Week 1 FMD Recap

Starting weight:  175

7 day weigh in:  169.6

Total Weight Loss:  5.4 lbs

I feel GREAT about this!  I’m very happy with the results so far.  I know a lot of this is water and bloat and won’t continue at this rate, but I do feel like I’ve gained some control over what is going on with my body.  I had gained 20 lbs over the last year (most of it within three months last summer) and it just kept creeping up.  I haven’t seen a 6 on the scale since probably end of January.

I want to keep my head in the game and stay in this for the full month.  I know I won’t be perfect, but as long as I’m good most of the time I feel like I can keep moving in the right direction.  I want to reread this post every time I feel like it is too hard or too restrictive.  Today feels GREAT!

Week 1 Day 7 on the FMD

Last day of week 1.   I’m feeling a little nervous that the plan didn’t feel as hard as I thought it would this week.  And I’m also feeling a bit nervous knowing the weight loss will slow going into week 2, which I know will frustrate me and make me question staying on the plan.  Note to my future self:  STAY ON THE PLAN!!  Even if you’re not perfect, you’re still eating tons healthier than you were.

Weight:  170.4 (up the tiniest bit from yesterday….sigh)

Breakfast:  Oatmeal with blueberries, almond butter and cinnamon, with a side of grape tomatoes.

Snack:  Guacamole with cucumber and grape tomatoes

Lunch:  Leftover roasted veggies with leftover chicken fajita mix.  Had some of the sauce on it, but was overall still a healthy option.  Obviously no tortilla.

Snack:  1/4 c raw almonds and some grape tomatoes.  This was a challenge because we were supposed to be out when I was due for my snack.  But I packed this and it ended up being no big deal!

Dinner:  Marinated pork chops on the grill, roasted zucchini, grape tomatoes and onions plus some brown rice.  Technically the brown rice isn’t Phase 3 but black rice and quinoa are.

Workout:  Did just a few yoga poses (about 15 min worth) on my own.  Otherwise nothing.

Overall I felt good about today.  A few substitutions here and there but that’s probably how I’ll get through these 28 days.  One of the mantras I had in Weight Watchers was “It isn’t about perfection, it’s about progress.”

 

 

Week 1 Day 6 on the FMD

I thought yesterday’s crazy day, coupled with the higher fat options in Phase 3, would show a bump on the scale this morning.  I was prepared for it.  I was shocked to see it down again by another pound.  That made all the resisting temptation the night before worth it.  I know the first week is always the biggest losses and that it is probably mostly bloat and water, but it is still better than going the other direction.

One thing I’m noticing and maybe this is just the first week of the plan but I think I have been to the store almost every day this week, as I navigate the plan.  But the plus side of that is I’m really doing a better job of exploring what I want to eat within the parameters of the plan and so I really am not feeling deprived.  That being said yesterday when I went to get almond butter I grabbed a big bag of clementines not realizing they weren’t Phase 3.  Oops.  Guess what I’ll be eating a lot of come Monday and Tuesday?

Weight:  170.2

Breakfast:  Sprouted grain toast with guacamole topped with sliced cucumbers and a cup of thawed frozen blueberries.

Snack:  3/8 c nuts and some grape tomatoes

Lunch: Panera Bread Southwest Chicken Lime Salad (half salad).  This was a lesson.  If you’re going out, check the menu ahead of time.  I chose this because I thought it would mostly be on plan but it was filled with tortillas, corn and I think maybe some queso cheese.  I picked out most of the tortillas and some of the corn.  Could not even get to the queso it was so embedded.  Plus it came with an apple which isn’t on Phase 3.  But whatever.  This is real life and I can’t stress about a few nuggets of corn.  It was still a damn sight healthier than what I have been eating or what I would normally get there.

Snack:  Celery with almond butter.  Lesson number two of the day.  Don’t buy crappy veggies.  This celery tasted gross compared to the stuff I had the day before.  I would have thrown out this snack if I hadn’t covered it with my pricey almond butter.

Dinner:  Steak with roasted zucchini, onions, celery and grape tomatoes.  Yes, I threw some of the crappy celery on the roasting pan and it was actually decent roasted.  I probably ate too much steak because I was eyeing up everyone else’s delicious looking roasted potatoes at the table and feeling sad.

Exercise:  3 mile walk outside.  Weather was beautiful….finally spring!

Last night was the first night I really was wanting a drink.  We usually have wine with our family dinners and it just felt weird to not have it. I really am getting tired of water.  I need to find other things I can drink.  I ended up with flavored seltzer with dinner which was OK but it was a real battle inside my head.  I can see the longer I stay on this plan the easier it will be to say…well…maybe just one.  Then on the other hand, if I am doing this long term then I will have to sometimes just have a glass or a potato or whatever.  I have to figure out the moderation of it all.

 

 

Week 1 Day 5 on the FMD

I have been looking forward to Phase 3 all week, and then when I woke up and looked at my day (Prom here:  not only do I teach at a high school but my daughter is a senior at the same school) I realized I didn’t plan super well for Phase 3.  I figured it’s mostly stuff on Phase 1 plus fats but that’s not really the case.  There’s a lot of no no fruits on Phase 3.  Plus snacks aren’t fruits.  They’re supposed to be primarily healthy fats and a veg.  But I made it through, mostly.

Weight:  171.2 (I should be happy that I’m down nearly four pounds but this number still doesn’t feel real.  I cannot believe I’m this heavy.  I’ll be happier when that 7 is out of there)

Breakfast:  Sprouted grain toast with organic guacamole and tomatoes, with a side of thawed frozen blueberries.  It’s a little strange to me that I needed the fruit in there, and it felt like a lot of food…but overall I suppose it is not a lot of food since there wasn’t a protein component.

Snack:  3/8 c nuts with grape tomatoes (didn’t want to eat guac for every meal)

Lunch:  5 oz can of tuna, one hard boiled egg over mixed greens with raw asparagus, cucumber, tomatoes dressed with olive oil (yay!) and red wine vinegar.

Snack:  Unsweetened almond butter with celery.  This was actually delicious totally because when I did finally make it to the store I didn’t cheap out on crappy stuff.  I read the labels (a surprising amount of sunbutter and other nut butters have sugar) and settled on what looked to be a good one.  It didn’t disappoint.  Normally I would not love a “celery and nut butter” snack but I am looking forward to eating this again tomorrow.

Dinner:  I made prepackaged, organic chicken fajitas from Costco for the family.  I was going to put mine over salad but in the moment yet another salad made me want to vomit.  I instead quickly threw a zucchini, grape tomatoes and onions in a pan with olive oil and seasonings.  I had that with the chicken and peppers (no sauce, pulled the stuff from the pan before I sauced it) and it was really delicious and satisfying.

Exercise:  None

This is where the day got challenging.  I was volunteering at our schools Post Prom event, which runs from 11-3 am.  I read that you are supposed to eat snacks every three hours if you stay awake three hours past dinner.  So at 9:30 I had a handful of nuts.  I also had two cups of coffee with rice milk, because I just figured it was better than me eating a bunch of stuff to stay awake once I got to the event.

I ended up working in the kitchen!  Surrounded by eggplant parm, tater tots, chicken wings, the most delicious big sub sandwich you ever saw, pizza, candy, cupcakes.  Right?  But honestly, I kept thinking of the chemical breakdowns of how the diet was supposed to be working and I did not have anything.  I did not want to derail myself.  Around 1am I started to get hungry and the kids were slowing down from getting food, so I went to the only thing that felt OK to eat, although technically not on Phase 3:  strawberries.  They were delicious!  I just kept going to those every time I was tempted and kept drinking water.  It might not have been a Phase 3 food but it was definitely a better option than everything else in front of me.  So yay me for not only making it till 3am (I had been up since 5:15) but also for not slipping.  I am really hoping that means this time will be different.

 

Week 1 Day 4 on the FMD

No more headache, but I don’t feel that great energy that I had hoped for after cutting out the booze.  But I’m also not really craving it either…probably because I really feel invested in the science of this and hoping this is what breaks the cycle…so I don’t want to screw it up.  That being said, already starting to get sick of water.  I’m throwing lemon in it but I have to find some alternatives.  I’ll research today and see if I can have anything beyond water and herbal decaf tea.

Weight:  171.8 (trend is slowing…booo)

Breakfast:  egg whites with asparagus, onion, mushrooms and a little spinach.  Seasoned it well and paired it with a bit of the smoked salmon.  Tasty!

Snack:  Smoked salmon and cucumbers with dill.  Yum!

Lunch:  Leftover Mushroom Meatloaf and leftover roasted broccoli

Snack:  Deli chicken wrapped around pickles.  I added Dijon mustard to this, very tasty and quick.

Dinner:  Grilled chicken over mixed greens with raw asparagus, cucumber, last of the roasted broccoli topped with red wine vinegar and lemon juice.  Again, surprisingly tasty and satisfying.

Exercise:  None

I had to eat early tonight because of a meeting, so when I came home at 8pm I was jonesing for something.  Food, snack, something.  I wasn’t really super hungry but just felt like eating.  I drank some more water and just forced myself not to eat.  I suppose I could have had a small salad or something but I just had the feeling that I wanted to eat because of routine or something and not real hunger.  I was proud I overcame it.

Week 1 Day 3 on the FMD

Today is a Phase 2 day, so goodbye fruits and grains.  This phase was the most challenging for me the last time I did the diet, so I really want to explore more recipes and other options so I’m not eating tuna fish and cucumber and hating my life.

I did prepare a little bit for this phase by going to the store and stocking up on veggies and nitrite free deli meats.  And smoked salmon!  I love it and hardly ever eat it but I’ve told myself I’m going to treat myself this time because it will be something to look forward to this phase.

I noticed more energy this morning than I felt yesterday.  So that was a nice surprise.  I assume this will disappear when the sugar from all of that fruit disappears from my system but for now, I’ll take it.

Weight:  172.2 (ugh but down more which is good)

Breakfast:  Egg whites with sauteed asparagus, spinach, onions and mushrooms.  I also had a few links of turkey sausage I had left but then realized they weren’t phase 2 foods.  Whoops.  I used a spray for this but mitigated it with water.  Still not ideal but manageable.

Snack:  Smoked salmon on cucumbers with dill.  This was delicious and satisfying.

Lunch:  Grilled chicken breast over greens, raw asparagus, mushrooms and cucumbers.  Dressing is fresh lemon juice with red wine vinegar.  This was surprisingly good without the oil in the dressing.

Snack:  Nitrite free chicken deli meat wrapped around pickles (4)  I was really late on this snack since I worked out right after school so I needed something fast.

Dinner:  Mushroom Meatloaf and roasted broccoli.  The meatloaf was pretty good, definitely moist enough but could use a little more seasoning.  I roasted the broccoli without any spray on a pan with salt and pepper and oregano.  It was pretty good, but it is still better with oil.

Workout:  I walked one mile before school in the hallways with a colleague and then did 20 minutes on the bike and then weights/machines at the Y.

Cheats:  1 cup of coffee with rice milk, eaten with breakfast, and the turkey sausage.

Overall today was a much better experience in Phase 2 than I had the last time I did the diet.  I really loved the smoked salmon snack.  And the nice thing about the meatloaf was that the entire family could eat it – I just made roasted potatoes for them to go along with their broccoli, but otherwise, I didn’t have separate food, which I liked.

 

Week 1 Day 2 on FMD

Alright, so here we go.  Last night I noticed I was more tired than usual.  Not sure why.  Sugar detox?  Except why since I’m eating fruit filled with sugar?  Who knows.  Also, this morning I have a headache.  Feels like caffeine withdrawal but I had a cup again this morning.  Could it be booze withdrawal?  That would be a scary thought.

Morning Weigh In:  173.2  (right direction but still scary number)

Breakfast:  Oatmeal with frozen blueberries and cinnamon.  I made a double batch yesterday so this was a much easier morning than yesterday.  Maybe I should prep the night before?

Snack:  Fresh pear.

Lunch:  Quinoa (leftover from making for lunch day before), chicken and roasted zucchini, tomatoes and peppers (leftover from night before)

Snack:  Fuji apple

Dinner:  Last of the quinoa, roasted veggies and turkey sausage

Today was much easier because I had done a lot of the cooking the day before, so it was easy to reheat everything.  I actually felt like I could maintain this because the food was tasty and didn’t feel deprived.

The day was kind of crazy but I was able to get in a walk/run while my daughter was at dance class.  It was tough but I felt like I pushed myself.  So yay I got in the prescribed cardio day.

The headache I’d started the day with was gone by the end of the day, so that was good.

Cheats:  One cup of coffee with rice milk with breakfast.  Nothing else!  🙂

 

 

Week 1, Day 1 on FMD

Like the book suggests, I started Phase 1 on a Monday.  The last time I did this I started on the wrong day and that was a challenge.  Phase 1 is low fat, high carb.  Fruits, veggies, lean protein, healthy carbs, no oils or fats.

Morning weigh in:  175 (OMG this sucks)

Breakfast:  Fresh strawberries and oatmeal with cinnamon.

I like oatmeal so this was easy.  I topped with cinnamon for flavor.  It was delicious!

Snack:  Fresh pear.

I didn’t really feel super hungry but I made myself have the snack.

Lunch:  Leftover chicken breast and salad plus quinoa I cooked before work next to the oatmeal.  Needed more flavor.  I need to use herbs and salt/pepper on the quinoa.  Lunch also calls for a fruit so I had half an apple.

Snack:  Wasn’t sure what to do here so I made a weird salad with the other half of the apple, cucumber, red onion and a few grape tomatoes, topped with lemon juice, salt and red wine vinegar.  It was OK.  Not great.  But it filled the hole.

Dinner:  Turkey sausage cooked on a sheet pan with zucchini, onion, red peppers and tomatoes.  I put them on foil and doused the foil with cooking spray.  This worked.  I seasoned with salt, pepper and oregano.  I served over brown rice.  This was actually pretty good.

Exercise: None.  Ran out of time.

The only “cheats” I had were one glass of cold pressed juice with dinner (I usually have wine so this was my one caveat) and a cup of coffee with rice milk with breakfast.  Technically not on plan but HP says you can do it if you must as long as you have it with food.  I usually have two cups and made myself only do one, so that was something.

Overall this day did not feel super challenging and I liked the food.  I felt good about it at the end of the day.

Starting the Fast Metabolism Diet

Well here we go again.  Why don’t I ever learn?

I’ve gained.  Lots of weight.  To the highest point I’ve ever been when not pregnant.  And it is time.  I’ve developed some super unhealthy habits that have to be broken.  I can’t stay like this.  I’ve gained 20 pounds in the last year (most of it were gained in a short, three month span).

What I’ve been doing isn’t working.  So it’s time to start again.

FMD isn’t easy.  There’s a whole lot you can’t have:

• no wheat
• no sugar
• no alcohol
• no dairy
• no processed food
• no corn, soy
• technically no caffeine although I am drawing the line here.  But I will cut what I drink to one cup of coffee a day, which is half or more than what I usually do.

FMD forces you to “detox” your organs through a specific set of food combinations, called phases.  The good part is you can eat a lot of what’s allowed.  The bad thing is a lot isn’t allowed.

I tried the FMD a year ago, and I liked the results.  I think I lost seven or eight pounds, although I wasn’t super strict about it.  I remembered that I liked not counting calories.  I remembered I never really felt hungry.

I remember going the full time and then bingeing out so badly after that I never really kept a hold of any of the lessons I’d learned.

So here we go.  It’s time to start.  Again.