Weight Loss Week 7 Update

Well.

It was another week.

I was taken to the hospital on Monday because the firemen (God bless) thought I was having a heart attack.

...so did the doctors.

But it wasn't.  Whew.  I'd go into all the details, but it's not necessary.  I'm alive, feeling better, and headed to the doctor's this week.

Needless to say, there was ZERO working out all week.  Nothing.  I didn't even feel 'normal' until Wednesday night, and then still didn't get energy back until Friday.

I had intended on focusing on my eating and seeing what I could change and/or improve, and this actually gave me the perfect timing to do it.  I could see results based on my eating ONLY, since I wasn't allowed to do any exercising all week.

I tweaked the food itself, cut my calories back by 300, and made sure to eat every few hours instead of 2-3 solid meals per day.  I wanted to cut the calories back by 500, but because I'm still nursing and my little man is skinny enough, I settled for 300.

One other 'new' thing I did was to STOP drinking our tap water.

I am NOT a water snob.

(okay, i cannot drink well water...)

I mean, I have no problem with refilling bottles from the tap and placing them in the fridge.  I like bottled water, but I don't like paying for bottled water.

We had our water tested right after moving in 11 years ago, and guess what? Columbus city water is full of nasty stuff.

Not nasty as in toilet water nasty, but nasty as in CHEMICALS!

We used a water softener and reverse osmosis for many years after this testing, until they quit working.  Then we bought water.  Then we became more poor and started drinking the chemically manufactured tap water.

I didn't think it was a big deal...

...until last week.

My MIL bought us a case of bottled water on the Thursday before the week started, and for 6 days that was the only water I drank (except for what was used in making our coffee).  After the first 2 days, I felt less bloated, and my clothes fit better.  I thought it was odd (and this was before I tweaked my diet).

Around day 4, two things happened:  first, I noticed I was still feeling 'lighter'...  second, I began trying to 'conserve' our bottled water by refilling a bottle from tap every now and then.

That day I took a sip of my ice cold refilled tap water bottle and immediately spit it out!  It tasted AWFUL!  It had a very salty flavor and even a bit of 'old' flavor to it (not quite sure what 'old' flavor actually is, but I don't know what else to call it). :P

I then realized why I had been so much less bloated and fitting better in my clothes (to the point where my freshly washed jeans were a bit BAGGY)...  I have been retaining water due to the sodium levels in our tap water.

That is just plain nuts.

Seriously.

I did some research and found this fact to be true.  Because city water is 'softened' with salt, the sodium level is high.  Some areas contain VERY high levels of sodium, depending on how yucky the water is to start out with.

Now I find myself in a conundrum...  We can't afford to buy bottled water.  Just not gonna happen.  (Plus I HATE paying for water).  If I continue drinking the tap water, my body will remain bloated, hold onto extra weight and let's face it, not be as healthy because of the higher sodium levels.  I've been trying to cut out as many chemicals and toxins as possible from my food, and don't want to destroy that work by drinking the tap.

My temporary solution, which hopefully works well enough to become permanent, is to purchase a Brita water pitcher.  I found one at Walmart for $9.87 and I have a $4/1 coupon.  I can justify paying $5.87 for a pitcher and filter that will last the amount of 300 bottles. I've been trying for 3 days to get there and buy it, yet haven't made it there... hopefully tomorrow morning!

I used to own one back when I first graduated college, and hope they will work well enough and remove the chemicals from our tap water.  I know Biggest Loser promotes them as part of going green and encouragement to drink water, but I hope somewhere in all the advertisement is evidence of a great product.

We ran out of bottled water on Wednesday and my choices were tap or... well, there wasn't a choice.  I actually had to flavor it with the little drink packets for the first day and a half in order to just drink it.  I then just forced myself to get used to it again, though even today it still tastes gross to me.  I'm sure it doesn't help that I know what it's doing to me now!

And guess what... tonight when I put my jeans on (that were not freshly washed), they were snug.  I've felt bloated the past two days and my clothes are evidence that I've 'swollen' back up.

I don't even want to think about what the chemicals are doing to my body that aren't as evident as 'bloatedness'.

.....

...that was me thinking...

...anyway...

Here are my Stats for the week:

Measurements:

Weight~ LOST 2 lbs 

Arms~ Left-LOST 0 inch Right-LOST 1/4 inches

Chest~ LOST 1/2 inch

Waist~ LOST 0 inch

Hips~ LOST 1/2 inch

Thighs~  Left-LOST 0 inch Right-LOST 0 inch

Calves~ Left-LOST 0 inches Right-LOST 0 inches

TOTALS:

Weight~11 lbs

Arms~ 3 1/4 inches (total)

Chest~ 4 inches

Waist~ 6 inches

Hips~ 4 inches

Thighs~ 6 inches (total)

Calves~same as first measurement

FIRST TEN POUNDS GONE!!!  YAY! :)

Hoping to jump right back in with my trainer tomorrow. :)  I've MISSED her! :)

remind me i said that in a few days, okay?