Day 11 Son of DDDY Challenge: Weight Loss goals met so far since September, plans calorically for 2011, comparisons with older sis aka The Body, and accepting limitations on one's future food life...

653 days and 85 pounds to go...

Looking Toward 2011

Eleven weeks ago, I began this new blog--link to OLD blog here--to set concrete weight loss goals instead of fuzzy ones. To set a timetable. To have a goal date for goal weight. To be more accountable. My goal was to lose 1 lbs (and maybe a "scosh") per week. I began at 258 lbs.

I'm 13 pounds down to 245,  so I have met that weekly goal that I set and have 2 lbs of "scosh". :) I'm on the timetable.

I know there is much yet to do, but I have learned that lots of fluids has made a huge difference. Before, I always was extremely lax with fluids other than cofffee or tea. Getting in water was, well, rarely done. I had days when the only water I drank was what I needed to get medicines and vitamins down.

Now, I've learned that I need a whole lot more than I ever imagined. Eating a lot less food, including a lot less carby starches (where so much of my fiber intake came from during my more organic produce/beans/whole grain-heavy intake dieting period) meant poops were less ideal. Water helps. It moves stuff along. So does magnesium supplementation (which I need anyway, as I never get enough in my diet). So does fiber supplementation on days I don't have my Ezekiel bread or beans or good amounts of fibrous produce.

I like the caloric level at which I am now, the so-called "goal weight maintenance" level, as it allows me craving treats and dinner out without too much grief. I do see that I should start ratcheting down. The limit now of 1760 is great (not too restrictive, not too lax), but if I want to keep losing at goal or better, a slow decline of maybe 50 to 100 calories every few weeks may be in order. I want to see if I can be satisfied at 1500 calories (satisfied to MY way of thinking and eating, not anyone else's, satisfaction being subjective). I have talked with my middle sis, who had an insane body most of her life, and who at 62 , even with a few extra pounds and not being a gym rat, rocks a helluva butt/boob/leg combo. Men still look. (She was scouted by Playboy in the early 70's, so imagine what her bod looked like back then!)

I was always jealous of her figure. She got Papa's side, I got Mama's. Papa's is slimmer-hipped and bubble-butted with perky-boobs. Mama's is flattish butt, wide hips, poochy bellied and droopy boobied. Lucky me, right? We both got the broader shoulders from Mama's side and the nice hands/feet. (Yeah, I had gorgeous hands and feet until I porked up and they porked up with me.)

She's always been active and a careful eater, so her figure pretty much has always been amazing. Now, in older age, I asked her how many calories it takes to maintain. She is no longer at her ideal weight of about 130 (though she'd gone down to the 120's in her prime), but age, a chronic auto-immune illness, and occasional depressions  have added on about 20 lbs. She says she maintains her 150 lbs at abou 1600 calories unless she exercises, then she can eat more. She loves to walk and ride bike, always has, used to play handball back in our Bronx days. At 62, she bikes when the weather allows, which is often in Miami. So, I figure, using her as a reference point, that I would maintain 160 at about 1500-1600, since I have the thyroid issue and am less acitive generally.

So, my goal for the coming year is to learn to eat at 1500-1600 in a way that satisfies and becomes habitual. A way that doesn't require constant measuring, but understands, "this much on the plate of X and Y and Z = what I can eat in one meal."

I don't kid myself that this is a "until I'm goal weight" temporary thing. This is training, boot-camp of sorts, for how I gotta eat until my dying day. It doesn't make me jump for joy, such limitations, but growing up means facing facts. That's how the cookie crumbles (just not necessarily in my mouth).

Food log:

BREAKFAST: I went to bed in the am and slept til the pm, so asked hubby to get me veggie Thai stuff for my meals so I didn't have to make em.

Vietnamese rolls (only vegetables, steamed rice paper)
Thai Chicken soup (didn't eat most of the chicken, about 1oz, mostly broth and a few mushrooms)
3 pieces avocado sushi with pickled ginger and wasabi and bit of soy sauce.
1 WS vanilla protein shake (made with 8 oz water)
3 cups decaf and 6 glasses water (4 before, 1 during, and 1 after eating)
supplements

calories:  560
fluids: 80 oz (not counting soup)

LUNCH:
Homemade veggie and egg fried rice (took brown rice from Thai place, added most of my side of steamed veggies--cabbage, broccoli, zucchini, carrot, snowpea pods-- added two fresh eggs to scramble up with rice. Used 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil and 1.33 tbsp lite soy sauce.
3 cups decaf
6 glasses water (4 before, two after)

calories: 612
fluids: 72 oz

calories so far: 1172
fluids so far:  152

DINNER:
1 small whole wheat pita
WS vegetarian joe
1 slice Kraft 2% cheddar single
4 glasses water

SNACK:
made a high protein pina colada with 1/4 cup organic coconut milk &
1 BariWise pina colada fruit protein drink (8 oz water)
2 glasses water

SNACK: (couldn't sleep until almost 7 am due to breathing issues, got hungry around 2 am, had another snack)
1 organic apple
1 slice lowfat cheddar
1 cup decaf, 2 glasses water
1/2 serving ChocoRite sugar free almonds


Total Calories for day: 1716
Total Fluids: 232 oz