Trim the Fat

After a weekend of camping at the Warren Dunes in Michigan where I pigged out on processed snacks, hot dogs, burgers, brats, Reese's Peanut Butter Cup S'mores and donuts, I have some detoxing to do. Besides my unhealthy camping feast, the day I left camping grounds, I headed to Jewel-Osco and found boxes of Choco Tacos on sale for $2.99.  Still high on camp nostalgia, I bought a box because they reminded me of camping at Blue Lake Fine Arts camp when I 15.  It's funny how so much of my "bad" food choices are governed by emotional eating, particularly sugary and saturated fat-laden foods.  Yes, I'm speaking directly to you Cheez-Its. 

Post-camping and one Choco Taco later, the scale said I'd gained 3 pounds!  My notion that eating BIG Cheez-Its, grilled sausage and Donettes would help me maintain my weight, let alone put me closer to 50-pounds of weight loss, was false.  I'm sure the scale number would've been higher had it not been for the exhausting hike to and from the campsite to the beach.   Walking uphill in hot sand while carrying beach gear is no joke.  The first 10 minutes walking were lovely.  We walked through woodsy areas with beautiful lighting.  Then we arrived at the sandy hills and it was terrible.  I felt like I was walking to the Promised Land.
While on the beach at the Warren Dunes, I watched toned women prance around in tiny bikinis while I sat feeling like a whale in my snug one-piece.  Of course, not everyone who wore a bikini was toned and gazelle like, but most were.  As I work toward my weight loss goals, I dream of wearing a bikini and joining them. My dream bikini color: Zebra!

Four days later, I'm finally back to my pre-camping weight, and I have a loooooong ways to go to meet my 50 pound loss.  Training for the upcoming half-marathon will help but I'd also like to lose inches by beefing up my muscles.  After all, 5 pounds of fat compared to the same amount of muscle looks drastically different.  I want to focus on decreasing my body fat percentage in addition to overall weight loss.

Me (blue shirt) - Age 15 - Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp
In between flute and piano rehearsals, I remember pigging out
on Choco Tacos during camp free time.

I'm still buzzing from watching Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead on Netflix.   The weight loss results in that movie were insane and after watching the doc I've watched my fair share juicing before and afters on YouTube.  Bottom line:  Juicing makes you lose weight --- but if you don't change your lifestyle you'll end up gaining all the weight back.

5 pounds of fat vs. 5 pounds of MUSCLE.  Huge difference!


My plan: In August I will try a 10-day juicing detox.  I'll monitor my progress and share the results.   For me it'll be a way to jumpstart progress.   Feel free to share any tips.  As for developing more muscle mass, I'm staying motivated with the above photo.

Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead - It's on Netflix!

Right now most Netflix subscribers are buzzing with rage over Netflix's recent price hike.   My personal solution-- swap your Stream + 1 DVD package for Streaming Only and you'll actually save yourself $2/month.

If you move to streaming only, your viewing options will decrease especially when it comes to newer content.  But as an avid streamer, who's streaming past includes the entire seasons of Skins (UK Version), Teen Mom, Roseanne, The Cosby Show, Weeds and other random British tv, I say live with it.  Streaming is the future of television.

I've explored my fair share of indi docs through streaming -- most recently, one about juicing to boost health and weight loss.  If you subscribe to Netflix go home right now and check it out --- Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead.  It will make you want to juice, lose weight...or at least think, "Wow, another non-American telling Americans how we can fight obesity".  

P.S. My main question after watching this was "What recipes are being used".  Google to the rescue.  Find juicing recipes here.  If you're a novice to streaming via your tv, Wii or whatever, click here.