
If you are like me and have no idea what to eat, contact Nanaz, She's got some specials just for Boot camper so let her know what you need!

Why are you not losing weight?

You are working out and eating right so why are you not dropping the weight? I always see overweight people running their hearts out on hike and bike trail. I used to wonder why that is. If they are working out so hard shouldn't they be way thinner. Did you know that you could pass your fat burning heart rate in the first five minutes of your workout? Or how do you know exactly how many calories your body burns every day? Sure you can use charts and come up with a guess, but I would not trust charts that were made in a research group over 30 years ago. We simply do not eat or live the way we did 30 years ago and I have seen the guesstimates be wrong by 800 calories a day.
So what's the answer? Come do a RMR test and a VO2 max test. These tests are specific to you and pretty much guarantee results. Find out more about these tests on my website: nanazahmadi.com. I am offering these tests at a discounted price to all of you. Once you know which heart rate your body burns the most body fat, you can simply wear a heart rate monitor and make sure that every minute of your workout counts. Dinner planning will become much simpler when you know how many calories you can eat with out gaining weight.

Good Luck,
Nanaz

Getting there...

Hey Campers!
I just wanted to pop in and share some revelations with you. First off, now that you've gotten a week into camp I'm sure you are feeling some things you have not felt in a long time, maybe never.
Some underused muscles perhaps? Maybe some interesting emotions being stirred up? As I round third (I'm working on the last 20lbs to my goal weight) I would like to impress upon you all to take some time to really examine how they got to where you are now. I became unfit as an emotional eater and it takes quite a lot to keep that reigned in. But its more important to me to get to my goal than to have that extra Cadbury egg.
This has been a very long journey for me, I started losing the weight in 2006 and now I realize how far away from myself I got. If you don't know, I'm a singer/songwriter. I went to music school. I made a record. But life happened and it didn't get released. I gained weight and stopped performing. I was too uncomfortable in my skin to put myself out there. I was embarrassed to share my music as this bigger version of myself. So, I spent the years before 2006 hiding inside this larger version of me.
When I started losing the weight I started to find myself again. I became re-involved in theatre. I started writing songs again. In fact, my producer is bringing me out to California for a week to record. So, it's years later but I am getting to what I feel I should have been doing about six years ago.
Why am I sharing this? Well, I just want to encourage you all that are just getting started or those of you that are mid-stream to forge ahead because even though I don't know what will happen after this record is made, I have to say it feels amazing just getting to make it. I'll see you all in about a week!

Pushing It.

First off I would just like to give an early congratulations to all of the participants in the accelerated program this week. I hope that you are all feeling stronger and more empowered about living a healthy lifestyle. I know I am.
I am also quite sore.
Right now, as I type this I am attempting to sit upright (good posture promotes good health!) but it seems that I can only muster a slumped semi tilt on the couch where I am working today because my glutes have decided my office chair is too hard. My forearms are resting on my laptop and only my fingers are moving. I think they are the only part of me this morning that is not sore.
It's a good soreness. I will admit that until a couple weeks ago I was not giving my all at camp. I had grown contented with my routine and don't get me wrong, the workouts were challenging but there is something to be said for giving 100%!
For those of you that don't know my story, over the last 15 months I had lost sixty pounds. That being said, even though I had not hit my goal weight, I had convinced myself that I was fine, I had lost a lot of weight and I could live happily on my little plateau. But inside I still longed to wear those skinny jeans in the closet, still wanted to reach the goal I had set out for myself. But I didn't want to work harder and I backslid. I put on eight pounds before I realized what I was doing. I had yet to tackle the problems that led me to gaining the weight in the first place.
I can say first hand that losing the weight has been a very emotional journey. I didn't realize how much I was hiding under the pounds until they were gone. But I'm taking control. I am recommitted to my goal weight and headed in the right direction. I am officially in the home stretch! I have 19.4 lbs to go to reach the high range of my weight loss goal. I would like to invite all of you (SW am class we talked about this today) to step it up a notch or two. Over my 15 month career as a boot camper I have gone from 5 pound weights to 12 pound weights. The twelves are definitely a challenge and I usually take a lighter set (10lbs) along but for the accelerated week I decided to suck it up and use just the Twelves (truth be told I was tired of carrying both). Now I am not expecting you all to toss your Fivers into the wind and haul around 25 pounders. But the next time you pick up your weights (especially you multiple camp repeaters) think about upping the weight. Push yourself to get more reps in during the timed segments. Kick up your pace on the running drills. I've been forcing myself to try and keep up with Kim and Carl all week. Take the leap, get out of your comfort zone and push yourself. Your coach and your camp will support you but only you can find your true 100%.

“Anyone can give up, it's the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone else would understand if you fell apart, that's true strength.”

What's Your Gladiator Name?

This morning at accelerated camp SW somewhere after the delirium that sets in after doing running drills, super sets and "Ring of Fire" I mentioned that American Gladiators is returning to TV. Why is this significant? Well besides being part of my childhood, many of the gladiators are figure competitors like Amy O. and Stephanie McD. Not only is the show hosted by my friend Murph's favorite, Hulk Hogan, co-hosting is Laila Ali, who is one of my personal heroes.
As far as the show goes, they say that they are currently casting weekend warriors but what does it really take to be a gladiator? Well, in my case it will take a lot more upper body strength I think that I could do some damage in the joust but the wall. It scares me. Which means I'm going to have to find some sort of climbing wall/obstacle to tackle to get over it.
Speaking of television.
I've been watching The Biggest Loser as I type this article. It is just amazing to me the incredible weight loss they have accomplished. They did however mention a staggering statistic that 90% of people that lose weight regain it. I know this first hand because the first time I lost the weight (back in the day when I was living in Boston) I gained it back because I hadn't figured out the reason behind my overeating in the first place and I had no maintenance plan, I didn't have a plan beyond "Lose the Weight".
As we move forward to new goals and resolutions I suggest that you plan your strategy not only for getting through the holidays but beyond. Figure out a way to get regular exercise and continue to eat healthily.

When Life Gives You Lemons...

First off I'd like to thank Michelle and the Ladies at the Central Camp for putting up with me for most of this week. You other camps better watch out cause the the Central Ladies are running fast!
I got to talking with Jan G. who has a 13- year old and a 5 year old and has been working her way through Deceptively Delicious, that tricky book from Jessica Seinfeld. She says so far so good. The premise is that you take vegetable puree and you put it in regular foods, thus hiding the healthy stuff from your kids. Honestly I think this is right up my alley. Of course that is if I was eating. Which I am not.
Crazy? A little bit. Let me clarify. I am not eating solid foods and I haven't for 5 days.
I am actually doing the Master Cleanser. I drink a "lemonade" made from lemon juice, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper. It is actually pretty tasty. The hard part is the salt water flush every morning. Its like swallowing 32 ozs. of the ocean.
Five days and no solid foods.
How do I feel?
Well, I have a surprising amount of energy. My congestion has decreased significantly and my allergies are still there (I have a million) but much more mild. Oh and as of today I have lost 6 pounds so I'm feeling lighter, which is great for my plan to look like Tina Turner.
Please do not step into the Master Cleanser lightly. I did a lot of research before I started and talked to my nurse practioner and a nutritionist. So please read up and then consult your doctor before starting a fast.
Am I hungry?
Surprisingly no. I've had cravings, which they say is normal. Mostly for things I've seen on tv or for something to chew.
Would I dare go past 10 days?
Maybe. It had been oddly calming not having to prepare meals or wonder what to cook. Oh and not doing a bunch of dishes has been more than a little nice. Some people do this fast for 40 days. But I'm pretty sure that ten will do it for me.

Gooooooaaaal!

So I've figured it out. After much searching and pros and cons lists I have decided on my next fitness goal.
For those of you joining us late, I had accomplished all of my fitness goals. Mile under 9 minutes, run my first 5k, lost 60 pounds, yadda yadda I got kinda stuck. But no longer.
My new goal: To look and feel more like a rockstar. More specifically this rockstar.

I'm setting up a show with my hoot night band and the Hooting and hollering is going to be all Tina Turner. So I am going to have to de-flab my legs (lunge-a-palooza here I come) to get ready for the short and shredded look. So we are going for the Lean Mean Tina look and if we in fact get down to the smallest size of jeans I have in my closet then so be it.

To prepare for that I'm researching a kick off Master Cleanse doing some reading about it (I'll report back if I decide to do it or not). Following that up with a revised nutrition plan, admittedly I've gone astray, and back to adding my ever other afternoon extra cardio bonanza.

So, that's my goal. Did you guys figure out yours? Have you done the master cleanse and have tips for me?

I am a goalless drifter.

It's Wednesday. The middle of the week, and right now my only serious goal is to get to 5pm Friday unscathed.
Having run the Susan G Komen Race for the Cure 5K I have completed my goals for 2007:

1. Lose weight for the reunion
2. Get medical insurance
   
3. Get my mile time under 9 minutes
4. Find out what I'm allergic to
5. Run a 5K without having a heart attack mid sprint
6. Make a significant dent in the writing/planning of my recording project.

Missions Accomplished. Now what?! I need more goals, new plans. Unfortunately it is not like I can put up a craigslist ad looking for goals.

"Motivated achiever seeks goals of the personal and attainable variety. Previous goals were wonderfully fulfilling but alas, have been, fulfilled. Please make yourself known ASAP so I can beat the New Year's rush."

Seriously though, setting goals is very important to your success. For me, having goals to push towards keep me in line. Stops me from zipping into the drive through and eating an entire loaf of bread's worth of toast.

Tips for setting goals.

• Pick something you care about. Something that means something to you directly.
• Make sure its attainable in a reasonable amount of time. Its cool to plan things that will take a year or more, just be sure there are milestone markers along the way to keep you from getting discouraged.
  
• Make it VISIBLE. Write it down. Put it in a journal. Put it on a card in your wallet, put it in a frame by your bed or on your desk. Hang the skinny jeans outside of the closet so you have to look at them every day.
• Visualize yourself achieving your goal. Keep the feeling of how wonderful it is in your mind at all times.
• Tell someone. Tell a lot of people. Blog about it. After all, you are going to need people to celebrate with when you cross it off the list!

I'm off to find some new goals, drop me a line and let me know what your goals are.