Now, that we have dealt with my image issues, back to the subject of what I am cautiously optimistic about … that I have finally discovered a meal plan that will work to help me lose some weight, and allow me to workout harder–the way I like.
I tend to gain when I lift heavy … and not just muscle … dangit, I gain FAT too! So, I have kept working on a plan to lose and lift. It has been a year and half struggle of disappointment and frustration. My body tends to go into fat storage when I do strenuous lifting, riding, or kayaking. It stems from the years of illness and low cal dieting PLUS serious over-exercising. I am a perfect example of when simple math doesn’t work — you know what everyone says eating less/right and moving more and everything will fall into place. Not for everyone it doesn’t. Some of us require a touch more tweaking.
I like how I feel when I lift. I like feeling strong, but I don’t like weighing over 160. I can shoot up 30 pounds FAST when I lift. Docs have been perplexed. Still, I press on. 😀
So, here I am today, hopeful for the first time in a while that I might actually be on to something that works for me. Following my latest version of paleo/low carb/primal style eating plus intermittent fasting — I am popping up with the workouts and dropping back down flat on rest days. Yea! I’m going to keep up with it and see how I go. Just in case you are wondering I still do not know what I weigh. Mike still only tells me if I am going up or down. I had a week where I ran up to 10 pounds. It was pushing up towards 15 pounds gained when I started this latest version of my meal plan. I am back down to the 10 pound gain. Yes!
Some folks are able to lose by deficit eating (eating 1/2 or less of what they burned during exercise) when working out heavy–which is generally a great plan. I have to be SUPER careful with that one. I can only leave about a 200 to 300 calorie deficit of the calories I burn, at the MOST, when working out if I want to lose or my body will start storing everything I eat as fat, and the end result is weight gain not loss. Or I have to eat mostly fat with a touch of protein … that gets OLD fast … the bonus is that I can still eat a pretty fair amount of food, and my body kicks in and burns off my fat stores, and all my blood work gets A+ ratings with the docs. But … that really isn’t sustainable over the long haul. Who can eat 65 to 75 percent fat with a touch of protein all day everyday. I guess anyone who was super serious, and I am, but still …. YUCK!

The yum in my soup. I’m still a touch stuffy … so soup is a wonderful and savory way to keep the head all opened up and the belly FULL! Lean and clean 😀
What meal plan have I come up with?
First the disclaimer: This won’t work for you if you aren’t insulin resistant. I mean it could, but it would most likely be bad for your health. Do what I do … if YOU are going to make a BIG diet/lifestyle change … go to your doctor and let him monitor you while you do it.
I like food. I love to eat. I love variety in my food. I love veggies … so what’s a girl to do?
- I’ve made my snacks fatty — macadamia nuts, avocados, and the like.
- I make my treats — starchier veggies (mini bell peppers, and butternut squash) — these are limited
- I make my sweets — fresh or frozen fruit only two a day, maybe a touch extra on heavy workout days. None on fast days.
- I avoid bread, except gluten free — even then very, very seldom or super small portions.
- I limit cheese — this is where I am not totally paleo — but given my insulin resistance I have to be able to eat quick sometimes and it can’t always be fruit or even veggies. I need the fat.
- I limit most dairy to grass-fed and organic — makes it much harder to have — but I am ok with that.
- I eat my weight in non starchy veggies.
- I eat 3 to 4 ounces of protein three to four times a day. Most of the time it is lean, but not on fat fast days — bacon is always on the plan as long as it is nitrate free. 😀
- I don’t eat if I am not hungry
- I do eat if I am hungry — something lean with veggies, or sometimes just fat
- I have one to two fast days a week. By fasting I mean that I eat seriously reduced calories — much nicer than my spiritual fasts where all you get is water. 😀 It resets me.
- If I get on a gaining trend — then — boo hiss I go on the fat fast to bring that bugger to a halt.
- I eat a range of calories during the week of 1,200 calories on a low end, to 2,500 calories on the high end. I loosely track what I eat, and work my calories to go with my activity levels for the day. Except fast days which range from 1000 to 600.
- I do drink wine several times a week.
- I drink a gob of water. I don’t know how much I just keep refilling the bottle. 😀
- My macro breakdown is probably 50 to 65% Fat, 30 to 40% Protein, and 10 to 20% carbs–complex
- This is a touch different on heavy or endurance workout days, but not always. Then it is probably 40% carbs, 30% Protein, and 30% Fat.
- I usually have a “cheat meal” once a week or so. For me a cheat meal is butternut squash pancakes, butternut squash fries baked in the oven, potatoes, bananas (fruit), and dates.
- I try to make most of my food REAL food. I do have junk, I’m human, but not too often.
So … there you have a loose plan of what I do. I am not going to write out every bit I eat for you all, because my plan is just that …. My Plan … very specific for ME. If you wanna know about fat fasts … I have written about it before, but Dr. Atkins outlines is very clearly in his book. Just a word of caution … Again … my diet is metabolically suited for me. I have a LOT of metabolic issues. You could try what I do, and get seriously sick or fat. Besides, I still don’t know if it is going to work over the long haul yet. Things are looking good for me though … so I will keep pressing in. I’m excited that I seem to have found a plan that will allow a low level of carbs, and I can still lose weight. This feels sustainable over the long haul.
Keep your fingers crossed, say a prayer for me, and send me positive thoughts as I continue to test this out. I’m almost over this sinus stuff! Yeah!

Just in case you are wondering where I have been … the two munchkins on this page tend to wipe out my brain. 😀 With joy of course.
😀
Shonnie
I have so much more to tell you …. This week Collin turns 18. It is autism awareness month … got me all emotional. 😀
It is nice when you start figuring things out.
God, knows I hope we have actually figured it out. 😀