“Five months and sixteen days,” that’s what Alexa told me when I asked her how long it is until my birthday on August 30.
That’s how long I have to get the scale back down to 145. It’s a challenge created after a few glasses of wine and some joking with my son. If I don’t make it, he gets a phone (and his sister, who had to be part of the action, gets $300 to spend at Dave and Busters – a far better option than her original request: a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy).
While the wine helped push the challenge into action, it’s something that’s been on my mind for a while. Over the past few years – as my metabolism has slowed down – I’ve tried a few ways to get there. But none stuck.
A few weeks ago, I set out to create a plan that would work – I researched different ways of eating, read about their affect on health, and checked out what the reputable naysayers said about each. I took parts that I felt were good, healthy and attainable and kept them; I trashed the rest. I knew that whatever I came up with had to meet the following tenets:
1. No restricted foods – I’ve always been perplexed by the slew of “healthy eating plans” that eschew whole foods like beans and carrots but embrace protein powders or other supplements. Similarly, the idea of a meat and cheese-filled diet, devoid of any carbs isn’t my thing. While I eat mostly plant-based, whole foods, I refuse to rule out any food or food group (except Michael Pollan’s 7 Rules for Healthy Eating – which, from where I sit, are undisputed, common-sense nutritional rules.)
2. Allows for moderation – As a working mom of 2 kids with a traveling husband, I need flexibility. There will be days (or even vacation weeks) when things go off the rails. I don’t want a diet that requires me to start all over if I mess up/don’t follow the rules or requires me to eat from a small list of boring food. I love to cook and create. I love to enjoy time with my family. I love being able to dine with my friends without bringing my own food. Those are non-negotiables.
3. No crazy rules – I love data and I love using technology to track progress but I draw the line at anything beyond entering my food into My Fitness Pal (which is actually super easy thanks to their huge database and scanning feature) or wear a GPS watch. I can’t get behind a plan that’s too difficult to follow or requires me to constantly be calculating certain things. Similarly, online workouts, video workouts, etc. aren’t my jam – I enjoy my Aaptiv workouts from time-to-time and want the flexibility to do them when I’m in the mood or just enjoy a 6 am easy run with my running crew.
4. Enjoyable and Attainable – I want a plan that I am excited and feel good about. I want to eat foods that I feel are nourishing my body. I want to enjoy life and not feel burdened by what I can or can’t do “because of this diet I’m doing”. This is a personal thing. I’m a big believer in finding what works FOR YOU. I need flexible rules – I need a paradigm to follow but flexibility within that paradigm. Some people need strict rules, some people need very loose rules – I land in the middle. I’m good about being disciplined when I’m ready, provided that discipline fits within my life and my belief system.
Using my research and that knowledge, I came up with a plan of carb-cycling and intermittent-fasting as follows:
Monday – Run (Heart Rate Training) and Gym (Chest, Back, Bis, Tris) – Low Carb
Tuesday – Run (Heart Rate Training) – Low Carb
Wednesday – Gym (Legs) – Normal
Thursday – Run (Heart Rate Training) – Normal
Friday – Run (Heart Rate Training) – Low Calorie
Saturday – Long Run (Heart Rate Training) – Normal
Sunday – Off – Low Calorie
Definitions of what all of this means:
Intermittent Fasting – Eating only within an 8 hour window each day – basically I fast from 7 pm – 11 am (16 hours of fasting) and eat from 11 am – 7 pm (8 hour window in which to consume all of my calories/macros). (As a note: I probably did the most research on this. I was concerned about the effect this would have on my body but I literally couldn’t find any research that provided any downside (other than that it might be difficult to maintain or contribute to disordered eating). There are so many articles out there about it, I don’t think it’s worth rehashing the specifics of what it is or how to do it – especially since there isn’t much to know (other than how to shift your window if you have an event, dinner out, etc. which is much easier than the internet makes it seems). I tried this out before I committed to this plan and found it very easy to maintain (but this is coming from a non-breakfast eater so take it for what it’s worth.))
Low Carb – Less than 50 net carbohydrates (carbohydrates – fiber) during the day, meet calorie requirements.
Normal – Meet carbohydrate, protein, fat and calorie counts set by MyFitnessPal based on my weight and weight-loss goals.
Low Calorie – Meet 75% of (i.e., 25% less than) the carbohydrate, protein, fat and calorie counts set by MyFitnessPal.
Heart Rate Training – While I have a plan I’m following, in essence, I’m doing all of my runs at a heart rate of <140 bpm. More detail on why I’m doing this and my plan in another post.
Gym – Again, probably more on this later but I have a routine I follow – sometimes I change it up a bit but for now (at least until I get a few months into this) I will keep it as is.
Other notes:
I will ensure that I eat vegetables at every meal and will eat as many whole foods as possible. I’ve really started paying attention to labels, how and where food is grown or meat is produced, and reading about ingredients and food – it’s something I used to do religiously but over the course of the past 10 years, I stopped. It feels good to have that knowledge and focus again.
I will re-examine this plan each week to ensure I’m getting what I need and determine whether my goals are attainable. I’m 4 days in and so far it’s been a breeze – even while sick. I haven’t felt hungry, I’ve enjoyed my food and I’ve felt really good. Probably a good sign, don’t you think?
Come follow along on Instagram – let me know if you want to join in! It’s always more fun with friends, right?
See Robin Run 