Today was the final day in my fourth week of Sásta. I have successfully completed 12 sessions. I didn’t miss a day or a week and I’ve stuck to the low GI lifestyle as best I can. Of course, I still have a lot to learn and I’ve got a good ways to go before I’ve perfected my daily meals, but I’m doing great.
I knew going into this program that I probably would not see the same results as others. The program promises the loss of one pant size in four weeks. Because of my physical problems, I knew that this was not likely to be my outcome. I have two separate heart conditions. The first is heart block. Basically, one side of my heart does not communicate with the other and so my heart stops beating. Because of this issue, I have a pacemaker. I’ve had it since I was 22. I just turned 32 on Tuesday.
The second heart condition is rapid heart rate. Because of this problem, I’m on medication to keep my heart rate regulated. A doctor in Germany suggested that weight loss would be very difficult for me due to my heart problems. Because my heart rate doesn’t do what it is supposed to, I would find it difficult to lose weight. He wasn’t kidding. I have tried many things over the past few years and though I’ve achieved slight weight loss here and there, nothing stuck. For the most part, my weight stayed the same for a few years, but in 2011, it spun out of control and I packed on an additional 40-50 pounds. I did lose some of that weight on my own and even losing just it would not make me completely happy (although happy enough). I have a long road ahead of me, but I’ve come to realize that the time is going to pass anyway. I may only lose a little bit each week. I won’t see instant results, but as long as I am improving each week, I can’t ask or expect anything else.
Here are my current results. As of last Monday, July 15th, 2013, I had lost just under 7 pounds (6.6 to be exact). As of Wednesday, July 17th, 2013, I had lost 27.5 inches all over (measurements for tummy, hips, thighs, upper arms, forearms, neck, bust and calves). Do I wish I had lost more weight? Of course, but can I argue with 27.5 inches? No. I think it’s great. I am building muscle too and I have improved my weight and inch loss each week. As long as I’m continuing to lose each week, I will stay happy, although I realize that there will come times/weeks when I don’t show any loss. It happens to everyone.
My hope is that I continue to see the same inch loss each week through the end of August.
So, that being said, time for a recipe. I still haven’t perfected a second cucumber soup recipe, but I have discovered this lovely salad that I can eat unlimited quantities of and I want to share it with you.
Ingredients
4 cups of cucumber, peeled and diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 cup of red onion, finely diced
1 cup of black eyed peas or British peas (canned)
2 Tablespoons of black olives, chopped
½ a cup of crumbled feta or salad cheese
2 Tablespoons of lemon juice
3 Tablespoons of olive oil
½ teaspoon of Italian seasonings
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Toss everything together in a bowl. Refrigerate. Serve cold.
This recipe has been slightly adapted from the recipe here: Cucumber Black Eyed Pea Salad
About the Author
Beth Lytle works with The Site Gardener as copywriter and editor, project manager, and marketing director. She also works on several other ongoing projects, including Seen It Magazine, Transcription Connection, her Winded Gypsy expat blog and varying small projects. Beth is also a distributor of It Works! Body wraps for weight loss. Visit her site at http://slimmingireland.myitworks.com for further information. Connect with Beth on Facebook for constant updates to her projects.
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