January Wonder Diet Wrap Up

After a week of the Belly Fat Cure -the promise was lose up to 8 pounds in 7 days - that did NOT happen for me. I lost 2 pounds in the first 2 days, but certainly no where near the 8 pounds advertised. I figured this might be because I'm not "technically" over weight.  I switched to the Slow Carb diet as advocated by Tim Ferriss  . I felt great, tons of energy, and could go at LEAST 3 hours w/o feeling hungry. Didn't seem to crave sugar. Lost 2 pounds in a week. The last 2 weeks of the month, it was really a free for all. Didn't follow any diet or do any fitness (snow snow snow snow). Didn't do much of anything but shovel snow and make homemade soups (winter comfort food).

As of this writing, I've only lost 1 pound. But seeing as the last 2 weeks I didn't follow any plan - I'll take it:>)
 I'm @ 134 pounds.


RECAP:
Belly Fat Cure - Probably good for people who need to lose over 20 pounds or more or who eat a-lot of processed food. For me?  No so good. Maybe good if you're incredibly overweight, but according to BMI, I'm not. I already eat relatively healthy, so I didn't see any huge changes worth noting.While I enjoyed the ease of the book/plan - the PRO's:  it made me aware of how much SUGAR exists in food. I photocopied the chart in the book. Instead of counting calories, you simply keep track by checking off the circles (allowed 15 grams of sugar, 6 grams of carbs). Very easy to do.  Con - the promise of losing 8 pounds in 7 days did not work for me. You are told NOT to keep track of calories and this to me, seems counterproductive. Cheese has 532 calories in a cup of cheddar cheese. No sugar. 2 grams of carbs. Um, if you don't count calories, you might think, "Hey, no sugar and little carbs - I could eat 4 more cups of cheese!" But this would put you at over 2,000 calories! Doesn't seem wise to me.  I'd give it a D.

Tim Ferris The 4 Hour Body Slow Carb - While I only did this for a week, found it easy to follow, had lots of energy, lost 2 pounds, and this might be something I want to consider following (or at least trying for a full month). I'd give it an A!

Todd Durkin - Impact Body Plan -The Impact Body Plan (for fitness) - didn't stick with it after the second week. I'd list the excuses but that's all they are. So will restart Feb 1st. However, the first 2 weeks I did enjoy, but because I didn't really stick with it, I can't comment over all.

Feb 1st (actually starting Jan 31 since it's a Monday) I've read Veganist by Kathy Freston and am going Vegan for the next 29 days. I'm still going to try to keep my sugar intake low. After reading Veganist, I don't know that I'll ever be able to eat an egg again. SIGH. My friends said, "How are you going to live without bacon? Butter? Chocolate?" Well, it IS only 29 days. I'm excited to test how I'll feel as much as how it will affect my weight.  There is also the animal thing.


I've thought about going on a cooking contest reality show many times, but I have to admit, when it comes to preparing raw meat, I freak out a little (except for bacon, it doesn't bother me). I have no problem eating meat if I don't have to prepare it (unless I think about the excerpt I read in Skinny Bitch about the worker at  meat packing plant who abused animals horribly and about the many horrible things that happen to those animals). If I had to debone an chicken or gut a fish, I'd never be able to do it. If I was on Survivor and got to know a 'chicken' and then we had to kill it for food - I KNOW I wouldn't be able to eat it. I hate that I'm weak like that, and people tell me that in a time of extreme hunger, I 'd eat anything, but I don't know that I  would.


In my perfect world, I'd have a garden and grow as many vegetables as I could. I'd have a cow for milk products and chicken for eggs (uh, if I ever get over what I read about them in the book, which I probably will). I don't think I could eat a pig or cow that I'd gotten to know. I mean, maybe, I could eventually rationalize it.


It's so easy to eat if you don't *think* about where that slice of bacon came from (it's much easier for me to eat if I know it was raised on a kind farm).


I'm really excited to start on this 29 day Veganist journey. And thank God wine is made from grapes!