The Smell of Burning Fat

Ten years ago, a group of co-workers and I started monitoring our weight loss together while all doing some variation of the Atkins diet. We walked together during our breaks and once a week we met at the gym and weighed in. During this time I learned about Ketosis.

Ketosis is when your body burns stored fat for energy; and what an amazing concept. If you use more calories then you put into your body it is forced to burn stored fat to compensate. How great is that?

I did learn that you have to watch yourself while in this state. Your body can actually start burning muscle if you aren't careful. But the one thing I thought I'd never forget is the smell.

Most of the stored fat is utilized when burned to energize your body and mind, but not all of it. The non-used portion is excreted through your breath and in your urine. So you end up with stinky, to REALLY stinky, breath and pee.

The strange thing is that I did forgot.

Then, some ten years later, I start smelling something funny when I go to the bathroom. (It smells like brussel spouts boiling.) As a woman, the first thing I think of is that I'm having female issues. So I buy a test to check for that. Nope, all is fine. But the smell is still there and worse. Maybe a urine infection? I buy several bottles of cranberry juice (which coincidentally have a lot of calories per servings) and by the time I finish them off the odor is gone. Problem solved.

Until a week later when it's back. That's when it dawns on me; by body is in a state of Ketosis. With my added weight training I am burning a lot more energy than I have been, but still maintaining a low calorie diet - most of the time. So my bad breath, and funny smelling pee, come and go.

And I'm okay with that because now I know it's just the smell of burning fat.

Burn, baby! Burn!

Issues of Weight

Weight has been on my mind lately, in many aspects.

First, I am constantly impressed and motivated by my best friend and her weight loss efforts. In the years I've known, and cared, for Charlene, she has lost over 100 pounds. Fifteen of that in the last three weeks. She recently converted to a near vegetarian diet and is looking and feeling better every single time I see her. She has more energy, a glowing complexion, and the most positive attitude imaginable.

I met Charlene for a late breakfast today and we ended up discussing our clothing issues. The issue is they're all to big. They've been to big for months. I can't get clothes to fit me fast enough before they hang on me like sacks. The funny thing was that during our conversations we both kept stumbling over the phrase "growing out of". All our lives we've been "growing out of clothes". Now we're . . . what? I can think of several different words or phrases for getting to large for your clothing, but I can't think of one for getting to small for your clothing. Weird, hu?

And last, but not least, is that fact that my 'life changing' eating trends are now habits. I haven't had to count calories, research a restaurants menu's nutritional value on line, or fight huge cravings for a hamburger in months. I pay less attention to what I'm eating - because I just automatically make better choices, I work out less due to an increasingly busy schedule, and I am still loosing weight.

I was pretty excited to step on my scales this morning and see I had dropped another 20 pounds. Since May of this year, I've lost a total of 40 pounds. Oh, I'm still about fifteen pounds from my goal and the weight is slower to come off the closer you get to your target. Overall, I'm pretty happy with my issue of weight. (But let's not discuss baggy skin.)

The Bribe

Everyone bribes their kids: to do their homework, clean their rooms, and be nice to annoying relatives. Sure, you can call it rewarding good behavior or an 'allowance'. The truth is, it's just a bribe. It works. And I for one, don't argue with proven systems - well, once I've tried them out for myself.

Something everyone might not do though is bribe themselves, mostly because people just go out and get what they want. Whether you can buy it right now or you have to save for it; you just get it. No bribe necessary.

My major malfunction in this area is that I never want to spend 'real' money on myself. I'll nickle and dime you to death, and Steve can testify to this. But I am incapable of going out and spending hundreds on myself with out it eating away at me with guilt. And it's not because I'm a stay-at-home mom. I was the same way when I brought home the bacon.

So, when I see something I really want - and it rarely happens - I find a nearly impossible goal and make myself a deal. If I can reach this goal then I can have the whatever. I've been doing this my entire life, unbeknownst to anyone, and it works great.

In my new health kick the last few months I have managed to loose over 20 pounds. I'm very excited about it since it's not been a diet per say but more about learning what to eat, what to avoid, and what a serving size is (and it ain't Super Sized). So for the first time in my life I'm looking at actually keeping the weight down and probably continuing to drop more. If I don't self destruct along the way.

I chose a weight that is still 35 pounds lower than where I currently stand. The weight will be harder to loose as I get closer to the milestone I picked. The longer it takes to reach the additional 35 pound weight loss the more the chance I'll just give it up and go with the flow. After all, how long can I keep Steve from bringing in cookies, pies, or cakes . . . and avoid them when he does?

So if, dare I say when, I loose an additional 35 pounds, I am going to . . . what? I've been thinking about this for weeks, trying to come up with the perfect bribe. Something worth fighting for. The only thing I could think of was another tattoo. I love mine and I'd probably like another. The issue there isn't so much the money as overcoming Steve's objections. Mr. "That would make a nice lampshade", doesn't like tattoos.

Then, today, we stopped at Allen's Boots in Austin and I fell in love with an entire line of cowboy boots: The Old Gringo. They are fun, flirty, bright, outgoing. They are everything BUT the boots your dad use to wear. I can't say I have a set that I'm more crazy about than the others, I'd wear them all. And wouldn't you know it, the cheapest sets run about $350 - more than I would ever spend on something for myself. Or would I?

Yep! A pair of Old Gringo cowgirl boots has officially slipped into the vacant slot as my reward for loosing an additional 35 pounds. I have no idea how long it will take me, so I'm not lusting over any one pair in particular. But I spent hours today on line drooling . . . and I took an extra long walk.

And in 6 weeks, I'll be . . .

So I have completed one week at the YMCA.

The first day I went, I only did one set of 10 reps on each muscle working machine (there are about 10 of them). I had to use only the non-hand moving stepper and walk relatively slow to keep my heart rate in acceptable rate. I didn't have the energy to do my "warm down" or stretches after working out.

A week later, I did 15-20 reps on each machine. I used the skier (with active arm movements), still kind of slow. I "warmed down" and spent five minutes on the stretcher afterwards. Oh, and I've lost 5 pounds in the last week. Considering I can feel the muscel regernation, I am pretty excited about it.

On the way to the car, I got to thinking . . .

If I loose five pounds a week for six weeks, I'll . . .

Still be fat.

Guess I better think longer term.