ViSalus & Contractions

I officially feel like I've been run over by a truck...that then backed up and then ran over me again just for good measure. Blah. I can't be 100% sure, but I'm pretty sure this is all my own fault.

Since the middle of August, I have been doing ViSalus, which is a meal replacement plan, where you drink shakes 2 times a day instead of what would be your normal meal. All of the plans differ and some plans only require you to replace 1 meal a day. It really just depends on what you're trying to accomplish. I'm happy to announce that after 1 month of ViSalus I have lost exactly 12 pounds! And that's with minimal exercise. I hate exercising.

My sister is a promoter for ViSalus and I have to admit that when she first started talking about it, I was more than a little skeptical. However, when I finally decided to try it for myself and then proceeded to lose 3 pounds in the first week...well...I was a believer!

At the risk of sounding like one of those infomercials, I will say that I have never felt better about my body, and I have also never had more energy. I am on the plan to replace 2 meals a day, so for me, that is breakfast and lunch. You know that feeling you get after you eat lunch and then go back to work and then have to fight to stay awake? I haven't had that experience since I started ViSalus! It really has been amazing. I've lost 12 pounds and only have 18 more to go!

Anyhow, I digress.

The blah feeling.

Have I mentioned I'm an emotional eater? And that for the last week, I've kept forgetting to refill my anti-depressant medication? Ha. So yesterday, the whole time I was at work, I was feeling a bit blue, and started craving something fatty, cheesy, and meaty. I wanted a huge burrito from Puerto Vallarta! I asked my dear baby sister if she wanted to come along after work and she declined. Boo on her.

I, however, remedied that situation by stopping at Moe's. My favorite thing to get there? The Homewrecker Burrito. It's HUGE. I mean, like, a burrito as big as your head. So I ordered it in all of it's burrito-y goodness, filled to bursting with beef, cheese, lettuce, guacamole, sour cream and rice. And of course, you can't go to Moe's without getting a cup of their creamy queso.

So, quite excited, I rushed home, to settle into my PJs and start chowing down. And chow down I did...until I ate the WHOLE thing AND half of the cup of queso.

It was delicious. I enjoyed Every. Single. Bite.

Until about 20 minutes later. Dear Lord, did that burrito wreck my life!

What was I thinking? What with the shakes and really only eating one real meal a day, my stomach has shrunk considerably. And I just stuffed a burrito as big as my head into it? What a stupid little girl I am.

Fast-forward to today. I get up this morning, quite excited that the kids are on fall break and that I don't have to work...and proceed to the bathroom to um...drop some friends off at the pool. Ha. Well when I go back to lay down I am hit with pain so severe  I literally double over. I head back to the bathroom. Nothing happened. I head back to the bed. Gut-wrenching pain again. Head back to the bathroom. Nothing happened. This continues for over an hour and I take gas-pills AND Pepto Bismol. But I'm still experiencing burrito induced contractions every 3 to 4 minutes.

*Sigh*

I finally decided that I was just going to have to ride this out...or go to the ER. So, I curled up into a ball in my bed and rode the burrito waves until I fell asleep. About every hour I would be awakened from some very strange dreams by a particularly painful burrito contraction. And would then contemplate heading to the ER before drifting back in to sleep land.

Finally at 3:30 (that's in the P.M.) I woke up and didn't feel any pain radiating from by stomach region. Yes, people of blog-land, I had burrito contractions for 5 hours!

I am happy to say that the contractions have subsided, but my stomach is still not feeling very regular. I have had 1 shake today and half a cup of coffee and it looks like soup will be all I will be having for dinner. But I consider this a lesson learned. 2 lessons learned actually.

1. I will never live through child-birth.

2. Don't stuff a burrito that's as big as your head into your tummy that has shrank to the size of a lemon!

Easy as 1...2...3...

Once again, world, another wedding approaches...and no, I'm not talking about Prince William and Kate. Yet another of my good friends is getting married in June. Once more, I will be attempting to fit into a dress that makes me despair of my horrible eating habits and "when i get around to it" work-out routine.

Whatever will I do?

I do have some good news, though. I am losing weight.

Yay.

You know, it's not about looking good to other people. It's not about giving into stereotypes or desiring to look like the stick thin models that dominate TV.  For me, it's about feeling comfortable in my own skin, and about treating my body right by giving it the food it needs, as well as the exercise it needs, to be healthy.

Just earlier today I was reading an article on CNN about a woman who lost over 200 pounds by following 4 easy tips her doctor gave her. They are as follows: 1) Eat 8 ounces of food every 3 hours 2) No sugary drinks 3) Do not skip meals 4) Do not tell anyone what you're doing.

Sounds easy enough eh? Hmmmm.

Here's the link to article. It's pretty interesting. http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/04/22/weight.loss.anita.mills/index.html?hpt=Sbin                                                                   

You've Been Served

So, I was at the gym early this afternoon, and was walking on the treadmill, minding my own business, when I was filled with the urge to laugh...hysterically. This is what I saw on my treadmill's TV...

LOL. I don't know why this struck me as so funny. Perhaps it's because I find it hilarious when people fall down, break things, etc. Or it could be because I can relate to the whole button popping thing. 

In the last 6 months I have gone through two rounds of corticosteroids (prednisone) because I suffer from Reactive Air Ways Disease. The Prednisone, while it always immediately helps the inflammation of my poor little lungies...well...it generally messes everything else up. From ridiculously frequent urination, insomnia, muscle pain and spasms, to totally screwing up my metabolism...well...I have a love-hate relationship with that pill. 

So, as if it weren't enough that I had stopped going to the gym prior to my first RADs episode and had gained a little weight...the prednisone stints definitely didn't do anything for me...except add about 10 pounds to my frame. So, add that to the fact that I am an emotional eater who has recently moved out on her own, and doesn't have time( or make time) to cook healthy foods...well...you do the math on how much weight I've gained.

In a nutshell...I want my body back. So, I've rejoined the gym and I'm trying to curb my horrible eating habits. Last week wasn't so great. I only made it to the gym one time. On the upside (I think) I'm on a new medication that is making me sick to my stomach, so I hardly ate last week at all...so maybe the not working out will balance out with not eating. I think there maybe something wrong with my reasoning in that last sentence. Oh well. 

Anyway, this week, I strive to do better. I have  wedding to be in March and I want to be ready. I want to be able to fit into my dress without the help of various shape smoothing undergarments. I want to be confident in my own skin. 

Rally's BaconZilla Cheeseburgers, Big Macs, fries, Large, Cheesy Pizza's, Dr. Peppers....I'm serving you notice...I want my body back...and you my greasy, yummy friends...aren't gonna stop me from getting it!