Days 12-14 You get out what you put in

The old adage that "You get out what you put in" applies to many situations. Food for example. The more unhealthy calories you stuff yourself with, the larger the negative impact to your health. Conversely, the more effort you put in, the more positive results you get.

I apologize that the last 3 days are being summarized in one entry. In general, none of the days were stellar. Mainly because life got in the way. On Sat, I had a big family party to attend. On Sunday, we had brunch plans and hosted a small dinner. Today, I went to the Blue Jays game with a group of friends.

I don't believe a diet should constrict lifestyle. Now if my goal was to lose as much as weight as possible in the 30 days, then it's incumbent upon myself to adhere to the diet strictly. However my goal was to validate whether this 30 day diet will teach me proper eating habits as well as help me lose weight and get me in the right direction health-wise.

I'm pleased to report that on all 3 days, major crises were averted. I was responsible at the family dinner, ensuring I exercised portion control and selected wisely. I did have a small dessert but didn't go back for seconds. On Sunday, I had a smoked salmon omelet for brunch. And for dinner we made chicken breast with a wine sauce, baked eggplant and couscous. Tonight, I avoided the beer, opting for a single vodka and club soda. I had couple of nacho chips and peanuts, but did my best to avoid the usually fatty temptations.

For exercise, I had a good 20 minute elliptical session on Saturday. On Sunday, I walked about 4km. Today, I walked again about 3-4Km. I'm finding reasons to go for walks.
My plan tomorrow morning is to go for a walk quickly after my morning shake and shower. The idea is that getting outside early makes the morning feel more productive.

I'm not going to do a food recap for all 3 days since I can't remember what I ate on Sat or Sunday. However, in general, I'm definitely making better choices with portions, vegetables and fruits over simple carbs and fats and consuming lots of water.

I do plan on being more stringent during the last 16 of the challenge however as my goal is 200 pounds and I need to put in the effort to get there.

Tip of the day : Cut back on the the sodium. A friend of mine cautioned me about the pistachios saying the sodium could have detrimental effects to the weight loss. I can't argue with him. Since I bought the package of pistachios, my weight has flatlined despite good efforts. The answer is simple..cut out the pistachios and rev up the metabolism again.