Frankly, I have tried a couple diets when I was younger but I just don't like them. I even went vegan for a while last year to see if that would help me drop weight, but it didn't. All diets seem to have some people saying they're great, but then those people end up gaining it all back very quickly and overall I just feel like it's fad after fad. Atkins, Paleo, South Beach, etc.
When Ben showed me pictures of his brother and sister after they had done their diet for I think about 1 1/2 months I was pretty stunned. Neither of them were fat by any means, but I noticed the difference immediately, and when his sister sent a picture of her in her prom gown we both said, "She might be getting too skinny." So right off I realized that it was something that worked and worked quickly. When their family came into town I asked Ben's sister more about it and she told me that her brother had read the book, but that she hadn't yet. She got the rules and basics from him and just started the diet. They had also told their other brother in San Diego about it, who is a Navy Doctor, and he said it was sound and also started the diet with his wife. That was a pretty big endorsement to Ben's sister, and me as well.
I was very interested at this point, but I was still nursing (and keeping my milk is extremely difficult for me) so I didn't want to do anything to jeopardize that. I waited until later to get started. In the meantime Ben started the diet. I noticed his change very quickly. Of course the first week is mostly water-weight that drops, but even after that I noticed areas where fat would normally store beginning to shrink.
Now, at this point I still hadn't read the books, but I knew the rules.
To put it simply it's a ultra-low carb diet (30 carb grams or less/day), high in fat and high in protein. Plus, throw in a carb night (carb binge) about once a week. That's basically the gist of it.
What I didn't like before I started it was seeing how much meat they all were eating! I told Ben I didn't think I could do it because I'm not a big meat lover. Occasionally, sure, but I don't prefer steak (in fact I've never even made one before), chicken is okay, but I wouldn't want it everyday. Ben was making chicken almost every day. Chicken fajitas, fried chicken (made with a pork rind batter - low carb), marinated chicken, and occasionally steak, and then bacon and eggs pretty much every morning.
BUT then I got on Pinterest to look up low-carb, no-carb, recipes and found tons of stuff and it looked pretty delicious.
So, when I had to stop nursing I got on the Carb Night diet.
Here's the thing. Before I got pregnant with Cora I was fitting into about size 12 jeans....not super comfortably. One thing I like about my body is that it hides weight well. About half way through the pregnancy I gave in. I was stressed and in pain and I would eat lots. Double my portions, and eat lots and lots of treats....especially baked goods. They are my temptation. Before I had kids I would eat pretty little, and what I ate usually had sugar in it. My body handled it fine. Now, that's not an option. I say to all those teen girls and under 25 year olds, cherish your body! Appreciate how easily it loves you back, because that won't last! And be prepared for the time when everything about your body will change, so be good to it.
So, after the pregnancy I was pretty big. I had huge love-handles, huge butt, huge thighs, and even back fat which I had never really had before.
But I have never been the kind of person to dwell so much on my body or let it rule my confidence so I just ignored it. More like, I didn't see it for what it was. I knew I had put on fat and I knew I didn't look like what I wanted, but because I was still attractive to my husband I didn't worry about it too much, and I still had my confidence.
Because there is a trip coming up in the very near future I felt like I should get my swim-suit body ready. But I didn't think too much about it...until I got my new swimsuit in the mail. When I tried it on I knew I would not be too happy wearing it in public. Also, I was getting really frustrated that I had a very limited amount of clothes I could wear because few of my old clothes fit me. I figured I better get on the diet and try it out.
The day after I started I decided I should take some "before" pictures. What I saw STUNNED me! I looked like I have never looked before. I had never been that big and I was just saddened. I had no idea that's what I really looked like! Especially the back picture because I never look at my back before. That was BIG TIME motivation. I wanted to look like I had before when I was younger; I wanted to fit into my clothes again; and I wanted to look good for my husband too.
And so it began.
I ate a lot of eggs that first day.
Here's how it goes:
- 30 carbs or less/day, high fat and high protein.
- After 10 days you start your first carb night after 4pm. Binge on carbs! Yay!
- After that you can have one carb night a week, but not closer than 5 days from the last one.
- Don't go longer than 6 months (I'm not sure anyone would ever need to).
- If you indulge in an extra carb day, or go off the diet, then start the 10 day routine again.
Here are the results that I am loving:
Since I can't have regular sugar I use splenda, or diet stuff that has sulacrose in it and I HATE that flavor. So it's actually making me not want sugar so much because my mind is associating it with that splenda flavor that I don't like. I'm sure that all those ladies that love that "diet soda flavor" will love doing this diet."
I love that this diet makes your body target it's fat stores. All those pesky places that I don't like, like tummy, love handles, thighs, butt, etc. that's where my fat stores are and they are depleting.
It hasn't been hard to stay on the diet because I see actual results quickly! The food isn't bad and I CAN have carbs, just not everyday. I CAN HAVE CAKE! Next Tuesday :)
I like that I can use sugar substitute to curb my sugar cravings, even though it's that nasty splenda stuff it still kicks the sugar need.
Now: I am wearing my old jeans again. I know that before I didn't even fit into an old pair that was 14/15 (holy cow, I know!) Now i just put on a pair that is size 10! They're a bit snug, but I got them on and that's exciting for me! Because sizes vary so much I'm conservatively saying I've lost 3 pant sizes. And that still sounds great!
I should mention that while I have been on the diet I have also been helping to remodel my parent's kitchen so that has been more of a workout than I expected (which I'm grateful for). Laying tile, grouting, helping to build and move cabinets. So you could say I threw some exercise in there. ;)
As for what I have been eating:
- Diet A&W Root Beer with heavy cream in it. Tastes just like a root beer float!
- Eggs: boiled, scrambled, fried. Cooked with chorizo, or topped with salsa, or topped with cheese.
- Bacon. (I like it very, very crunchy)
- Breakfast burritos made with low-carb tortillas. Filled with eggs, bits of sausage, cheese, sour cream and salsa picante. Oh yum!
- Grilled chicken salad
- Stewed ranch mushrooms
- Caprisi salad
- Hamburgers (without the bun) {this week I'm going to try them with oopsie bread}
- Cucumbers with lime (an old favorite snack)
- Italian chicken
- Califlower with alfredo sauce
- Cheese chips dipped in sour cream
- Whipped cream (actual heavy cream that's been whipped in my kitchen aid) mixed with sugar free jello packet (strawberry and orange so far, both yummy)
- And grilled chicken nuggets from chik-fil-a with avocado lime ranch dressing (only 7 carbs total)
And I can't remember the rest, but if anyone is interested you can check out my ):diet:( board on pinterest to see more recipes I found there, there's even cheesecake. The Carb Night Solution book I think also has some recipes.
I was so excited just to fit into my size 10 jeans, then when I told Ben he mentioned imagining myself in a size 7 or smaller. (Note: Ben has never said anything about my needing to lose weight nor has he ever, ever made any reference to my being big. He simply encourages me by telling me of the progress I've already made. I'm so grateful that he's always made me feel beautiful no matter what my size or what I look like.)
But to imagine getting down to a 7 again is just awesome! I haven't been that size since probably my sophomore year in high school. I haven't kept track of how many pounds have gone up or down. First because it was just after we moved that I started the diet and I had no idea where our scale was, and second I would have only checked out of curiosity because I really don't (nor have I ever) cared about a number. Who cares how much pressure I'm applying to the earth's surface? I care about what I look like and how I feel about myself. If I look in the mirror and think I look so great, but I have a high number then what's the point? A number is a number, and I don't like math. I will just say that out of curiosity I weighed myself when I did find our scale and I remember it was a little higher than I would have guessed, but I simply don't care. Nor should anyone. I've actually been building lots of muscle lately, especially working remodeling that kitchen, so I guess I should have expected to weight more since I've developed muscle and it's much heavier than fat. And I fit into my jeans! So even if I weighted 200 lbs and fit into my old clothes I feel good in, then I wouldn't care much anyway. Yada yada yada, sorry for going on and on.
If anyone wants more into on the diet feel free to ask me (I might have to ask Ben though, lol). Or I just looked up their website. You can find it here: Carb Night Solution.
I think at the end of the month I'll post a before and after picture :)
Cheers,
~Crystal
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