Renovating Kaeti

I’ve been putting it off because, well, the thought of giving up cheese (not to mention sugar) for longer than 30 seconds kind of makes me want to cry. Oh, and I’ve been recovering from my shin injury. And I’ve just been so busy.

Trust me, I have saddlebags full of more excuses.

So basically, I really really need to do this detox. My eating habits have spiraled out of control faster than I could eat a bag of Bugles and wash ‘em down with a Yoo-hoo (which, I imagine, could happen pretty quickly — Bugles and Yoo-hoo aren’t the sort of food-like products that you want to savor).

But enough of this rigamorole, I told myself.* It’s time to get serious and subject myself to a week of rabbit food, skin brushing** and the potential side effects of detox including, but not limited to, noxious body odor, acne, bad breath, constipation, bloating, irritability and headaches.*** Doesn’t this sound like so much fun?!

Seriously, the list of potential side effects reads like a pharmaceutical ad.**** But you know what? I got myself into this mess, so I’ll cowboy up and greet these side effects with grace and charm, because that’s just how I roll. I’ll even take it in stride when this detox program asks that I drink borage oil.

Without further pandering, I’m going to start this detox tomorrow morning. I apologize ahead of time if I turn into a firemonster or try to eat your babies. I doubt that will happen, though, because I’ll be following the detox program crafted by Dr. Mark Hyman (as revealed to us humans in The UltraSimple Diet and The Detox Box).

Anyone feel like joining me? I promise it’ll be really fun. Hello?

[crickets]

** Your guess is as good as mine.

*** Basically, I’m never going to have a boyfriend again. They should include permanent singleness as a side effect.

**** Watching pharmaceutical ads may cause drowsiness, bleeding from the eyes, stomach ulcerations and severe bouts of uncontrollable, blackout rage.

I’d like to say that I entered into this whole world of health and fitness for entirely altruistic reasons — because it’s a better way to live, in and of itself. But honestly, weight loss was a big motivator for me.

Somehow during college I managed to accidentally gain upward of 60 pounds. Seriously, I don’t know what happened! (Er, I guess there were a few pizzas, trips to fast-food joints and sleepless nights thrown in there.) I was a classic case of denial, telling myself it wasn’t that bad and that I would get healthy after college, you know, when I had “more time.” Ha.

Well, long story short, I did make some important changes after college, and in the past nine months have been steadily losing weight and reclaiming balance in my body and life. But in the last month or so, I’ve kind of hit a wall. Blame the holidays or inertia or erratic eating, all I know is that my body has stopped shedding fat. And in talking to my friends and reading many of your blogs, I know that a lot of you have experienced the same thing.

So I did a little digging, and here’s a list of five reasons that weight loss can stall. This is by no means a comprehensive list, so be sure to comment and weigh in with your thoughts. (I didn’t even try to make that pun. I swear it was an accident.)

1. You’re not weight training. Weight training increases mitochondria, our cells’ calorie-burning powerhouses. So basically, more muscle means that your body is naturally burning more fat just by existing. Gina DeMillo Wagner explains it here. This is an area where I am oh-so guilty. Taking a cue from those of you with balanced fitness programs, I’m trying to work in some more resistance training.
2. You body has adapted to your fitness routine. Routine isn’t always bad — in fact, it can be eseential — but ruts can definitely derail your path to weight loss. Check out “Spring-Clean Your Routine” and investigate some of the resources listed. If your body has adapted to your same-old, same-old regimen, you need to mix it up to start seeing results again.
3. Inflammation. In “How Exercise Heals,” Susan Gaines writes: “Inflammation can be measured by the presence of C-reactive protein (CRP), and it flares when your immune system is in a state of chronic reaction. Messenger molecules of the immune system, called cytokines, are fired up by poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle. A regular, moderate exercise program can sharply reduce CRP, according to a 2002 study published in Epidemiology.” What does all of that mean? Inflammation causes our bodies to hold onto extra weight. Experts like doctors Mark Hyman and Elson Haas attribute our chronic inflammation to a diet loaded with processed food and our increasingly stressful lifestyles. Food intolerances and allergies also play a huge role in inflammation, so if you suspect that you have food sensitivities, it may be worth it to try out a detox/elimination diet like the one described in The UltraSimple Diet.
4. You’re not eating enough. So many people are consumed by cutting calories and monitoring their food intake that they end up sabotaging their weight loss. If you’re eating less than your basal metabolic rate (i.e., the amount of calories you would burn if you spent all day in bed) your metabolism will slow down. I know y’all have heard this before, but it bears repeating. Our bodies function best when we fuel them with fresh, natural, whole foods, and worry more about the nutrient value and less about the caloric impact. Our bodies have an amazing capacity to regulate and adjust to the amount we eat if we’re eating quality food and staying active.
5. You’re working against your body, not with it. If you’re pushing yourself too hard in the gym, trying to trick your body with less-than-satisfying “diet” foods, or aiming for an ideal weight that is downright unhealthy, your weight loss will be inconsistent. And losing weight too quickly will just slow you down in the long run. The healthy, sustainable way to weight loss is not The Biggest Loser, it’s retraining your body to function as efficiently as possible. If you give your body whole foods and regular activity, it’s amazing how willing it is to work with you to get to a healthy weight.

Just writing these out has reminded me of some things I need to work on (a balanced fitness program, avoiding processed flours and sugar, accepting the speed at which my body is able to change, etc).

Here are some other great resources to check out:

Weight-Loss Rules to Rethink

The Simple Way to Slim

Maximize Your Metabolism

Spring-Clean Your Routine

Weight Loss 101