The ELFF Diet

I'm Baaacccckkkk!

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit - Quote I saw on Twitter

 But not for long in this spot. Mainly because I let my domain expire and figuring out the way to traffic it all around stresses my brain.

So. Hmmm.

I haven't posted on this site since April, 2010. And, let's be honest - most of what I posted the last four months wasn't very good. Let me 'splain.

I was burnt out.

Writing for DietsInReview is great fun. Writing for my own site, Mom to the Screaming Masses, is awesome. Doing freelance work is amazing. I have a new project I can't talk about yet. I'm also working on two manuscripts. I do many reviews and paid posts. I wasn't feeling Elff - and the name felt goofy to me, and so I just let it go.

And when I let it go, I was under the mistaken impression that taking one boxing class every day meant that I could eat whatever I wanted - and I happen to love me some bread, some pasta and more cupcakes than any one person should responsibly eat. End result - 20 pounds up. Ten of which I probably needed - ten of which I most emphatically do not.

But I need to blog somewhere - and I've been thinking, for quite a while, that the name ELFF (Eat Less Food Fatty - what I said to myself when I was struggling with weight loss) doesn't really make sense. In fact, I tried to sell a manuscript with that name and couldn't - and the only agent who would be honest with me told me that it was the name.

Upshot - I started a new blog. Calories In, Calories Out. That's the only way to lose weight. The only real and honest way. I'm not going to put ads there - having ads makes me obsess over what I'm posting and when I'm posting it. I reserve the right to change my mind, however. I'm going to keep this blog up, as I really did write some good stuff - and, please - feel free to reference it. I may cannibalize it occasionally for the new site - but I mostly plan to just use it to be accountable.

Do you need to be held accountable? Slip on over there, and let's help each other get healthy. Again.

Let's Talk Weight

I never post here. I'm going to try to make more of an effort, though, for I think I need the accountability.

At the end of my weight loss efforts, I weighed 129. I took a picture of the scale. That was the summer of 2007. I maintained that all winter. I had hernia surgery in the spring of 2008 and weighed 135 on the hospital scale. 5 pounds, not bad. Still better than the 210 I had started with.

I had a sever IT band injury in the fall of 2008 running a half marathon. I tore my calf muscle February 2009. I had a miscarriage May 2009. I severely pulled my piriformis muscle fall 2009.

I knew my weight was up but I purposely did not get on the scale. When I was trying to lose weight, I was obsessive about it. I weighed every.single.day, often three or more times in one day. I made myself crazy. So I stayed off the scale, and I knew that my weight was going up.

When I was in Grand Cayman this week, I went into the changing room at the gym. There was a scale there, and I stood in front of it for a good two minutes. Do I want to get on it, I thought to myself. I did, kind of. I was curious to know what I weighed. I knew, though, that the number had the power to ruin my entire weekend. If it was high, I'd obsess and fret about it nonstop. But I really did want to know, and so I made a promise to myself. No matter the number, it doesn't define you. It could say 170 and you are still lighter than you were 4 years ago. Your thighs are chunkier, yes, and your belly is looser. But you are strong and work out a lot, and if you aren't happy with that number, you have the power to change it. You know you haven't been the best with the food, so you know it's going to be high. Just get up there, already.

And so I did. 145.

I'm not going to lie and say that I love that number, but I'm ok with it. I know I need to get back to about 135-138, but I am glad to at least know where I stand.

Who Am I, and What Am I Doing at Fitbloggin'?

Want to follow me on Twitter? I'm @mttsm. I'll be tweeting about Fitbloggin' this weekend.

I will Ok, so if you are on this page, in all reality, you are either in my panel or you heard about my panel at Fibloggin, held in Baltimore on March 20. My panel is called Using Social Media to Reach Goals: The Power of an Online Community.

I willbe speaking with a great group of fellow bloggers, including the lovely MizFitOnline, Bookie Boo, Theresa DiMasi from Weight Watchers and Benjamin Teal.

If you want to know more about me, here's a quick snapshot on why I am speaking on this panel. In 2006, I began a weight loss effort. It was not my first try, but it was the first time that I was truly successful. At the end of 18 months, I had lost 80 pounds. I dropped from a size 18-20 to a size 2-4. I developed a love of running, weight training and martial arts, belting in both Capoeira and Muay Thai boxing. I was at the gym 6 days a week, and running almost every day. I LOVED it. I'm a yellow belt in Capoeira and ready to test for my Red in Muay Thai boxing. I've run a half marathon.

Then, I suffered a few injuries. In Feb 2009, I tore my gastrocnemius muscle in my right calf and wore a walking boot and crutches for four months. During that time, I suffered a nervous breakdown.  I recovered from that and returned to my martial arts. Then I had a miscarriage in May 2009. That was a tough one. Then, in September 2009, I pulled my piriformis muscle - and that STILL BUGS ME. So over the course of those injuries and setbacks, I gained back about 15 pounds. I'm mostly ok with that, as I heard several times that I was too thin - but my bod image is skewed and I feel heavier than I am almost every day of my life. 

I know. I'm full of drama. And high maintenance. It's ok.

I'm the Chief Mom for Diets In Review, where I talk all things diet and exercise related. It is a great job and I'm thrilled to be there. If you are so inclined, check out our Cook at Home Challenge, where you can win a kitchen makeover. I WANT to win it and I can't, so I'd love it if one of you did!

This site has been mostly defunct lately, but there is a LOT of good stuff in the archives over there.

Thanks for stopping by!

Cook at Home to Lose Weight?

Eating out is easier. Eating out means that I don't have to think about what to cook, how to cook it, I don't have to shop for it or prepare it. I just have to sit down, order and eat. I love to eat out.

My body - and my wallet! - don't love to eat out. I know that when I eat out, I gain weight. Even if I think that the recipe is healthy, there are often hidden calories, extra fats and sugars and larger portion sizes - all of which encourage me to eat more!more!MORE!!!  Eating at home requires pre planning, a bit of effort and time - but the rewards are great.

That's why I am happy to say that I'm taking part in the Diets In Review Cook At Home Challenge. Disclaimer: I work for DIR - but I would take part in this nonetheless. It's a fantastic way stay accountable  to myself, keep my meal ideas fresh and become even healthier. Just in this first week alone, there are some FANTASTIC recipes posted and I already have two new meals planned.

Check it out and let me know if you are participating!

TRX Cables

I've been doing the boot camp every M/W/F.

I'm tired every single M/W/F.

Today we did TRX cables. Have you ever seen these things? go look. I'll wait.

Um, yeah. I'm sore. And tired.

What are you up to in the name of exercise?