Texas Girl Starting Today

[LeslieM]

Okay, mission accomplished.

[LeslieM]

January 12, 2014
Day 3 of Transformation!
Spirit:Today I am thankful for the friendship of my sister(and that I get to live near her again for a couple of years). We are more like friends than siblings and she gets my weird sense of humor.

Mind:First lesson from Beautiful Boy: A great school and rich life experiences don't make children automatically immune to the allure of drugs.

Body: I'm feeling strong and hopeful. I completed my first workout. Thank God I didn't have an audience. One of the exercises was incredibly awkward, but got easier by the last set. Today I will hike on a local nature trail and then probably do about 10 minutes of ab work since my form yesterday didn't make for a very effective workout of the gut! I've already seen downward movement on the scale. Tomorrow is an intermittent fast day. I will drink 16 oz of bulletproof coffee to avoid a headache. I'm looking forward to the fast.

I hope every one else has a lovely day!

[LeslieM]

January 14th, 2014
Day Four of Transformation!

Spirit:Today I'm thankful that although I'm not exactly who I want to be yet, I not the person I used to be either. I used to be a smartmouthed(and potty-mouthed) critic. Today, I'm happy to say, that most of the words that come out of my mouth are kind and life-giving. That is nothing short of a miracle. All would agree if they knew me! I doubt I'll ever be Pollyanna, but I'll keep giving it my best.

Mind: I've been reading on the benefits of cold showers/swimming. As long as something isn't dangerous or illegal, I'm willing to be a guinea pig. I tried the cold shower thing this summer, but the ground water down here in Africa isn't very cold. Today my plan is to swim laps for about 15 minutes after I walk my attack Schnoodle. It's hardly going to be a polar plunge. This is Texas after all and it is 67 degrees currently.

Body: Today is my first Intermittent Fast of the contest. I've fasted before, but I plan to get more structured with it over the next 12 weeks. I actually like the break of not having to think about what to eat. I did drink a cup of bulletproof coffee so I don't get a headache. I have a tiny caffeine addiction. We'll not discuss that. So the plan for today is 30-45 minute walk, 15 minute swim, maybe some kettlebell swings.

[Mike Whitfield]

Originally Posted by LeslieM

January 14th, 2014
Day Four of Transformation!

Spirit:Today I'm thankful that although I'm not exactly who I want to be yet, I not the person I used to be either. I used to be a smartmouthed(and potty-mouthed) critic. Today, I'm happy to say, that most of the words that come out of my mouth are kind and life-giving. That is nothing short of a miracle. All would agree if they knew me! I doubt I'll ever be Pollyanna, but I'll keep giving it my best.

Mind: I've been reading on the benefits of cold showers/swimming. As long as something isn't dangerous or illegal, I'm willing to be a guinea pig. I tried the cold shower thing this summer, but the ground water down here in Africa isn't very cold. Today my plan is to swim laps for about 15 minutes after I walk my attack Schnoodle. It's hardly going to be a polar plunge. This is Texas after all and it is 67 degrees currently.

Body: Today is my first Intermittent Fast of the contest. I've fasted before, but I plan to get more structured with it over the next 12 weeks. I actually like the break of not having to think about what to eat. I did drink a cup of bulletproof coffee so I don't get a headache. I have a tiny caffeine addiction. We'll not discuss that. So the plan for today is 30-45 minute walk, 15 minute swim, maybe some kettlebell swings.

Keep cruisin' Leslie! I like your spirit, mind and body approach. They all influence each other.

Great work,
Mike

[mocombes]

Originally Posted by LeslieM

I have a tiny caffeine addiction. We'll not discuss that.

I just have to jump in as this is my addiction, too - not big, but present, and I'm aware of it. I haven't dedicated myself to beating it for now, but I have cut back. Just this past week I went from three cups of black tea a day to two. Eventually I'll get to one. Then eventually I'll get to none. But I know that headache, and it's what keeps me from quitting 100%. When I get inspired, though, it will go.

Good to share in your journey!

[LeslieM]

Originally Posted by mocombes

I just have to jump in as this is my addiction, too - not big, but present, and I'm aware of it. I haven't dedicated myself to beating it for now, but I have cut back. Just this past week I went from three cups of black tea a day to two. Eventually I'll get to one. Then eventually I'll get to none. But I know that headache, and it's what keeps me from quitting 100%. When I get inspired, though, it will go.

Good to share in your journey!

Hi! Is it Mo?
I have given the caffeine up a couple of times. I am DOWN to 3 cups. (cup being a relative term) I would like to reduce it further so that I can justify the addition of at least one cup of green tea a day. I can do teas in the afternoon, but really prefer coffee in the morning. I'll think more on that next week! Thanks for commiserating!

[hal1]

Originally Posted by LeslieM

Body: Today is my first Intermittent Fast of the contest. I've fasted before, but I plan to get more structured with it over the next 12 weeks.

Hey Leslie - thanks for popping by my thread! I am enjoying reading your journaling!

I was curious about your plan for IF. I have used ESE (24 hour fast) successfully in the past but plan to not use them much (if at all) this go-round. I tried the "lean gains" style IF in the fall (16 hour fasts that skipped the morning meal), but it didn't seem to click with me and I felt like I was eating way too much later in the day. I didn't notice any budge in shape or weight, so after about a month of trying it, I called it a day. Anyway, just curious! If you're going to play around with it, do take a look at both approaches as many people here have seemed to have success with one of the other.

Have a good one!

[LJShona]

Hi there Leslie, just thought I'd drop by to say hello. I had to laugh when reading your comments about caffeine. It's generally best not to talk to me until I've had my first coffee of the day.

I see you have a Shcnoodle. I have a Labradoodle but he's still in Australia. I can't wait to be reunited with him soon.

Look forward to keeping up with your progress.

[LeslieM]

Originally Posted by hal1

Hey Leslie - thanks for popping by my thread! I am enjoying reading your journaling!

I was curious about your plan for IF. I have used ESE (24 hour fast) successfully in the past but plan to not use them much (if at all) this go-round. I tried the "lean gains" style IF in the fall (16 hour fasts that skipped the morning meal), but it didn't seem to click with me and I felt like I was eating way too much later in the day. I didn't notice any budge in shape or weight, so after about a month of trying it, I called it a day. Anyway, just curious! If you're going to play around with it, do take a look at both approaches as many people here have seemed to have success with one of the other.

Have a good one!

Hi Heather! I'm glad you are enjoying the journal. I write exactly like I talk and I'm the queen of TMI so I'll need another lady to keep me in line! As to the fasting, I've read at least one book on IF(i can't remember which one) and have done a lot of internet reading. I like Dr. Mercola.(sometimes he gets a little ridiculous) I'm not sure about weight loss with it as I've not done it consistently enough to test it. What I've use it for in the past is a sort of reset button. I don't normally crave sugar, but when I have it, something switches on and I kind of lose my mind for a few days. IF-ing seems to be the best way for my body to get the message that the sugar dance party is over! I clicked on an article recently about Debbie Gibson. You are probably younger than I, but she was a pop singer from when I was in high school. At 40 something she still looks amazing. In the article she went into detail of how she stays at a healthy weight. She said that if she gains more than 2# in a day, she skips breakfast and lunch and then has meat and salad for dinner. I thought,"That's IF and you really should give credit to whomever's book or website you got the idea from!" Thank you for stopping by! I hope we can both be an encouragement to one another. Have a great day!

[LeslieM]

Originally Posted by LJShona

Hi there Leslie, just thought I'd drop by to say hello. I had to laugh when reading your comments about caffeine. It's generally best not to talk to me until I've had my first coffee of the day.

I see you have a Shcnoodle. I have a Labradoodle but he's still in Australia. I can't wait to be reunited with him soon.

Look forward to keeping up with your progress.

Hi Shona! Welcome to the contest! I actually set my coffee pot up so that I have coffee waiting for me when my feet hit the floor! I think the world's a better place with me on a little caffeine. I'm helping mankind.

We've had our little Schnoodle for 6 years. I never thought I would have a little dog. I grew up with a black Lab. He was the smartest dog I've ever met(w/no training!) He would go into the kitchen and scoot his food bowl into the living room and sit at our feet batting his doggy lashes at us until someone yielded and got him a snack. I thought I would get a lab, but I have a child with asthma so needed one that didn't shed. I looked at Labradoodles, but in CA where we lived at the time they were outrageously expensive. So we got a Schnoodle(who was only moderately expensive!) and named her California Sunshine! She goes by Cali. I promise I don't carry her around in a purse!

You sound like you're living an exciting life. Visiting Ireland/Scotland and the Middle East are on my bucket list! So nice to chat! Please stop-in often. We'll have a cup of coffee!