yayhowfun

Thanks so much for your thoughts Christina. I bought and read Ari’s book Forever Fat Loss this weekend and the concept is really interesting…we need a calorie deficit, but it can’t be forced…I get it, but it’s also really hard to NOT monitor. :)

I went and had a V02 metabolic test done, along with a body composition and RMR test today as well – I found out that I’m burning 1627 calories at rest and surprisingly, my metabolism errs on the HIGH side of normal. That was really exciting news! But…because of all this “metabolism fixing,” I’m still 20 lbs more than I want to be.

I’m going to try what Ari is preaching, along with limiting carbs in the late afternoons/evenings. (I’m still going to eat them, just try and make the majority of my carb intake happen during the morning and early afternoon.)

Question for you: how long did it take you to get down from size 12 to 8 and how much weight was that? I ask because I feel like I’m still inching up and need some sort of time frame to look forward to.

Thanks again!

Crinkly…I pray to God I get there. I’ve been gaining for 6 months. SIX months. I fit into NOTHING. Literally every time I get dressed, I have to suppress tears.

I didn’t really go crazy with junk – I had some cereal with 2% milk, and started eating gluten again (in the form of whole grain or sprouted grain bread), but everything else has been whole foods – chicken, steak, sweet potatoes, etc. I recently started cutting down on fat because Dr G said that might help, but the numbers are still slowly creeping up. My temps are up, but that’s the only real marker I’ve seen moving in the right direction – I’ve always slept well, so there’s nothing new on that front. However, I now have a fat roll…and I’m so upset I can’t bear it. Everything says to reduce stress – but all I’ve done is gain stress – and it increases each time I walk by a mirror. I was happy before – I was a little frustrated with the fact that I was struggling to lose the last 5-10 lbs, yes…but this is much, much worse.

I’m still working out because it’s the only thing that makes me feel better, but I’m monitoring my heart rate as well as my stress levels (with a heart rate variability sensor).

I’m getting a hair mineral analysis from Dr G, going to get a metabolic rate test done, and also having my thyroid tested next week. Something must be wrong here, because this just doesn’t make any sense.

Rob, Amy – anyone? I need help.

I’d LOVE to hear that long post! I’m very interested in what your adjusted diet looks like! Please share!

Thanks for this Crinkly!! That’s really helpful! So, you’re just eating what you want (to a degree), cutting out PUFA’s, and not drinking a ton of water?

It sounds like you were breastfeeeding, so I’m sure that had something to do with it, but still good to know. :) I’d love to hear from more real people about their success!

Does this apply to like Ezekiel bread and other sprouted grain breads?

Nature’s Path Organic Koala Crisps (it’s basically Cocoa Krispies)

Here’s the thing – you don’t have to gorge yourself on McDonald’s every day…or at all. Eat for Heat and DR2 are about letting go of crazy restrictions. I’ve let go of all my crazy restrictions on carbs and sugar – but I don’t eat McDonald’s…and I probably never will. I eat what my body craves – and it certainly doesn’t crave genetically modified, deep-fried (in PUFA) chemical-laden “chicken” nuggets.

If I want ice cream, I eat it – but I eat good quality gelato at a local gelato shop or natural ice cream without a bunch of chemicals in it. For breakfast, I used to eat egg whites with sauteed kale – now, I’ll have cereal (Organic Cocoa Krispies, btw) with 2% organic milk or I’ll have smoked salmon with kefir or goat cheese on some Ezekiel bread.

You don’t have to eat a bunch of overly processed junk food every day. If I want a cheeseburger, I have one – from a restaurant that doesn’t feature a drive-thru. I also eat small or normal portion sizes more times per day – when you eat nutrient-dense food, you don’t have to eat giant portions. When I used to eat mostly vegetables and lean proteins, I would have to eat a TON to get full. Now, I eat smaller portions of foods that are denser. (Sidebar – I don’t get bloated anymore. It’s incredible.)

So, if you really want a McFlurry – by all means, go have it…maybe just don’t get a super-sized one and eat every last drop. If it were me, I’d just rather have a scoop or two of really good quality ice cream rather than a giant portion of fake “fro yo.”