16 Apr
TWLC3 Week 1
Welcome to TWLC3 everyone! You can still join us by signing up here. Feeling hesitant? Maybe the knowledge that the winner is going to get $500* will help push you forward. Join us!
I already mentioned that I’m setting up a little challenge for myself. If I do the following things, perfectly, I get to train with my best friend at the gym she works at in Provo this summer. If I don’t do them, the training is not an option. I feel confident that I can do all of these things.
1. Run 3x/week
Shouldn’t be hard to do with my half-marathon training.
2. Strength or cross-train 2x /week
I’m going to try out P90X (a friend loaned me a DVD to try it out), and I’ll also keep using Ripped in 30 as well.
3. Three carb free days/week
My own personal definition of this is a day where I have no rice, no bread, no tortillas, no quinoa. Minimal lentils and beans. What I really want to get out of this is three days where I eat vegetables, fruit, nuts, and a little dairy to keep me sane (maybe some meat if I happen to have some, and I’m also allowed to eat these vegan veggie patties from Costco that I keep in the freezer, even if it does have some sort of flour in it).
4. Dessert 1x/week
Once a month is too restrictive. But I am going to start turning down dessert, because dessert is always there. It’s always coming at me, and I’ve got to remember that turning down this cupcake doesn’t mean I never get to have a cupcake ever again.
5. Unlimited fruits and vegetables
Heavy emphasis on the vegetables of course.
6. Weigh all cheese
Doing low-carb and low-meat makes me love dairy like I never have before. It provides the satisfaction I need to stay happy (I don’t know how raw food vegans do it) and is a quick snack to grab when I”m preparing my vegetables. Therein lies the problem, I snack and fill up on it and feel sick! So I’m going to give this “weighing” idea a try to see if it helps me cut back.
7. Zero white flour
Excluding dessert once a week. If I want a croissant made with white flour I guess that will be my once-a-week dessert treat.
What are your goals for TWLC3? Writing them down is necessary, but sharing them publicly is even better. You can see my goals from TWLC2 here. I failed pretty badly, and my new goals reflect that, but what matters most is tomorrow, and the next day, and the next. Yesterday can’t be changed.
We’re going to do this!
*Conditional on everyone who signed up sending in their payments when I ask for them within the next two weeks.
Also:
I'm a farm-raised almost-crunchy stroller-pushing picture-taking lifestyle-blog-writing gastronomy-obsessed divine-seeking thrift-store-combing cheese-inhaling pavement-pounding laughter-sprinkling lover of individuality and taking chances.
I don’t claim to be super knowledgeable about foods (you definitely could school me on a lot!) But isn’t quinoa a protein? I was under the impression its not a grain, is it still considered a carb?
Jenna Reply:
April 16th, 2012 at 9:54 am
It is very high in protein, but technically it’s a grain, and I have a theory that limiting grains and such will be the key to my weight loss efforts. We shall see.
Errign Reply:
April 16th, 2012 at 4:55 pm
Aubrey, quinoa has about 35 net carbs/cup (subtracting for the amount of fiber in it)…it’s a complete protein, but falls in the grain/seed category.
I’m signed up! And I have a few goals:
1. Alcohol only 1x month.
2. Walk to work 4 days/week, or make it up with other exercise if I can’t or don’t walk to work.
3. Track EVERYTHING I eat on MyFitnessPal
4. More fresh/non-processed food (especially fruits and vegetables)
These are goals to start - may add some more as time goes on and I master these!
2You did a nice job of setting goals. They seem reasonable and totally doable.
I joined the challenge and have set the following goals:
1. Follow the stripped 5×5 lifting routine 3x week and track workouts on Fitocracy.
2. Track everything I eat on MyFitnessPal.
3. Try to hit a ratio of 40p/30c/30f each day.
4. Do at least one day per week of cardio.
I hope everyone is successful in meeting their goals!
3So how do you win? It seems like those of us that don’t have a lot of pounds to lose wouldn’t really stand much of a chance at getting that prize. Not that that’s why I’d do this, but I’m just wondering how those of us that are like 160 pounds could win.
Jenna Reply:
April 16th, 2012 at 10:31 am
You lose the highest percentage of weight.
Quinoa is not technically a grain although it looks/tastes like one: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinoa I know everyone is different but, for me, quinoa is the super magic ingredient in my life to keep my weight stable and/or add to my meal plans after an indulgent weekend (or three). There are a lot worse things you could be eating!
I am also training for a half (using Hal Higdon’s novice training plan) and am on week 8 of the 12-week program. It is awesome and I love checking off my Excel spreadsheet and hitting new distances every week. That said, running makes me (and most other people) pretty hungry so I’m going to go all mom on you and say to listen to your body and don’t overly restrict yourself. Doing a super low carb diet three days a week when you expect to run three times a week sounds pretty tough to me! Tweak your rules as you get further along in your training and you see what works for you. Be careful and have fun.
Jenna Reply:
April 16th, 2012 at 10:35 am
So interesting! I was just going off my package of quinoa :). This is good, because it’s nice to have a protein source.
Really this low-carb thing is just a working theory that I’m running with. I’ll give it a month or so and see where it takes me. I of course would never continue doing so if I felt adverse effects. I need energy to tackle the other areas in my life!
phruphru Reply:
April 16th, 2012 at 10:53 am
Sounds good! I was nervous you might be taking an all-or-nothing approach, which could lead to burnout or injury. Hope you enjoy the training. It has been an amazing experience for me so far and having that race date on the horizon has really grounded me, in terms of healthy living goals. Food isn’t just something to inhale, it’s fuel. I love thinking like that.
Jenna,
If I send my pic in tonight, am I still good. I forgot to do it this weekend
Jenna Reply:
April 16th, 2012 at 11:02 am
Yep, you are fine. You still have time.
Jenna, I shamelessly promoted you, your blog, and TWLC3 in my blog entry today. I also listed my weight loss and health related goals. (And expanded on how I’m going to get there!)
http://gwendolynjrl.blogspot.com/2012/04/twlc3or-how-i-got-my-body-back.html
Jenna Reply:
April 16th, 2012 at 6:54 pm
You can promote me aaannnnnyyyy time you want. Great write-up!
I’ve been a part of both other TWLC’s and I did not do so well so I’m committed to really giving it my all this time. My goals at the beginning are simple: 1) log in every week on the tracking sheet for accountability and 2)be more involved with the TWLC3 Facebook page so I can get motivation from others and also for added accountability.
8You should consider using hummus as a cheese substitute. I find it fills that creamy-fatty-salty void where cheese used to be for me. It’s lighter than cheese and goes so well with adding in those extra veggies you’re looking for. It still has oil of course, but no animal fats.
I prefer store-bought to homemade for the variety of flavors and that nutrition label keeps me in check. Plus it’s an easy lunch meat substitute for me, and again… helps me get in those veggies!
Gwendolyn Reply:
April 17th, 2012 at 11:28 am
I’m trying to find cheese substitutes because I’m lactose-sensitive (I can have very small portions of dairy or larger amounts of non-fat ice cream or hard cheeses without being sick.)
I’ve tried a couple different hummus recipes and I didn’t like them much. Have you tried edamame hummus? I like the fresh soy beans in stir fries and steamed with salt but I don’t know if I should try it. I’m not sure if it’s the texture of hummus I’m disliking or the chickpeas or the tahinni?
Sarah Reply:
April 17th, 2012 at 12:39 pm
I am not a tahini fan at all. Bleck. I prefer flavored varieties so they’re not too bean-y either, if that makes sense. I have given up on making my own hummus because it never turns out quite right and I find store bought hummus isn’t too expensive.
Trader Joe’s has a kalamata olive kind that I really love. Maybe work your way in by adding a little as a sandwich spread?
I haven’t tried edemame hummus yet myself.
Cécy Reply:
April 18th, 2012 at 8:34 am
Have you tried a black eyed peas hummus? I have a recipe for one where you substitute the tahini for peanut butter and the b.e.peas for chickpeas. It’s pretty good.
Great goals! I’m more interested in cutting out processed food and increasing exercise than in losing weight specifically. I’m hoping those goals in themselves will help me lose the bit I’d like gone. My husband and I do the Insanity workout. He wanted to try P90x but so many of our military friends prefer Insanity for the cardio and strength training without bulking up. We have really liked it and I find I have so much more energy and stamina for running and my current daily routine of chasing 2 toddlers.
10i want to lose ~30 lbs this time around. i’m down 20 from twlc2 and that was mainly from following the 17 day diet. i never made it through all 3 phases, so i plan to complete all 3 until reach 130 and then go to the maintenance phase. i also plan to work out consistently, something i have never done in my life. i’m using beachbody’s slim in 6 and i plan on working through the 3 stages to coincide with the 3 stages of the diet.
11Are you going to be making separate meals or will T1 and your husband be doing no carbs days too?
Jenna Reply:
April 16th, 2012 at 7:02 pm
I’ll eat separate from them. It’s really awful
Crystal Reply:
April 16th, 2012 at 8:27 pm
Have you thought about making a main dish like a chicken something or other and then just making rice, biscuits or noodles for them? It’d be almost the same meal so it’d be easier on you.
how do we access the google document?
Jenna Reply:
April 16th, 2012 at 8:36 pm
Everyone who has signed up on the TWLC3 announcement post and indicated they would like to have access to it will get an email from me soon.
Taking those photos was awful. I’m looking forward to this. My goals are: to continue with my couch to 5K and 1/2 marathon training runs 3 days a week, cardio and some weights cross training two days a week and yoga on Sundays. As far as food goes, journal all of it! I’m going to focus on eating 90% whole foods at home first (we’re always out, always eating out), then focus on cutting back on the carbs. I am supposed to be running a half marathon in November (training from scratch) and I know it will be so much easier if I weigh a lot less come d-day!
14Not joining in because with a BMI of 20.9 I really don’t need to!!!
But on you’re mentioning No dessert and unlimited fruits so I have to weight in.
I grew up with the idea that a fruit is a dessert. So here are some options to satisfy your sweet tooth without going crazy:
-A fresh fruit
-A fruit salad. Great ways to spruce it up: let it marinate with a little lemon juice and some fresh herbs such as rosemary thyme, lavender, etc.
-A yogurt, either plain or with fresh sliced vegetables.
If you are also training for a half marathon, you make want to look into what the best fueling options will be for you. Because you likely will need energy gels or chews or something. I’ve heard that the body can have up to 2 hours of glycogen stored in the muscles, but that’s the top for elite athletes. Little runners like us need to fuel a little so as not to crash. So keep that in mind to find the right balance.
15I personally love one or half a banana and some almond butter on a bagel before a long run (think 9 miles and over), eaten 1h30 to 2h prior.
I’m excited for this to start! I started last week, after Easter indulgences, and am really hoping to get back to healthier weight.
My goals are to:
161. Make it to some form of exercise twice a week. I’m really lazy, so this is hard for me, but I’m loving bikram yoga, and that counts!
2. Track my calories like crazy on myfitness pal (we should all be friends on there! I would love to have friends on there! ebs1123)
3. Do some at home strength training 4x/week.
Hi Jenna!
Is there any way I could still be included in TWLC3?
I just got back from Peace Corps in Guatemala and hadn’t been keeping up with my blogs during the move.
All I would like is to be added to the TWLC3 Google Doc list in order to log in to enter in my progress.
I lost 10 lbs while in Peace Corps but I’m already putting on weight being back. I’m getting married this August and would love to be part of the challenge to keep me on track while I’m adjusting back to all the US temptations and trying to form new good habits!
Apologies for not catching the deadline!
Steph
17Quinoa is not a carb.
18