Weight Loss Journey Update!
September 19, 2022
We are about to do more boomerfalltravel adventures ,so I have a fitness update on my travel weight loss journey & weight loss transformation before we leave in a week for faster travel in Croatia, Montenegro for a month, followed by more van life & house hunting in Spain, (plus more dieting) from November through end of January. As I work on my vintage body while traveling, then more in Barcelona ,we will finish remodeling our vintage camper for more world travel & digital nomad life. I love sharing all our exploits and learnings with you!
The dieting style that has worked for me, is 6 months of severe dieting and then about 6 weeks to 2 months of maintenance eating keto. Maintenance is key and maybe even harder than losing the weight, so I am glad to get a chance to practice it and refine it as I go. When we left Spain in late July ( and I did one cheat meal with friends), then, I started on my Keto maintenance phase which is a lot of fun for me because I love Brie, cream cheese, full fat greek yogurt and all the great things I can eat on it ( and it is all super cheap in Bansko). The keto phase gives me something to look forward to when I tire of the severe diet. I am not skinny yet and I am not young, but I am having fun & learning new tricks as I go! I am happy to just be in a normal range for a change as this is closer to what I weighed before I had Heavenly twenty two years ago ( and I had lost 100lbs at that time to get to that weight).
This is the meal I ate on the day I started my severe diet again ( and ended Keto maintenance phase) on September 14th. I loved it with the forbidden stuffed peppers ( Bulgarian speciality that was scrumptious), potatoes and yummy Bulgarian cheese bread! We had eaten one other time at this restaurant ( when I stuck to my keto maintenance diet and skipped the bread and all carbs), but this time was way more fun! It helps me to have these very rare cheat meals.
The bad news is with this one "cheat meal", I gained 10lbs!! Yikes! ( My husband ate more and gained none, but he has a body that is naturally slim and has never had to diet or think about carbs). This is what I am eating now on my severe diet phase ( no fat, no carbs virtually, & super low calories) for the next six months again. It is mostly cucumbers, with an onion, red pepper, 4oz of boiled skinless chicken breast, half a tomato, apple cider vinegar and spices and I make 2 of these meals a day. I sometimes mix it up and cook up some zucchini for a warm version, but I tend to like to keep it simple and stick to what I know I like that will fit the parameters. Sometimes I add salad greens, but I love cucumbers and they are filling. This is also doable while traveling as one can usually find chicken breast and salad anywhere, although I do prefer to make it myself. I am happy now to be back on it and ready to lose some more!!
I can also add a very small amount of strawberries ( or raspberries, a small apple or few blueberries) if I am in the mood for desert once a day. This picture is a bit deceptive, as the strawberries ( that I got at the farmers market here and froze) are super tiny, the plate is actually a tiny tea cup saucer and the spoon is also tiny. So it is a tiny serving, but gives me pleasure and a treat when I need something sweet ( but healthy) to savor.
It took me four days on the severe diet to lose those 10lbs and settle back to the weight I was before I ate the cheat meal. I did really good on the maintenance keto for most of the time, BUT, I have not mastered the maintenance phase yet, because I started to gain towards the end of my time on it, even though I did not change my eating. So that is discouraging, but I am still determined to master this and maintain my ideal weight after I reach my goal, but I see I have more to learn. Despite hiking and swimming daily, eating no carbs and following Keto diet strictly, I held well until the last week or two, but ended up gaining 7lbs during this maintenance phase. That is why I thought I better get back on my salads and losing!
So I still have more to learn and master as my body tends to lose very slowly and gains very easily. Sometimes that is discouraging, but I know I will master this because I am persistent and determined. Yes, I want to be a lot thinner, but I am happy at this weight and within a normal range for someone who is 70. I like having my curves back, way more energy, and reclaiming my sexuality and sensuality. Life is just a lot easier in a lighter body! Simple things like tying shoes or cutting toenails are super easy again & not a struggle.
This has been a great place for swimming as I almost always have the pool to myself and the water is cold, so I get those extra health advantages! I really enjoy swimming and it gives me a better workout on my arms and swim pilates strengthens me and it lets my knees rest when I have done too much walking.
Primarily, I walk, hike or swim for exercise, but sometimes I add dancing to fun music on Youtube and use water bottles to add a little weight training for my arms while I dance. Usually the weather is good, but I can always do this as an addition or if it is rainy or if I am just too lazy to hit the pool or trails, but want to do some work out. Since we have to walk to everything and carry things like groceries, I consider that part of my work out too ( or "multi-tasking" as hubs calls it).
I've really enjoyed my time here hiking and swimming and mostly great success with maintaining on Keto ( which was my main goal). I wasn't trying to lose here, just practice maintaining and for the most part I did that very successfully. I don't know why I started to gain in the last two weeks, but I am glad to be back on the severe diet and ready to lose now. I had hoped to be at my goal weight by Christmas, but realistically, I think it will be more like February or my birthday in March. I am grateful for all I am learning and will just keep going until I reach my goal and then learn to maintain that for the rest of my life!
We are about to do more boomerfalltravel adventures ,so I have a fitness update on my travel weight loss journey & weight loss transformation before we leave in a week for faster travel in Croatia, Montenegro for a month, followed by more van life & house hunting in Spain, (plus more dieting) from November through end of January. As I work on my vintage body while traveling, then more in Barcelona ,we will finish remodeling our vintage camper for more world travel & digital nomad life. I love sharing all our exploits and learnings with you!
The dieting style that has worked for me, is 6 months of severe dieting and then about 6 weeks to 2 months of maintenance eating keto. Maintenance is key and maybe even harder than losing the weight, so I am glad to get a chance to practice it and refine it as I go. When we left Spain in late July ( and I did one cheat meal with friends), then, I started on my Keto maintenance phase which is a lot of fun for me because I love Brie, cream cheese, full fat greek yogurt and all the great things I can eat on it ( and it is all super cheap in Bansko). The keto phase gives me something to look forward to when I tire of the severe diet. I am not skinny yet and I am not young, but I am having fun & learning new tricks as I go! I am happy to just be in a normal range for a change as this is closer to what I weighed before I had Heavenly twenty two years ago ( and I had lost 100lbs at that time to get to that weight).
This is the meal I ate on the day I started my severe diet again ( and ended Keto maintenance phase) on September 14th. I loved it with the forbidden stuffed peppers ( Bulgarian speciality that was scrumptious), potatoes and yummy Bulgarian cheese bread! We had eaten one other time at this restaurant ( when I stuck to my keto maintenance diet and skipped the bread and all carbs), but this time was way more fun! It helps me to have these very rare cheat meals.
The bad news is with this one "cheat meal", I gained 10lbs!! Yikes! ( My husband ate more and gained none, but he has a body that is naturally slim and has never had to diet or think about carbs). This is what I am eating now on my severe diet phase ( no fat, no carbs virtually, & super low calories) for the next six months again. It is mostly cucumbers, with an onion, red pepper, 4oz of boiled skinless chicken breast, half a tomato, apple cider vinegar and spices and I make 2 of these meals a day. I sometimes mix it up and cook up some zucchini for a warm version, but I tend to like to keep it simple and stick to what I know I like that will fit the parameters. Sometimes I add salad greens, but I love cucumbers and they are filling. This is also doable while traveling as one can usually find chicken breast and salad anywhere, although I do prefer to make it myself. I am happy now to be back on it and ready to lose some more!!
I can also add a very small amount of strawberries ( or raspberries, a small apple or few blueberries) if I am in the mood for desert once a day. This picture is a bit deceptive, as the strawberries ( that I got at the farmers market here and froze) are super tiny, the plate is actually a tiny tea cup saucer and the spoon is also tiny. So it is a tiny serving, but gives me pleasure and a treat when I need something sweet ( but healthy) to savor.
It took me four days on the severe diet to lose those 10lbs and settle back to the weight I was before I ate the cheat meal. I did really good on the maintenance keto for most of the time, BUT, I have not mastered the maintenance phase yet, because I started to gain towards the end of my time on it, even though I did not change my eating. So that is discouraging, but I am still determined to master this and maintain my ideal weight after I reach my goal, but I see I have more to learn. Despite hiking and swimming daily, eating no carbs and following Keto diet strictly, I held well until the last week or two, but ended up gaining 7lbs during this maintenance phase. That is why I thought I better get back on my salads and losing!
So I still have more to learn and master as my body tends to lose very slowly and gains very easily. Sometimes that is discouraging, but I know I will master this because I am persistent and determined. Yes, I want to be a lot thinner, but I am happy at this weight and within a normal range for someone who is 70. I like having my curves back, way more energy, and reclaiming my sexuality and sensuality. Life is just a lot easier in a lighter body! Simple things like tying shoes or cutting toenails are super easy again & not a struggle.
This has been a great place for swimming as I almost always have the pool to myself and the water is cold, so I get those extra health advantages! I really enjoy swimming and it gives me a better workout on my arms and swim pilates strengthens me and it lets my knees rest when I have done too much walking.
Primarily, I walk, hike or swim for exercise, but sometimes I add dancing to fun music on Youtube and use water bottles to add a little weight training for my arms while I dance. Usually the weather is good, but I can always do this as an addition or if it is rainy or if I am just too lazy to hit the pool or trails, but want to do some work out. Since we have to walk to everything and carry things like groceries, I consider that part of my work out too ( or "multi-tasking" as hubs calls it).
I've really enjoyed my time here hiking and swimming and mostly great success with maintaining on Keto ( which was my main goal). I wasn't trying to lose here, just practice maintaining and for the most part I did that very successfully. I don't know why I started to gain in the last two weeks, but I am glad to be back on the severe diet and ready to lose now. I had hoped to be at my goal weight by Christmas, but realistically, I think it will be more like February or my birthday in March. I am grateful for all I am learning and will just keep going until I reach my goal and then learn to maintain that for the rest of my life!
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Two ideas: Nordic walking poles. And on YouTube Walk at home with Leslie Sansone
Posted by: Pat | September 20, 2022 at 01:27 PM
Thanks bunches Pat! I really appreciate the tips!! I use a walking stick I found on one of my first hikes ( and common to see here in Bansko), but I have never tried nordic walking poles.
I had not thought of youtube for walking at home!
Posted by: Jeanne | September 20, 2022 at 03:15 PM