5-month anniversary with ME...and what a difference it makes!

Well...all I can say is that this is AMAZING.
Only someone who has tried diet after diet, starved 24 hours a day, walked a million miles to nowhere on countless dreadmills, and gained back everything they ever lost can truly appreciate the miracle of a FAT LOSS approach to weight loss.  
This being said, just take a look at the numbers.
I have lost 15 pounds since starting ME.  This is what the bathroom scale says.  BUT...according to the Tanita, I have lost 16 pounds of fat.  And fat free mass is only down .2 pound.   Putting on muscle, NOT losing muscle, and getting rid of the FAT!!!!
Body fat percentage down 6.6% in 5 months.  (My "trunk" measurement is down 8.3% and 10 pounds!  Guess I was getting quite a mid-section there for awhile...  Oh, the joys of being a female over 40...)
So, for anyone starting out, I do have a few observations about this method.  I am certainly not an expert by any means and have much to learn, but I hope this will be helpful to someone:
1.  PATIENCE is a must.  And scales can be misleading.
When you are bombarded by checkout counter magazines that say "Lose 10 pounds this month!" or "I lost 5 dress sizes!", it is hard to not look at the numbers. You must ditch this diet mentality (and the mentality of our society) that only focuses on "number of pounds lost" and sizes lost.  If you are gaining muscle and losing fat, the scale might stay the same...or even go up!  Don't be fooled or discouraged by this.  Measure as many body parts as you can (both thighs, both calves, both biceps, waist, belly button, upper chest under arms, hips, etc) and WRITE THESE NUMBERS DOWN.  Periodically do a remeasure and keep a chart.  You will be amazed.  
This fat loss approach takes time (unless you are willing to go "all out", which is not sustainable anyway).  It is not as quick as muscle loss in a typical low cal diet, excessive cardio approach.  There were many times I blogged about how nothing was happening, but I did not give up...and it is working!!!
2.  READ, READ, READ.  
Read the ME book, Facebook page, blog, forums, ME webpage, jillfit.com, etc.  Keep reading. This is not a lazy man's diet (at least in the beginning).  For me, it was very critical to learn and understand the "why" of this approach and the "how" it works so that I could make it a success.  Education and information are critical and key.  The videos, tips, articles, and other information put out by the ME team can make a great deal of difference in how successful you are.   And READ THOSE LABELS.  Become an expert on what labels say and what you need (and don't need) to eat for fat loss success.  
3.  Don't get hung up on the exercise.  And walk, walk, walk.
It's hard to let go of the old way of thinking.  Truly, the ME approach is simple. Unless you are heading down the fitness model or competition route, it does not require hours of your time like other weight loss programs do.  If you are near Winston, take advantage of the ME indoor, outdoor, or ab classes at the studio.  Buy the ipod routines.  Make up your own.  You don't need much equipment, and the routines CAN be done with NO equipment.  (I recently did a routine outside the front of a hotel that had no gym with just a bench, a large column, and a cushion I took off a chair.)   
Do the 20-30 minute routines 2-3 times a week.  Walk every day if you can.  That's all you need to do.  If you want to add some intervals, you can, but you don't have to.  Don't make more out of this than you have to.  Lift heavy.  Move quickly. Push hard.  Rest when you have to, but move again as soon as you are able.  
4.  Remember:  It's mostly ALL diet.  
When I can't work out or walk, I feel guilty.  That's the old me trying to get out.  I sincerely HATE working out.  There's probably no one who hates it more than I do.  I just did it to "lose weight".  But...it exercise is not the "secret key".  It is diet.  Every time you want to eat, remember to be sure it is fat loss friendly.  Sticking to the fat loss foods is your best choice in this game.  Working out just boosts things along.
5.  Sleep.  Walk.  Relax.  
I'm still working on the sleep thing.  Can't get it right.  It's my next project.  I like to stay up late, and in this heat, I'd rather walk at 11pm than go to bed.  
Walk when you feel tense, need a break, or just to unwind.  It's not a huff-and-puff kind of thing.  Just WALK.  And enjoy it.  Especially if you can find a friend to go along.  Or your favorite tunes.  Or a gorgeous park or nature trail.


That's it for now.  I'm sure there's more I will post later.
For now, I wanted to share my 5 month progress.  I still can't believe...
...that I can eat when I'm hungry (or even before I'm hungry),
...that I don't have to spend 90 minutes in the gym 6 days a week,
...that I haven't measured or weighed any food in 5 months,
...that I haven't counted any calories in 5 months,
...that my clothes are all too loose and my pants won't even stay up!


I could do without the shrinking boobs though.  :-(  
Oh well.  It's certainly worth it for what I've lost everywhere else.  :-)

Just returned from a 10 day trip...and...

I didn't gain an ounce!  In fact, I lost another 1.5% of body fat.  :-)
Weight is exactly what it was the day we left.
The official numbers are now 24 pounds lost and 27 inches.  
I'm actually down 34 pounds from my highest weight in 2007.  
I didn't eat everything I wanted to on the trip, but I sure did stuff my face at some of the restaurants.
It's really neat that I can eat a great volume of food when I want to, as long as it's the right foods.
Fat loss is such an interesting concept.  
And something I wish I'd discovered long ago!
It is so much better to eat when I am hungry, NOT be hungry all the time, feel more energetic and healthy, and not have indigestion all the time.  
I look back at all the other things I tried and can't believe it was this easy all along.
Less time at the gym, faster workouts, more food... how could anyone NOT like this fat loss method???