Since going Paleo my family has fallen even more in love with our grill. Paleo and grilling just work well together. The past couple of years I've even been stepping outside my grilling comfort zone more and more. Grilling things I'd never thought to have grilled before and trying new flavor combinations. I have to say I'm pretty thrilled with the results of most of my flavor experiments. In the past I'd never have thought to grill fruit, but it's amazing. Grilling fruit and adding it to traditionally savory dishes? Brilliant. Oh yes, and? New rule: every burger recipe for the rest of forever must contain grilled pineapple. OK, maybe more of a guideline. It's a seriously delicious combination though. This Smoky Grilled Pineapple Burger is always a crowd-pleaser at my house. It's not only Paleo, but Whole30, glutenfree, lower carb, and clean eating friendly. I promise you won't miss the bun! paleo, grilled pineapple burger, smoky
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| image via http://www.healthybirds.umd.edu/BasicMangement/RaisingYoungBirds.cfm |
I am struggling.
Yep.
Struggling.
I'm not losing weight.
I feel like that little duck in the picture, struggling so hard, I can see what's over the ledge, but just can't quite get my footing.
My positive attitude will not falter, but I feel I can still be honest and real about my struggles without being negative...so, here's whatsup:
I haven't lost any weight in several months.
It's not a plateau.
It's not just the scale being fickle either.
No excuses here. My clothes fit the same, my body fat is the same, I have stayed the same.
It's my eating.
I am eating good things, but obviously too much of them. I have stopped counting calories and am just trying to watch my portions and eat good whole 'clean' foods. I am still tracking my food intake via my fitbook and really want to transition away from obsessing over every calorie I eat. Obsession is my struggle. I think ditching the calorie counting is a good goal and I'm willing to go through the trial and error it's going to take to get there. This is life, this is forever, not a quick fix diet. However as of right now I obviously haven't found the right balance to lose weight.
I also have had several large slip-ups at Memorial Day, my kiddos 16th, and the 4th. Once a month overboard eating can take me a while to reverse. Then there's another event.
My workouts however are better than ever thanks to my half marathon training. Yay for that!
I have made it so far, yet I still have roughly 30 pounds to lose. This is not the time to get complacent. The main thing that bothers me about not losing is that I know every pound lost will help my running. The lighter I am the easier my runs will be. The less weight I have to cart around the faster I can be. As a heavier runner I can be more prone to injury because I just put more stress on my body with these extra pounds. Funny how motivations change.
So, I will:
- Keep trying to figure out the right portions for me. Not obsessing about food and calories is my ultimate goal and watching portions instead of counting calories is the next step for me.
- Get better at handling special events...they're sorta gonna happen for the rest of my life!
- Bring back weekly weigh in posts.
- I've cooked up a little weight loss challenge with some twitter friends, details coming tomorrow!
- Most importantly not quit, not lose site of my goals...I GOT THIS!!!
I am doing a lot of things right and know I just need to keep tweaking things here and there as my body gets smaller. What worked at 200 pounds isn't exactly what I need at 175. It's all about figuring out what works for me. And it's worth the effort.
Do you find weight loss harder as you get smaller?
PLUNGES ARM THROUGH COMPUTER IN AN OFFER TO LEND A HAND.
ReplyDeleteI definitely did.
In a way its easier initially huh as anything we change produces results!results!
until it doesnt.
looking forward to the challenge deets---and email me if you want.
I have been 'stuck' at the same weight for ages now... I am not worried about it really but I also have to deal with it as it probably won't move now that I am in marathon training...and may go up a bit. Yikes..
ReplyDeleteHang tough...
I've lost 20ish lbs and I've noticed in the last 2 months or so I'm only losing a few lbs a month where I was losing 5 or more a month when I started. I still have 20-25 lbs to go, but I do find that it's getting harder to lose it. And that really taxes my mentality. There are sometimes when I feel like there's no use in trying anymore and just want to give up. Thankfully, I don't! Hang in there, it's not an easy road, but you're health and a long life is worth it!
ReplyDeleteYES! I have really struggle the past two months. Like you, mostly still eating good things, just too much. The extra snacking at night is really my downfall. I think for me, I get complacent the closer I get to my goal. Don't work as hard. I am going to follow your great example and rededicate myself!
ReplyDeleteI like how you seemed to talk through the issue you have with youself in this post. And then you came up with a plan to tackle it and beat it. Changing it up is important yet something we dont always do so well. I know I have to keep reminding myself to avoid being too routine and keep it interesting and varied to keep it effective as well.
ReplyDeleteMe, too! I'm in the middle, no-moving zone with you. I get enough off to get back into some clothes, then I relax, because the situation isn't as critical anymore. Then, I slowly nibble my way back up to crisis stage, which seems like it occurs overnight.
ReplyDeleteI'm doing Deb's Freedom Challenge to reignite myself. Not setting number of pounds as a goal, but working on some bad habits and making a specific time commitment to exercise.
Weight loss is definitely harder as I get smaller, because my panic level dwindles, which is pathetic!
Oh those numbers..that is what I struggle with too!
ReplyDeleteI finally feel like my head is back in the game. Finally. I have new motivation though... I don't know. But I do know that as I lose my hour on the elliptical no longer yields the same caloric loss.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait for the callenge. I want to keep stepping it up.
Ive been around the same wight for 6 months now. I dunno...just still here. lol If I was not trying imagine all the weight I would have gained!
ReplyDeleteI can relate too. Same weight here for a month. But mine is NOT eating enough. I know sounds weird but I am not hungry so I forget to eat. It is so frustrating to be so close but so far away. Good goals though.smile.
ReplyDeleteYour awareness will serve you well! One thing that helps me is take the word "struggle" out of my vocabulary. Start using positive statements like, "a healthy weight comes easily and naturally to me!"
ReplyDeleteWeight loss is naturally slower when you're smaller, just because your body requires less energy. But it's not about WHEN you get to the goal but that you get there at all that matters. I have to keep telling myself this too.
ReplyDeleteI've had a week of just shoving my face. A LOT of shoving my face. No emotional eating. Just enjoying a lot of bad foods. And no working out/training. I used my birthday/4th as an excuse and now that it's over, it's time to do what I was doing. It's so hard because it's so easy to find excuses. But we can do this :)
Oh sista, I hear you loud and clear...I think we've lost about the same amount of weight too, and it is SO MUCH HARDER NOW than it was before. Now, I feel, is so much more mental than anything else. The small choices are much more pertinent. The steps need to be so much larger...it gets discouraging, doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteBut I'm gonna keep pushing forward, and you're going to keep pushing forward, and together we're ALL gonna make it.
Count me in for the challenge, for sure!
Calorie intake is a big issue for me too. All the exercise in the world doesn't make up for too many calories too often.
ReplyDeleteHey. I agree about the logging issue. Obsession is bad, but logging does help; what to do! I have been experimenting with more casual logging using a spreadsheet I created. I got the idea from reading BitchCakes blog. I post a screen shot of the filled out log every week in my monday check in:
ReplyDeletehttp://mashablog.tumblr.com/post/773342528/monday-check-in-june-28-july-4-2010
For the food log, I basically record that I was on plan, I overate, or I ate less. So far it has worked pretty well for me. After a lot of calorie counting, I have pretty good intuition when a given meal is on track or not. Also, when I forget to log, it is usually possible to remember up to 2 days worth of meals at this low level of detail.
Sending hugs your way...I totally relate!!! Totally....
ReplyDeleteI really like this post, Kat. You totally know why you're not losing at this time and you are working through it. Keep it up and don't give up. You look marvelous, dahling and you will get there!
ReplyDeleteI find losing weight difficult. Several years ago I lost over 50 lbs. I loved my body again. Then I became lax and now I've nearly gained it all back. I'm depressed and need to get going again. You've inspired me to get back on the "healthy" eating wagon. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteIt's taken my 4 yrs to lose 120 lbs ...that's a lot of time and a lot of plateaus. I was eating very healthy foods , but too much. I really have to actually follow a structured plan and count calories. My dietician always tells me, you can eat the healthy foods in certain portions when you are in maintenance, but to lose you have to eat a certain # of calories and burn a certain # of calories. It's always less than I want it to be. Good luck. frequency, intensity, time.
ReplyDeleteHey girl, you can do this! You're strong and dedicated and as long as your remain conscious of what you're eating and maintain, you'll be fine!! You're a rockstar sister! xxoxoxoxo
ReplyDeleteTook me forever to catch up on my reading, but yeah, I'm so with you! I't so much harder for me now--every Calories effects me more than it used to. But I can't give up either. I've got to keep pushing---just like you are!
ReplyDelete