Detour Finished

I meant to get this up yesterday but things were just crazy around here.  Better late than never though.

This week marks the half-way point in my challenge.  After the past two weeks I was extra curious about what was in store for this week.  My weight this week was 64.1 kg.  It was down 0.5 kg (1.1 lb) from last week.  My waist measurement stayed the same at 29.5 inches.  So far, since I started with the shakes on February 15th I've lost 1.7 kg (3.74 lbs) and 2 1/2 inches from my waist.  I'm pretty happy with the results.  I'm curious to see what happens over the next six weeks.

Honestly, the things that I'm most pleased with don't even have a lot do do with my weight or measurements.  I've mentioned before the improvement in energy and digestion with the vitamins I've been taking with the shakes.  It's nice to look good but it's even better to feel good.

I've also noticed that I'm not as hungry in the late mornings.  I used to do a lot of snacking during the morning.  Even if I had eaten breakfast, I was still really hungry by about 10:30.  Since I've started having the shakes I find that I'm not getting hungry until about 11:30.  I still have the snacking habit but I'm not hungry like I was.  I also find that I seem to fell full faster, even at lunch and supper.

Why I Prefer Measurements

Okay, I'm not sure what's going on.  Well I have some suspicions.  Anyway, my weight actually went up this past week.  I was really bummed out about that . . . until I took my waist measurement.  I weighed in at 64.6 kg.  That's 0.2 kg heavier than last week (just under 1/2 lb).  My waist measurement went down though by an inch.  Last week it was 30 1/2 and this week it was 29 1/2.  There are a few things that I think might be at play.

One is that muscle is denser than fat so at some point there will be a bigger difference in size than in weight.  The second thing is that even though I didn't want to make any changes besides using the shakes for breakfast, I ended up making one big change.  I night-weaned my son this past week, it was overdue.  Thankfully it went fairly smoothly and my sleep is much less disrupted now.  The big issue is that my milk production is still getting worked out.  Also, since I don't need to produce as much milk, my calorie intake requirements will be less as well.  I'm sure it will all get sorted out in the coming weeks but I think it threw things for a loop this past week.

One last thing, the promotion that was supposed to end on the 15th has been extended till the end of the month.  The company I'm working with has more than just shakes as well, thank goodness.  I think I'd get sick of just shakes after a while but maybe that's just me.

My Past Has Caught Up With Me

I was determined when I started this challenge that I the only change I would make was having the shakes each morning and I've kept that resolution.  One thing that I've learned as a result is that attending (and pigging out at) a chili-fest in the middle of a challenge like this might not be the best idea.  I'm not sure if I should be disappointed that I'm the same weight this week as I was last week or if I should be impressed that I'm not a couple pounds heavier.  My waist measurement is the same as last week as well, 30 1/2 inches.

I've been taking the shakes for a month now and for the most part, I've really enjoyed them.  They're quick and easy in the mornings and for someone who tends to not have time for breakfast, I really appreciate them.  They taste good and they're filling.  I love the variety of flavours, especially the chocolate flavour that I just got.  I also love mixing the chocolate and strawberry - so good.  That said, I don't see myself having a shake every day for the rest of my life.  The fact is that I really like food.  I like having pancakes or eggs and toast or bacon and eggs or a bagel and cream cheese or oatmeal or (rarely) cold cereal or a whole host of other things that aren't shakes.  While doing this challenge I've committed to having the shakes every day and I'm content with that.  I'm not "cheating" at all so that I can see the effect that the shakes are having on my weight.  When I'm finished the challenge I will likely continue to have the shakes on a regular basis as well.  I really do like them (which is actually quite a surprise).  I have to admit, though, I will enjoy not feeling tied to the shakes.  I really don't think I would have it in me to have a shake every day for the rest of my life.  It's like Death by Chocolate ice cream at Kawartha Dairy.  It's soooooo good but I don't think I could have a cone of it every day, sometimes I just need to get mango instead.

If You Want to Join Me, Now's the Time

First, the report on my progress.  My current weight is 64.4kg or 142lb.  I've lost 0.4 kg since last week or 0.88 lbs.  That's just over 3 lbs since I started having the shakes 3 weeks ago.  My waist measurement is now 30 1/2 inches which is 1/2 inch less than last week.  So I would say that the shakes definitely seem to be living up to my expectations.  This month I ordered chocolate as well, my order should be here today.

Now for the exiting part (as if chocolate wasn't enough).  I'm doing this challenge mainly so I can try out products first-hand and see what the results are.  If I'm going to recommend a product to anyone, I want to have first-hand experience with it.  While I'd love to have people try them out with me (and some of my friends have taken up the challenge themselves), that isn't my main objective in doing this.  That said, my company is having a great promotion until the 15th of this month.  If you're at all interested in trying the shakes for yourself (or trying any of the other 350 products), now would be a great time.  Comment on this blog, post on Facebook, send me an email or call me and I can show you some more information.