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Diet Diary

My name is Elizabeth Bancroft and I’m a 36-year-old attorney in New Jersey. I recently became engaged to a great guy, Eric, and am now planning our wedding. What's the first thing I thought of when I got engaged? Not, “wow, I get to spend the rest of my life with this wonderful man," but “oh my god, I have GOT to lose weight.” Follow the ups and downs of my weight-loss journey as I work to drop the pounds before the wedding.

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October 15, 2008

Ups & Downs

Time is flying these days between work, wedding planning and workouts! I continue to absolutely love working out with my trainer. I've had some ups and downs with the diet, but for the most part, I’m sticking to it closely. The “ups” are days when I have everything I need in the house to pack breakfast, lunch and snacks for the office, and I make it through the day without feeling too hungry. The “downs” are days when I don’t bring to work enough food and I’m left hungry, grumpy and dreaming about food.

I have, however, made some huge changes to my diet that I know are good for me: I gave up my daily bagel for healthy bread products that have been recommended by the nutritionist, I eat at least one salad a day, and I’m drinking less wine. So far I’ve only lost two pounds, but I feel 100% healthier and more energized. I know one of these days everything will come together and I’ll start to really see changes to my body.

Additionally, I've figured out the solution to the cleaning people throwing away the water bottle that I always left on my desk—I brought in the 1-liter stein that I stole from the Haufbrau House on the Oktoberfest grounds in Munich when I was studying abroad in 1992. I'm trying to drink two full liters of water each day. The stein may decrease my trips to the kitchen to refill my water container, but it has increased my trips to the bathroom!

Tomorrow I weigh in again and my trainer's taking my measurements. Fingers crossed that I see some improvements!

Posted by Elizabeth at 4:04 p.m. | Comments (2)

October 7, 2008

My Meal Plan

I just got my eating plan and I’m now trying to figure out where I can get some of these foods—thankfully I think that my sister, Jessica, is going to stop at Whole Foods in DC before driving up to my house on Thursday night for our trip to VT over the weekend. I was not able to make my appointment last night with my awesome trainer because of a conference call at work (clients still come first!) so we rescheduled for 6 a.m. this morning. Let’s just note, I don’t like to get up early and I consider 5:30 REALLY early. It was well worth dragging my butt out of bed. I went through a one-hour power sculpting class that left my legs shaking and my arms sore. It truly felt good to “feel the burn.” I may not be quite so excited later today when I can’t walk, but for now I’m still pretty damn pleased with myself.

I get weighed again on Thursday and since I just started thinking about how I should really be eating, thanks to my meal plan, I’m not sure how it is going to turn out. I have cut back significantly on portions and I’ve tried to make healthy decisions, but, truth be told, I still drank wine over the weekend (Friday night on our patio with perfect weather was just screaming for a glass of wine!). My meal plan tells me to cut down on alcohol, but truly I need to just cut it out because I know that it is a killer for my metabolism and it makes me bloated. I do not picture myself as a bloated bride. Guess that means I have to do something about it.

This weekend is going to prove challenging. I am returning to my hometown, Rutland, Vermont, for a party being thrown by one of my oldest and dearest friends, Sara. She and her husband began throwing this party last year to bring together high school friends, and I hear that the turnout is going to be pretty good with people coming from Boston, NYC and DC, as well as various points in VT. A good friend has opened a restaurant in Rutland called Table 24. We have reservations for Friday night and I have heard fantastic things about the food. I’ve also looked online at the menu and the filet mignon is calling my name (it’s a favorite of mine). Red meat is not on my eating plan, but I just don’t think that I can pass up a good filet. Plus, I’m going to want to have wine with dinner. Saturday night is quite simply a party—we’ve been told to bring wine or beer. I’m going to be tempted again to drink wine. I love wine. However, I am going to do my best to keep everything in moderation and make sure that I get out on both Saturday and Sunday for a walk/jog. There is a three-mile loop that my mom and I used to run when I was growing up—I think I’ll see how much of it I can make jogging. Probably not much.

I’m already looking forward to my workout session on Thursday night—it will help me start the weekend on the right track!

Posted by Elizabeth at 12:09 p.m. | Comments (0)

September 25, 2008

How I Got Here

I have struggled with my weight since I was in high school. I always felt as though I did not have a boyfriend in high school or college because I was not cute and petite like the girls in my social circle. I am 5’9” and hardly petite. I am athletic and strong. After college I lived in Colorado for five years and managed to be active and keep my weight at an okay level. Law school and a judicial clerkship followed and I continued to stay in the size 14 range, always wishing that I could lose weight. Once I began my legal career and started to work longer hours, I did not make the time to go to the gym regularly and I ate and drank anything that I wanted. The weight slowly crept on and suddenly my clothes were not fitting and I was having to shop in the “women’s” section of the department store. A difficult break up with an ex-boyfriend lead me to lose 40 pounds, but getting together with Eric, who makes me very happy and loves me no matter how I look, and dealing with job changes that threw me for a loop, resulted in putting the 40 pounds, and then some, back on.

I think about my weight hundreds of times each day. I hate being overweight. My family is always asking me if I am dieting and losing weight. Bluntly, it sucks. I avoid looking at myself in mirrors. I don’t let anyone take my picture. I rarely go shopping.

I clearly have to get over all of this because I’m going to be a bride and have my photo taken many, many times, and I have to shop for a wedding dress. Time to lose weight. My plan is to hook up with a nutritionist and a personal trainer to help me achieve my weight-loss goals—thanks to Bridal Guide. I am confident that with a little motivation and some perseverance, I will prevail over my weight-loss demons. I still have not begun to consider shopping for a wedding dress, but other wedding plans are coming together nicely.

Stay tuned for frequent updates on my progress, highs/lows, and general commentary on shedding those pounds so I can be a gorgeous bride!!

Posted by Elizabeth at 5:31 p.m. | Comments (13)