Guest Post: Nadia & Her Weight-Loss Mission

Hey guys! Nadia is back for her Tuesday weight-loss challenge re-cap! Grab a skinny soy latte, pull up a chair, and get comfortable, Nia’s past week had more challenges than a police academy obstacle course. Let’s see how our little improv princess did…
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Week Two Re-cap:

So this week was extremely stressful – I shot a sketch I wrote, I performed on stage in a sketch for the first time (everything I’ve done on stage to that point had been improv, not lines I had to memorize and act), and I figured out I have less money than I thought I did. Oi!

Not to fear, though – I think sticking to my part-time vegetarianism continues to be a success, in part because it forces me to have something scheduled. When everything else in your life is a little out of control, I know that on certain days, I’m not going to eat meat. It helps make sure I stay focused with my diet as well.

As far as that sleep thing goes, the first night I got practically no sleep – which made me make up for it every day. And I must say, sleep works! I lost more than I expected this week, and I have a feeling a lot of sleep had to do with it. Of course, sleeping in on the weekends means you’re eating into your day, but I’d rather feel well-rested during a week of stress than feel as though I’m running on empty. Obviously, my body feels the same way.

Best Meal:
[photo cred: Wilshire Restaurant official website]

Wilshire Restaurant in Los Angeles, CA – With a surprise visit from my Dad, I could only think of a restaurant close to work. What I ate? A cheeseburger. Yep. However, it was definitely better than your normal cheeseburger, as they use organic beef only and support local farms. With blue cheese and garlic aioli (there it is again…that damn, delicious aioli), it was not necessarily the healthiest meal, but I only ate part of the bun and opted for a side salad with vinaigrette instead of french fries. For me, one of the most important things about dieting is an indulgence that’s not the worst thing ever. And man, this was a freaking good cheeseburger.

Worst Meal:

Specialty beer from Father’s Office in Culver City – So if you’re a writer/comedian, you’re going to drink. It’s that simple. Everyone wants to grab a beer before a show, after a show, in between shows, for no reason whatsoever – it’s in our blood to consume ungodly amounts of alcohol [The Cranky One nods her head; yep, same for us band-folk]. But if you’re dieting, the bar is your worst enemy. Although a pint from an upscale bar is not going to set me back terribly, it’s when they add up that counts. And this pint isn’t even a meal; and most beers run from 120 to 200 calories, which is like a small snack. After a few, you’re looking at dinner calories.

Food I Didn’t Realize Would Be Bad:

How bad could a grilled cheese be? It’s just bread and cheese! Well, turns out it’s really fucking bad. Add bacon (which I did) and you’re looking at around 750 calories. I’m really not being a good dieter on those non-veg days, huh? New rule: grilled cheese is okay if it’s low-fat cheese on whole-wheat bread, because at least I’ll get some fiber and calcium this way. Again, I had a side salad with it, so it could be worse.

How I Worked Out:

Given all the comedy stuff going on this week, I found little time to exercise when I wasn’t passed out in my bed. Nevertheless, I managed to do the one thing I wanted: get back in a pool! It was comforting and easy on the brain. Swimming laps is excellent for those with joint problems, those who want a low-impact exercise, or those who detest running (like me – seriously, I hate everything about running. The sweat in your eyes, the monotony, the heavy THUD as you hit the pavement – I was born to be in water). So I didn’t exactly add more workout time to my schedule, but with a lighter load this week, I’m looking forward to more swimming, dancing, and yes, probably some running (let’s face it, it does burn calories pretty well, eh?).

What Did We Learn?:

Sleep helps, but sleeping in is not best. By skipping breakfast in favor of enjoying a catnap in the Valley sun, I sacrificed the energy my body really wanted, apparently. Thus, I ended up eating larger meals on the weekend as opposed to eating a small breakfast with small meals throughout the day. Note to self: wake the fuck up when your alarm goes off on Sunday, and make yourself something to eat.

This Week’s Goal:

Now that we’ve proven that sleep does help, I’m going to do my best to keep up with that trend. Besides, I love sleep. Who doesn’t? Sleep is amazing. It feels good. You get to have crazy dreams where Abe Lincoln is your dad as you partner up to fight crime and 17-foot tall unicorn robots.

I’m dividing these weekly goals into three categories and going around on each of them: diet, exercise, and other. Since I count sleep as “other,” I’ll be focusing back on diet. Although I am eating less, I’m not sure that I’m eating well enough. For the following week, my goal is to eat AT LEAST one piece of fruit and one vegetable every day. Yes, I should be eating five of these bad boys or more a day, but we’ll start lightly and work our way up. Let’s see how well I do!

Start Weight According to Crappy Target Scale: 146.6

End Weight According to Crappy Target Scale: 144.6

As always, hit me up or go bother Ana with questions on Twitter at @nahdeeeyah and at @feedmeimcranky1!
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Oh Nia, you flippin’ crack me up and with a laugh burning 1.3 calories a minute, I thank you, friend. Let’s congratulate Nadia on losing 2 pounds this week despite giant burgers, booze & that ubiquitous aioli!

<3,

The Cranky One

See Nadia’s post last week here, if you missed it.

Tags: father's office, wilshire restaurant