Get’n Healthy Wk 5

/ Getting Healthy 2024 / By

Week 5: January 28 to February 3

After 4 weeks I’ve lost 10.2 pounds. The pain in my joints has substantially reduced, I’ve had many days without any pain. I’ve not had any headaches above a pain level of 2, nor lasting more than an hour (I normally have at least 1 -3 days with a headache at a pain level that puts me in a dark noiseless room every month for at least a full day). Some of the week over week goals were met while we failed on others. Our plan was to eliminate soda, sugar, bread, pasta, rice, and processed foods, to be active for at least 3 days a week and drink at least 5 cups of water each day.

I tried drinking coffee and tea without a sweetener and just could not do it so used either ‘stevia in the raw’ or honey to sweeten the coffee or tea. I only drank 1 soda in the 4 weeks, however substituted the fizzy beverage with ICEE waters. I had crackers and pasta on one day due to having a stomach bug and had one cookie for my son’s birthday and had one grilled cheese. I also satisfied my sweet tooth cravings with fruit strips. Overall, I think we, well I, did good following the planned diet over the past 4 weeks. Brian caved very early as he was not getting enough calories and could not control his cravings. He does not need to lose weight and cannot afford to lose any. He still wants to eat healthier so in the next 4 weeks we need to find a way for him to get more calories.

We are having a reward day on Sunday January 28th to celebrate our success with the first 4 week of healthy eating, then we will reset for another 4 weeks. I strongly feel that when changing eating habits, it is good to take a day here or there to enjoy some less healthy food. For me it gives me something to look forward to and makes me feel less deprived. I am also not beating myself up about the handful of hiccups in healthy eating that last 4 weeks.

Game Plan for the next 4 weeks:

  • Reduce root vegetables and replace with green leafy vegetables
  • Use beans and legumes more often, eat less red meat
  • Reduce portion sizes, I frequently eat the same portion sizes for dinner as my husband and 15 year old
  • Drink water with lemon or fruit versus Mio
  • Drink more tea versus coffee
  • Reduce after dinner sweet’s (fruit strips)
  • Stop making excuses and get at least 20 minutes of physical activity each day
  • Lose 5 pounds during the 4 weeks from the starting weight on the morning of 01/28

January 28 : REWARD DAY

  • 1 1/2 cups coffee w/ vanilla syrup and whole milk
  • 1 cherry hand pie
  • A bag of sour cream and onion chips
  • 2 pickle roll ups and 2 deviled eggs
  • 1/2 liter of ginger ale (upset stomach around 2 pm)
  • Bacon cheeseburger on a bun with baked french fries
  • Raspberry truffle desert

January 29

  • Earl gray black tea with a packet of stevia
  • 3 cups water with lemon wedges
  • Quick oats with whole milk and mixed berries
  • 3 cups water with lemon wedges
  • 1/4 cup mixed nuts
  • 2 fruit strips
  • Sweet potato, black bean, corn and brown rice bowl w/ taco sauce and sour cream dressing
  • 1/2 Kombucha Guava
  • 1/2 ICEE Water

January 30

  • Earl gray black tea with a packet of stevia
  • 1 cup coffee with cream and a packet of stevia
  • 3 cups water with lemon wedges
  • Quick oats with whole milk and mixed berries
  • 1 slice thin crust papa johns pepperoni and sausage pizza
  • Taco Salad
  • 1 coke w/ 2 shots of Jameson

January 31

  • 1 cup coffee with vanilla syrup and whole milk
  • 1 cups coffee with cream and sugar from work
  • Honey crisp apple
  • 2 slices thin crust papa johns pepperoni, sausage and peppercinni’s
  • 2 cups white bean, spinach and parmesan soup w/ a grilled cheese

february 1

  • Earl gray black tea with a packet of stevia
  • 2 bananas
  • 1 cup coffee with caramel syrup and whole milk
  • 3 scrambled eggs with onion, green peppers and a slice of ham
  • 3 cups water with a lemon wedge
  • Grilled Pork chops w/ asparagus

february 2

  • 1 cup coffee with caramel syrup and whole milk
  • 4 over medium eggs
  • 1 honey crisp apple
  • 2 Ham, pickle and hot pepper roll ups
  • 2 Low carb tortilla shell pepperoni pizza
  • 1/2 ICEE water

February 3

  • Earl gray black tea with honey
  • Lemon yogurt with homemade granola and mixed berries
  • 2 over medium eggs and 4 slices of bacon
  • Cherry 7 up Zero
  • Cheeseburger on a lettuce bun w/ onion, ketchup and mustard. Baked brussel sprouts.
  • 3 cups water w/ lemon

Went up 0.4 pounds.

The morning after our reward day I felt like crap, on our next reward day I will make more strategic decisions on what to eat.