Delete the word D-I-E-T from your vocabulary!

People assume, just because I'm "training," that I'm on a diet; they often ask me what "diet" I'm on and wait for me to tell them I'm "on" Atkins or South Beach,Weight Watchers,Jenny Craig or riding some other crazy-fad diet train. So most are surprised when I tell them that I'm not on any diet and, in fact, that I don't like that word at all.

See, I think the real start of the success I've had so far with weight loss was really understanding that I had to permanently change the way I eat. By definition, a diet lasts for a certain time period: You're either on one or you're not. And knowing they're finite makes their terms more restrictive--and actually impossible to stick to for a lifetime. So instead,Sham taught me how to take baby steps (I'm a big believer in those!) to change my bad eating habits (I used to have stock in Sweets; weekly/daily trips to Jamba Juice; ordered my healthy versions of restuarant foods and wondered why I wasn't losing any weight).

Once Sham helped me pinpoint those fat traps, I started to make changes I could live with. The best thing about eating healthfully and being really disciplined about my food choices is that I don't feel deprived. And let's be real: What's the likelihood of sticking to any wellness plan if we feel like we're serving jail time?

What's your take on the whole "diet" thing? Does it help you stick to more disciplined ways of eating when you know you can relax a little once you reach your goals? Or are you trying to make lifetime lifestyle changes too?

Non-scale ways to track your weight loss

Before I started training with Sham a couple of months ago when I would shower I'd bring my beach towel sized towel with me. The regular sized towels hardly fit around my body


Now, the regular towels are fitting around my waist and body perfectly!With the exception of a small gap around my thighs. I decided a while ago that the towel would be one way I'd gauge my progress. Rather than obsessing over what the numbers on the scale will be, I find that keeping other measures, like my towel method, is less punishing and keeps me feeling like I'm successful in my shape-up goals even if it's not quantifiable in pounds.

What non-scale ways do you use to measure your progress?

Foods I Indulged in This Weekend--Should I Feel Guilty?

Have you ever heard of the 80/20 rule? You know, if you eat right 80 percent of the time, you should be OK to treat yourself the other 20 percent of the time? I don’t know how I feel about this rule... I mean, in theory, it should work. But personally, I’m a little suspicious. When it comes to food, I tend to behave in extremes--either really good, or really bad. I’m afraid if I abide by something like that, I’ll end up justifying my penchant for cookies or ice cream every afternoon and every night…

My trainer Sham Sanghera always reminds me that its ok to have interruptions or treats as LONG AS I EARN IT.The weird thing is that normally, when I earn it, I tend to not want it afterall. Unfortunately my "great thinking"this weekend has left me with serious bloating problems. Not to mention the spot right under my ribs is really hard when I press on it, and feels really uncomfortable.

Aside from investing in a personal trainer I've also come to find out that aside from being phenomenal my trainer could almost be a holistic Dr. (well in my eyes lol ). Sham helped diagnose me with a condition called Candida, if you're not too familiar with it. I encourage you to do some research on it. In a nutshell I've come to find out that I have serious hidden food allergies,I've been putting my body through so much pain and causing my intestines to flare causing HORRIBLE back pain.



OK,OK... Back to this weekend (I sometimes think I have A.D.D lol)

I was feeling the absolute need to be able just get crazy with foods I really shouldn't be eating. . I’m trying to be really deliberate about the indulgences I do pick and to enjoy them fully.

But after this weekend, the pain I experienced the morning after has really woke me up. My body is SCREAMING at me for putting this junk in my body. i feel sick, my stomach wont stop being so upset, and my back pain again has gotten the best of me..

Heres the foods that I basically sold my soul to yesterday:



1.4 tacos with the works, 2 sides of spanish rice,2 sides of beans, 2 sides of potato salad YUMMMMY... Will I be having it again any time soon? Nope! But the memory will linger...



2. A HUGE piece of champagne birthday cake! (I know , I know I cant believe I went back to this relationship, even if it was for only 10 minutes)

3. A kid’s-sized serving of chocolate chip ice cream (yum!)

Not ideal, but I haven't fallen off completely and I dont plan on doing that either! When you indulge in something, do you feel guilty? Does it completely throw off your healthy eating habits for the whole day, or the week? And how do you handle interruptions to your normal eating schedule?

I havent weighed 145 since high school!!

...and I still don't. (Heh heh--gotcha didn't I?) But I want to by the end of summer.

One thing I've learned through this whole healthy-not-crazy weight loss process is that little short term goals really motivate me. I love how my trainer is creating new benchmarks for myself and my workout buddy by ALWAYS changing our workouts up (whether that's by implementing a heavier medicine ball,more squats, doing more advanced core work, you get the picture ) I'm the type of person that gets bored and results will slow. I'm so happy I've found Sham! I havent been bored yet!

So, it's time for another mini goal-setting session! I want to lose at least 5lbs by my next weigh in (first week of May). What do you want to do?

(When I step on the scale..I'll tell you what happens--)

I'm ending my relationship... My breakup letter...

“Dear Sugar:
I'm writing to tell you it's over. This time I'm serious...I thought I loved you. And you know what? Maybe, once, I did. But I'm on to your games—I know that just because you're "organic" that doesn't mean you're healthy. I know that I can't eat just one thing of you. I know it's easy to give into you late at night, or see you after lunch and dinner, and think nothing of it. Every time I turned around you were there. It just seemed like you and I were a natural fit. But not anymore! I don't want to see you again. If I run into you at work or at the grocery store, I'm not going to look at you. You're not invited to my house anymore. My heart—and my thighs—can't take it. You and I are over. OVER! And you know what? I will still see our mutual friend—organic milk-even without you. And you can't do anything about it. Get out, Sugar. I can't see you anymore. I will think of you always. -P”