Tuesday, July 15, 2014

I Give Myself Permission to be Imperfect. Do You?

I give myself permission to be imperfect!  I really like this part of the program.  I know that I am not going to be 100% all of the time.  I know that there are going to be days when we want to eat out, and days when I'm with my family (who love to cook a lot).  So, up front, I am giving myself permission to mess up every once in a while.  Therefore, I will not feel devastated if I don't get it right one day.  I'll just get back together the next day.  Of course, with that said, I do plan to follow the program as closely as I can.  However, this program is so versatile that it will look differently for each individual person, which is one of the things I like best of all!

My husband has also been on a weight-loss journey, he has lost 90 lbs. so far...Yay!  But he is so obsessed about eating low/no carbs and he is really hard on himself when he feels that he has eaten too many.  I think it's borderline unhealthy because I'm worried that he is taking it too far.  I am glad that this program gives me the freedom to be me and that I don't have to feel that 'all is lost' if I mess up every now and then.  How do you feel when you mess up?  Do you find it difficult to get it back together because you were being too hard on yourself?

Monday, July 14, 2014

Learning So Much...

I am delving deeply into the Venus Factor 12-week system and all of the resources available on it's site.  I am learning so much about my body and how it works.  One thing that really surprised me today is the 'fasting' part of the program.  I was always told that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and that it is what gets your metabolism started each day.  I have always been forcing myself to eat breakfast, even when I didn't feel like it.  Could it be true that fasting is really better?  Perhaps this will be one of the answers I have been looking for all my life.  According to the program they call for a 12-hour 'fast' overnight.  It tells us that when you have been fasting your body looks for other energy sources and begins to use the energy stored in your fat cells.  Then, when you start to eat again, the body switches over to the energy form the food you eat.  Makes perfect sense when you think about it, right!?!

I don't think 'fasting' will be a huge problem for me, I was just so surprised when I read about it, as it goes against everything I thought I knew about metabolism.  I OFTEN go without lunch during my workday, I'm a teacher and we don't get much of a lunch break anyways.  But, I would rather skip breakfast and eat a small lunch instead.  So, I think this will work well for me.  I am definitely going to be in for a surprise when I start accurately counting my calories, I've never done this part before and I know it's going to be shocking to see what I actually eat each day!


WOW, I just learned that some ladies have been doing 24 hour fasts!?!  They go from dinner to dinner.  That doesn't sound like it is good for you (based on everything I thought I knew about metabolism).  Does that really help?  There are many days that I think I will be able to skip breakfast and lunch and just eat a small dinner, but I always thought that was bad for you.  Eeek!  I'm so shocked by this information.  It's hard to take it all in at once, but I'm eager to get started!  YAY!

Sunday, July 13, 2014

Getting Started...The Venus Factor Program

I am a 36 year old mother of one and my heaviest weight was 280 (I'm 5'6").  I hated the way I looked and felt.  Nearly 3 years ago I was diagnosed with Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension. www.ihrfoundation.org (great website for information about this condition).  For some reason, my body started making too much spinal fluid which caused major headaches for months at a time.  One thing the neurologists recommended was loosing weight.  Since I have been trying to loose weight ever since I had gained it, I knew I needed something radical.  Several months later I decided to have a vertical sleeve gastrectomy (weight-loss surgery).  I lost a whopping 90 lbs. the first year.  I was starting to feel great and was finally under 200 lbs. for the first time in a long time!  Now, it is coming up on my 2 year surgiversary, and I have gained about 25 lbs. back.  I am over 200 again...boo!  This weight was just recently gained.  I have tried so many different medications for my headaches that I can't even keep up with them.  But, in March, we finally found one that worked.  The only side-effect is this sudden weight gain that I have experienced.  I know I need to do something, and I am hopeful that the Venus Factor program will work for me.  I know that I am not alone and that there are many others out there that are going through this process with me.  I wish anyone else trying to lose weight the best of luck on your journey, and I want to hear about what you are doing!

I am brand new to Venus and am still trying to figure this whole thing out.  I am enjoying looking around the forum and customizing my blog, but I'm not sure where to go to find out what to eat vs. what not to eat.  I still need to explore a bit more before I can put this program into action.  I'll let you know what I find out soon!

Just found this out today...
I am learning so much while reading the Venus Factor 12-week program download.  I now understand that there is no what-to-eat, or when-to-eat.  It's only a matter of how much calories you are putting in.  I think I can handle that!  Also, I like that there are 'eat-up' days built into the plan.  'Eat-up' are much different than cheat days.  Since this program allows you to eat whatever foods you want (all you have to do is eat a certain number of calories) you don't really need any cheat days.  'Eat-up' days are when you eat enough food to hit your maintenance caloric intake instead of your deficit.  I think it will help keep me on the right track, and not make me feel like I am constantly starving myself.  So far, this program looks like it will work wonderfully for me.  I am only on pg. 55, so I have lots more reading to do tomorrow.