Update on my waist loss

A woman named Patricia emailed me and asked:
How's the weight loss going?
Please up-date us!!


I didn't know I had a fan club!


So I wrote back to Patricia. Here's my confession :) [Complete with editorial notes....]


Hi, Patricia,

Thanks for asking.

I reached my goal jean size of 12 but not my goal weight of 135 -- I thought I'd have to be 135 lbs to be in a size 12 jean! So I've been regrouping and using the plan as maintenance rather than weight loss for a number of months. If I'm generally mindful of what I'm eating, the maintenance plan works. When my partner is baking cheesecake every week... well, that's a little harder. :)

[On my failure to resist cheesecake.....see blog post Jan 25, 2008, 1st day of diet.... "Am I in Denial?"

Note to self - -must convince my partner to make apple pies!! :) he's on a kick of trying to make the perfect cheesecake.... thankfully he's using Neufatchel and he used low fat sour cream this last time -- still.... ]

When I reached size 12 I balked. I run my own business (business coaching & web design [note gratuitous plug! :) ]), business was really doing very poorly at the time, and I didn't have the cash to purchase a whole new wardrobe -- the same problem I had with becoming a size 20! So I went on the maintenance plan and switched to basically 1 shake a day and still taking the [waist loss plan vitamin]. A few people gave me hand-me down business jackets & coats, I got a few items to tide me over from the Salvation Army, but basically I'm happily hovering at a size 14 right now.

I want to start the strict Cinch plan again soon, and take off more weight. Instead of starting at 197 I'll be starting around 150lbs [reality check with a scale: 160lbs]. Taking off that 40+ lbs [37lbs] has made a huge difference with my asthma, and my self-image. Keeping my muscle is why I fit into a size 12 (down from a size 20!) even though I didn't "lose as much weight" -- I lost more FAT. 40 lbs of fat is enormous [so is 37! heh]. I lost 24" last time I measured -- a few inches here, a few inches there.

Did you see my blog? http://yourgreenclub.blogspot.com/ December I was wearing a size 12 petite suit. :) My son took my profile photo in November, I think -- and you can see my cheekbones :) I thought I'd lost them forever.

So basically, I made it through the holidays without any major disaster just on the maintenance plan. Anything I've put on is my fault for succumbing to weekly cheesecake and pasta (and it's not much -- some people put weight back on quickly -- I'm still taking a shake a day, sometimes two, and overall I watch what I'm eating). We've just gotten a snow storm again here in NY, but I want to get on my bike in the spring and that will be SO MUCH EASIER without that extra 40 lbs and exacerbated asthma!

One thing I noticed: I went to the Shaklee conference in New Orleans and I walked a lot. I was there 5 extra days and put on several miles -- up to 7 -- a day of walking. My Cinch Coach (diet software) was tuned for me to be basically immobile, because I work at my desk all the time, and I wasn't getting exercise. When I got back I was much hungrier and I was [almost] down to a size 12 -- I think I put on muscle mass and the new muscles were hungry! Part of why I would start the Cinch Coach all over again is because my metabolism hasn't been the same since then, and I may be changing my base activity level. I think I need 100-300 more calories a day (over the 1500 calorie plan I was satisfied with before going to New Orleans) at my current metabolic level.

I hope this helps! :)

Criss Ittermann

Your Green Club, LLC
http://YourGreenClub.com


(Required) DISCLAIMER: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If I've mentioned anything about a diet plan's weight loss, "*results not typical".

Regardless of any scientific evidence, case studies, or scientific journal articles, we're actually BANNED from making health claims of any type for any nutrition, vitamin, plant, animal, or other product, and we must include the ridiculous (required) disclaimers. The FDA only allows pharmaceuticals to make those health claims because the FDA is heavily funded, lobbied, begged, bartered, bribed and even staffed by the pharmaceuticals.