2024 Resolution — How Things Are Going (Month Four!)
Well, we’re now four months into this year, and I’m still going strong on my resolution for this year, which was to go the whole year without eating sugar. I explained exactly what I mean by that here.
Four months without sugar! That is a HUGE accomplishment for me! Part of my resolution was to give myself six cheat days throughout the year. But after four months, I still haven’t used a cheat day, and I’m not sure if I will. The first time I might even consider it is my birthday, which is at the end of June. But the longer I go without sugar, the more resolved I am to go the whole year without any cheat days. So I’ll have to wait and see how I feel about it on the actual day. I might set a goal for myself, like if I reach a weight loss goal of “X” number of pounds lost by that day, I can have cake. If not, then I’ll skip the cake. We’ll see.
But speaking of pounds lost, this last month was a strange one. While I didn’t eat sugar, I also wasn’t very careful with my eating on those days that I eat at restaurants, which is every Sunday and every Wednesday. Because of that, I only had a net loss of 1.5 pounds during the month of April, for a total loss of 25.5 pounds since January 1st.
I’m still very proud of that overall weight loss. I mean, 25.5 pounds is a significant difference! But I am a bit irritated at myself that I wasn’t more careful about my choices during those Sunday and Wednesday meals out.
But here’s the strange thing. While I wasn’t careful about those meals at all (except that I stayed away from sugar), I did continue my workouts almost every day (at least five days a week), and I continued to be diligent about what I ate during all of my other non-restaurant meals. And while the scale only showed a 1.5 pound loss, I went down a pant size during the month!
I started out the month wearing 16W in my Judy Blue jeans (which is my absolute favorite brand of jeans). I had purchased several 14W pairs of Judy Blues in anticipation of losing more weight and needing to go down in size. At the beginning of the month, I could get into all of the 14Ws and get them all buttoned and zipped, but they were all too tight and uncomfortable to actually wear in public. But about a week ago, I started being able to wear some of them very comfortably. That’s just fascinating to me, and just goes to validate what we’ve all been told over and over again, but still sometimes have a hard time believing — the scale isn’t the most reliable measure of fat loss.
Obviously, the scale has to move again at some point. It’s impossible to continue losing inches without the scale starting to move again at some point. But I’m not overly concerned about it. This next month, my goal is to be more mindful of what I eat on Sundays and Wednesdays so that I won’t continue to sabotage the good choices the rest of the week. And I’d also like to add 15 minutes of walking on my treadmill at the highest incline setting every day. Other than that, I’ll continue with my kettlebells and weights (I generally use the Ladder app for my workouts), and continue to be mindful of what I eat at home, and I think the scale will start to move again.
I’m still not ready to share any full-length “before” and “progress” pictures. I’ll get there eventually, but it may be late summer or fall before I’m ready for that. But for now, I’ll share another “before” and “progress” face picture. Both of these pictures were taken at the same restaurant with the same awful, harsh lighting, and with the same phone and same settings. I only edited them for brightness and color because the lighting is awful, and in addition to the harsh shadows, the lighting turns my pale skin beet red. 😀 Anyway, the picture on the left was January 7th, and the picture on the right was this past Sunday, April 28th.
Another interesting thing that happened this last month is that I got three unsolicited compliments from people commenting on how my weight loss was really starting to show in an obvious way. Again, I just find it so interesting that that happened during a month when the scale barely moved. It’s hard to understand how that happens.
On my last update at the end of March, I had some people ask me about what I’m eating. I’m not doing the ketogenic diet, which is generally my go-to diet. I’ve kind of settled into a low carb, mid-range fat, and high protein diet. When I’m not sabotaging myself with all the carbs on Wednesdays and Sundays 😀 , I try to keep carbs under 50 grams, fat under 90 grams, and protein at a minimum of 120 grams. That generally lands me between 1200 and 1700 calories per day.
I didn’t just come up with those numbers at random. I used the formulas from the Bodyhealth 30-Day Fat Loss Challenge. A friend of mine was doing their 30-Day Lean Bulk Challenge and told me about it. When I realized they had a fat loss challenge, I figured that would be more appropriate for me, but then I didn’t really start it. I only got so far as figuring my macros, putting those into my Carb Manager app (I use the free version), and then spending a few days tweaking the carbs until I found a ratio that my body seemed to respond to very positively. So that’s how I landed on those macros that I use now.
What I love about these new macros that I’m using is that I can eat fruit. I was never able to eat fruit when doing a ketogenic diet because one piece of fruit would put me over my carbs for the day. So I’ve been thoroughly enjoying the addition of fruit to my diet over this last month. And as I mentioned, my body loves these new macros that I’ve settled on over this last month.
In fact, I’ll just be honest, the effectiveness of these new macros is why I got so lax on my eating on Sundays and Wednesdays during the month of April. In the previous months, if I lost control of my eating on Sunday or Wednesday and gained weight, there was no guarantee I could get that weight off before I ate out the next time. So if I wasn’t extremely careful, my weight could creep up, and up, and up from Sunday to the next Wednesday.
With these new macros, it seems like no matter what or how much I eat on any given Sunday or Wednesday, and no matter how many pounds the scale shows I’m up on Monday morning or Thursday morning, the new macros help me drop that weight very quickly and easily. So I guess you could say that during the month of April, I abused the system. Rather than using the effectiveness of the new macros to help me drop as much weight as possible during the month of April, instead I abused the effectiveness of the new macros to eat whatever I wanted, and in any amount I wanted, on Sundays and Wednesdays, knowing that I’d drop that weight quickly over the next couple of days, and there would be no net gain.
Now don’t get me wrong. That would be a perfectly fine and effective method for weight maintenance. But I’m no where near a “maintenance” stage right now. 😀 I’ve got a long way to go before I can hit any kind of maintenance stage. So basically what I did was use my newfound knowledge to kind of lose control for a month. I wasted an entire month. So this next month, my goal is to do much better on Sundays and Wednesdays, and to stop allowing those days to sabotage my good decisions the rest of the week. , and use my newfound knowledge to give me the freedom to eat whatever I wanted, and in whatever amount I wanted (again, as long as I wasn’t eating sugar) every Sunday and Wednesday. I allowed the effectiveness of the new macros as an excuse The effectiveness of the new macros
So with all of that said, here is a sample of what I eat in a day. I only eat two meals a day. I tried eating breakfast for a while, but eating early upsets my stomach. So lunch is always my first meal of the day, and I try not to eat anything after 7:00pm. So here’s what a day might look like:
LUNCH:
- 8 ounces of rotisserie chicken, shredded
- 2 bell peppers (one red and one green) sautéed in 2 tablespoons of butter or coconut oil
- 2 ounces of shredded Mexican Blend cheese
- 1/4 cup of medium salsa
- 2 Hero flour tortillas
This is such an easy meal! I get the fully cooked rotisserie chicken from HEB. I sauté the bell peppers, and while those are cooking, I shred the chicken. When the peppers are cooked how I like them (I like them tender-crisp), I add the chicken to the skillet, along with the salsa, and stir it all together. Then top with the shredded cheese, cover, and let the cheese melt. And then I eat that with two low-carb tortillas. It’s so good I could eat it every day!
MID-AFTERNOON SNACK:
- Rt. 44 unsweet tea from Sonic, with lemon, sweetened with stevia
- About 15 radishes (I love radishes so much 😀 , and the fat loss challenge stressed the importance of eating cruciferous veggies. I was thrilled to learn that radishes are cruciferous!)
DINNER:
- Protein shake
- 1 naval orange
- 1/2 banana
- 1 cup cottage cheese (4% milkfat)
- 1 scoop Equip Prime protein powder
- A splash of vanilla extract
- ice
I put all of that into my Blendtec on the Beverages –> Smoothies setting. It’s sooooo good, and has quite the protein punch! Cottage cheese is not one of those foods that I get excited about, but there’s nothing about this shake that tastes like cottage cheese. It’s just a great source of protein, while providing a fairly neutral flavored base for the fruit and vanilla protein powder.
I started doing this for dinner because I had been eating one meal a day for so long, and I got used to the freedom that one meal a day gave me with my schedule. Adding another cooked meal to my schedule made me feel like I was spending my whole day caring for Matt and cooking, which left little to no time for me to get any work done. This shake is very quick to make, and since I put it into a stainless steel-lined cup that keeps it cold and icy, I can sip on it while I continue to work. I know that’s not idea. We’re supposed to sit down and enjoy our meals and be completely “present” when eating, but sometimes we just have to do what we have to do with the time we have. And I don’t have time to sit down for cooked meals twice a day, plus get everything else done that I need to do. So for now, this shake works for me, and I love it so much that I look forward to it every day.
I really could eat that lunch every day because it’s so good! But here are some other things I eat for lunch:
- Breakfast burritos with scrambled eggs, bacon, cheese, and salsa on Hero tortillas
- Hamburgers using Hero hamburger buns
- Chicken Caesar wrap with rotisserie chicken, creamy Caesar dressing, lettuce, grated Parmesan cheese, and Hero tortilla
You might notice that I don’t deprive myself of bread. I just make sure that I eat low carb bread, and there are two options that I’ve found that are actually quite amazing. Hero has tortillas, hamburger buns, white bread, wheat bread, Hawaiian rolls, and brioche slicer rolls. There’s another company called Royo that has amazing low carb sliced bread and bagels. (All of these products are low NET carb, to be clear.) All of the products I’ve tried from both companies are so good. I haven’t tried anything that I didn’t like.
Some days, if my macros allow (depending on what I had for lunch), I like to enjoy a mid-afternoon snack of a cinnamon raisin bagel, “toasted” in the air fryer, with about two tablespoons of Polaner sugar-free strawberry preserves. Again, I don’t get to have that every day (sadly), but it just depends on what I’ve had for lunch, and if I plan to have my protein shade for dinner. Generally, when I have this snack in the afternoon, I will forgo the protein shake for dinner (that’s way too much sweet food for me), and just grab some leftover rotisserie chicken and a veggie for dinner. And again, I just make sure I’m done eating for the day by 7:00pm. I’ll still drink iced tea with lemon and stevia in the evening, but I just don’t eat anything else after 7:00pm.
So I hope that’s helpful for those of you who asked! But again, these are MY macros. Go to that link I provided and figure your macros, and start there. Download the free version of the Carb Manager app, set it up with your macros in the settings, and then just start playing around with some meal ideas in the app and see what you can get to fit your macros. And then from there, you can spend a few days tweaking those macros to see what seems to work best for you. Some people may do better with more fat, while others do better with less. Same with carbs. The less-than-20-carbs-per-day of the keto diet has been my go-to diet for a decade now, but it seems that my body actually prefers around 50 grams of net carbs per day.
I know that most people want a quick fix and a definite, easy-to-follow plan. That’s what I always wanted, and that’s why the keto diet always appealed to me. But it might actually take a couple of weeks and lots of tweaking to find exactly what works for you. But I’ve realized that taking that time to find exactly what your own body thrives on, rather than using someone else’s numbers, is so worth it.
Addicted 2 Decorating is where I share my DIY and decorating journey as I remodel and decorate the 1948 fixer upper that my husband, Matt, and I bought in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do physical work, so I do the majority of the work on the house by myself. You can learn more about me here.
Somehow, your face has become softer and warmer, not that it wasn’t before. All my admiration, Kristi!
Wow…I do see quite a difference in the two photos…you look wonderful! Eating out is always an issue…so easy to lose control of portions, the fat they cook in, the rolls/fresh bread sitting in the basket in front of you. On and On~ I think one thing that might be having an effect on the scale…Muscle is heavier than fat, so you are doing so well with your work outs, you may be building a bit more muscle and losing more fluff and that is why your clothes are fitting better, even if the scale is slower. It is all very healthy, and yes, perhaps you need to watch those outing days…even if it is just to see some movement on the scale to keep motivated. I’m so happy for you…it is all a lifetime battle.
Kristi, what a difference in those two pictures! How smart you are to work out what your body responds to and adjust as needed. Keep up the good work.
I’m sure you have read a lot about the need to monitor salt. Here in Ecuador, my doctor directed me to see the nutritionist whose office is also in the small hospital near me. She is a real expert and perhaps for that reason she has an InBody machine in her office. (There are only three in the country) You may have had the fun of stepping on one and getting the full results printed out. Wow, how revealing to see the amount of water, fat, and you-name-it inside your body!
Anyway, salt was mentioned so many times it hit home because I like it. But I changed my ways. The correct amount of water to drink was reduced a bit.
Thanks for sharing the helpful info.
This is such a helpful post — thank you! I have been wanting to try something like this but did not know where to start. It has been so effective for you as evidenced by your photos and your clothing. The exercise has probably helped a lot — I need that too.
You are doing great! Slow and steady wins the race! With all the work you do and wait till you start gardening too..You’ll hit your goals even faster!
Your body is building muscle which weighs more than fat but the muscle makes you leaner than the fat. That’s why the scale doesn’t show much difference but your body shape does. BTW you labeled your after pic May 28th and it should be April.
Kristi, you are doing so well on your resolution. I’ve recently lost 50 pounds and the months when I lost the least were also the months that had the most “body transformation”, when inches were lost and things sifted around, like changes in clothes sizes. I think our bodies need time to acclimate to the changes. Keep us posted!
You had a wonderful surprise with that non scale victory!! and you look
absolutely stunning!! Way to go Kristi…keep working at it, and rock out in your
teeny weeny Judy Blues! Yeeeehaw!
You look great!:))
Yay!👏👏two thoughts: 1) remember that muscle weighs more than fat, and 2) “if not today, then tomorrow”…or the day after that or the week after that. Because it’s not a sprint, its a marathon!!
One pound of muscle = one pound of fat – They weigh the same 😉 On the other hand a pound of muscle may take up less space than a pound of fat and is also more metabolically active.
Thank you for this comment. 1 lb of muscle has less volume and more density than 1 lb of fat, the fat takes up more space but, it still weighs 1 lb.
Congratulations! Netfllix has a new documentary about “gut” health, and it offered an interesting explanation about why your sugar cravings may have decreased. (Microbiome changes.)
Congrats on the new jean size! While you said it was only a 1.5 lb loss, you did say you were working out 5 days a week. Gotta remember that muscle weighs more than fat. it looks to me like you are losing the fat but building muscle. The scale doesn’t differentiate but your clothes do. Because fat weighs less than muscle, it also takes up more room. If you put 10 lbs of steaks in a pile and 10 lbs of fat, the steak pile will be much smaller. 10 lbs is 10 lbs. Think of the feathers and lead joke. Which one would you rather carry around? A pound of lead or a pound of feathers?
They weigh the same….1 lb fat…1 lbs muscle is exactly the same! http://www.clevelandclinic.com
In my 40s I did WW meetings for the first time and was very successful.
One of the first things I noticed was how I lost the deep facial creases near my nose and the “spare tire” around my neck. I see both of those in your face; you look so different! Fast forward to my 70s—and it goes faster than you can imagine—extra weight doesn’t come off as easily for me. I keep trying though.
Good for you and your journey towards being healthier. I lost 20 lbs in the last two years. I recommend Dr Mark Hyman….take out his audiobooks/books from the library. He has a lot of common sense ideas…some take you into the weeds a bit, lol. He’s a little technical, BUT I am just making copies of what to eat and what NOT to eat. I’ll just follow the list. I also do intermittent fasting. Coffee in the morning, breakfast/lunch/whatever around 11-2 and the second and last meal of the day around 4:30. No eating after 6!! I stopped eating chocolate about 30 years ago and stopped pies, cakes, cookies and donuts in 2018. Use monkfruit sweetener, no sugar, sweet n low, etc. I feel so much better. The best for you!!!
I showed your pictures to my husband and told him you were my Blogg Lady. I have shown him all the neat stuff you have build so he knows who my Blogg Lady is. Anyway, he said “Man she has really lost weight.” I said yes she has, 25.5 lbs. I thought you would get a kick out of that.
You are doing great. Remember muscle weighs more than fat, I think that is how it goes. Keep up the good work.
Well done darling! You are currently addicted2redecorating your body and doing a stunning job! 🙂
So appreciate you sharing your updates, those helpful tools and giving us a glimpse into actual food eaten each day – very kind and makes me feel it’s so doable.
i also find it helpful when trying to loose weight – picking easy meals i love and repeating them often is super helpful.
The reason it for your “low” weight loss is because your are replacing fat for muscle which is denser than fat so it looks like you are not losing much weight when in fact your body is starting to tone up so don`t go by the scales go by how your clothes fit and how fit you are getting and feel and the energy you now have without getting tired,, well done you ,,,,
Congratulations on sticking to your resolution and achieving such great results! I think you’re doing exactly the right thing, figuring out what works for you and will be sustainable over the long term.
You’ve mentioned using “new macros” a lot here. What does this mean? Macronutrients? A close-up lens? Or maybe a calculation of some sort?
I know conventional macronutrients are fat, protein and carbohydrates. What are “new macros”?
Haha! I should have been much clearer about that! By “new macros” I meant the new numbers that I figured for my own macros (macronutrients — protein, carbohydrates, fat) based on the suggestions on the Bodyhealth 30-Day Fat Loss Challenge article that I linked. I call them “new” macros because the numbers I finally landed on after using their suggestions and then tweaking them based on how my body reacted to them were quite different from the numbers I’ve been using for years every time I went back to a ketogenic diet. Based on my “new” macros, I can have 2.5 times the amount of carbs, less fat, and more protein.
Thanks for taking the time to explain and congrats again on your journey!
Kudos to you!!! I’m on a wellness journey myself…I started last June. I weighed myself 2 weeks ago – and was down 47 lbs. I’m older than you, with health issues…but am feeling so much better. I started out wearing plus size 1X-2X – had to slowly donate those clothes – currently wearing Size 14 – Size 12 in wide leg jeans! I’d like to lose an additional 20 lbs (I’m 5’7″) and can carry weight – people would never guess I weighed 208 lbs when I started! I don’t have a specific diet I follow…but will have treats every now & again. Keep up the great work!!
Wow you look amazing.. Hope you reach your goal!!
Kristi – You are probably building muscle which is offsetting your total weight loss. It also explains why you are in a smaller pant size even though the scale only shows a 1.5 weight loss. Keep up the good work. The difference in the facial picture from January to now is amazing.
Hi Kristi…I recently got into wanting to lose weight when I noticed I’d gone up 1/2-1 inch.
Do you know much about this Bodyhealth thing? They suggest taking their amino acids, omega 3 and digestive enzymes but I’m not so sure if that’s necessary…couldn’t you see weight loss via using those formulas to calculate the “macros” and their suggested exercise routine? I eat a whole foods based diet already with only a small about of processed things (I find most stuff too sugary) yet I could increase my level of exercise. I think they are onto something with hormones and sleep as I did stay up late more nights than often and it threw off my sleep! Oops.
I think my body prefers a higher level of carbs than yours (mm whole grain bread from home ground flour) yet curious to see how I feel with a different level.
BTW, you look good!
I don’t think the amino acids and other things are necessary. I do have some of their amino acids, and I think I’ll try to use them more regularly this month. I think it’s a great product, but I don’t like the taste, so I have a hard time making myself be consistent with it. But no, I don’t think it’s necessary.
Kristi,
I just love how ‘open and honest’ you are about everything! You are not trying to sell, promote items and push products on us, the viewers, just for the MONEY. Everyone else seems to be in it for financial gain. Thank you for that.
You are stunning! You have a aura about you – in both pictures- that screams beauty.
Love your content.
Congratulations on your continued success.
Can not wait to see your future self (your wonderful now).
Congrats to you! This is awesome and you look great. Also, enjoyed your post on the castor oil. I use coconut oil as my makeup remover and as a moisturizer and i Love that it soaks in to my skin. I have castor oil & actually bought it for the ‘eyelash growth’ which doesn’t seem to work for me. it is sticky but i think i’ll try to use it as a moisturizer too. Thanks for your tips!!