Slimmer This Summer Finale Update --progress made, review of goals, eyes on next challenge...

I began the challenge at 195.0 lbs.
I end it at 183.0 pounds.

I was happy to end on a nice round number with my weigh-in today. I originally planned to do the update on Sunday to get the most time to lose ....but I like round numbers. :)

Pounds lost: 12
Original goal: To lose 18. Missed it by 6. Still happy with progress.

Waist: I started with 37 inches. Wanted to make 35, but not sure if it was possible for me (my waist is resistant, but I hoped). Maybe if I had made it to 18 lbs off. But I only made it to 36 inches. However, if I pull the tape nicely snug, I make it to 35. Hah, loose skin!

I exercised consistently, though I did not meet goals perfectly.

I completed the goal to try a minimum of 2 new exercises: I swam. I did aqua-exercises. I played catch and frisbee. I did video-game dancing at the Supercon. I did rave-dancing at the Supercon. I used a kettlebell for the first time.

I think I only missed fluids level 1 , maybe 2 days. I did well with that. DDDY habit got entrenched.

I prayed for the contestants, though I will admit, not daily-daily. I missed some days.

I offered support via comments and email and on my blog. I hope it helped.

I went over my caloric levels more than I care to admit. I'd say at least 3 weeks' worth of days n 3 months had me surpass the 1400 limit. I did not binge, though. I never went over 2000 calories. I resisted a hella lot of temptation!

I missed the updates a couple times (time ran out on me when I went to check). I missed a couple weeks due to death in the family. But I hung in there.

I DID NOT QUIT!

For me, while I was quite imperfect, I was not a total wash-out. I made good progress. I lost 2/3rd of my desired loss and made a 50% progress on waist measurement reduction. During the challenge, I "resolved" my prediabetes and got off blood pressure meds.

I consider this a successful challenge for myself.

I'm glad Debbie and I organized this and stuck it through. I hope the participants got something good out of it. If you made it all the way through the 12 weeks, congrats. Proud of you for NOT QUITTING. I hope you're happy with the results.

My next challenge starts September 11 (eeeeek, dire date, but hey, that's how it is). It's two weeks longer than Slimmer this Summer. If you finished StS and want to join the Christmas Dress Countdown, then please visit http://xmasdress.blogspot.com and read the rules. See if it suits your needs / personality. I know I get motivated by challenges. One doesn't have to be perfect to make progress. This update is proof.

Okay, happy rest of summer, folks. Let's keep pushing toward our goals!

Be well...

Day 49 of Phase 5: Official Challenge Weigh-in, Talking to My Body, Phase 6 a-coming, and Off to Family Party where Temptation WILL be Resisted...

Tanita-san: 214.8

That's 1.2 lbs lost this week. Rounded up to 215 for the Challenge WI. Yes! I can report a loss to A. Hooray!

I actually TALKED to my body before dropping off to sleep at 3:30 AM. I begged it to be 215.2 or less so I could round it to a loss. It felt like listening, I guess.

I figured it would be a loss when I woke up. I always "feel myself up" in the torso, from ribs to thighs, to see if I feel "less than". I can tell when I'm bloated just by how much more my belly will feel "rounder". I can feel when it's flatter. (I have been feeling more bones lately. I even mentioned it in Pilates. In certain positions, on certain equipment, I can tell I have a lot less padding in my butt and ribcage area. It can be painfully apparent.)

Yesterday was one of those funny "perfectly rounded" calorie counts for the day on my SparkPeople nutrition tracker. (And I was spot on with my R.D. + Challenge coordinated/designed eating plan). Usually, as you know if you track online, the final total calorie numbers don't come out with nice fat circles at the end.  Well, unless you round counts in a notebook, say. And some folks do, and that's fine. Easier, for sure.  For the challenge's goal of 1200 cals, let's say, my final tally is not gonna be "1200 calories" perfectly on a daily basis. It'll be 1146 or 1235 or 1173 or 1288, etc.  Yesterday, it was 1200, exactly. That's always cute.

I wish I could have slept a couple more hours. Eyes are a tad bleary. But off to make some yummy Ethiopian Yirgacheffe , make my healthful breakfast, and start chugging my water--need to be properly fueled and hydrated to face birthday party temptations with panache, ya know?

Just 15 lbs to be in Onederland, and 15.8 precisely to have lost 100 pounds. Double celebration. I will get there.

BTW, did you notice the announcement that there will be a Phase 6 and it will have a charity connection. Cool!

Okay, have a blessed Sunday. For my fellow believers, remember to thank God for the life and love you have and for all the great things in your day. If it's a hard dieting for you, ask Him for strength. The strength is there, in you, believe it!

For those walking a different faith (or nonfaith) path: I still pray a blessing over everyone reading this and struggling with food issues, emotional issues, depression, griefs, sorrows of all kinds. I pray you overcome (and that I do, too) and gain health and joy.

Later...

Day 16 Phase 4 Challenge: Getting Close to the 220s, Another Moonlit Walk with Hubby, Groceries done, And Appetite back to "Challenge Normal"....

Scale: 230.6

Maybe by Sunday's weigh-in, maybe, I can be in the 220's? I'd like that a whole lot.

Eating is very good. The last couple days, I didn't crack 1000 just cause the night munchies have disappeared, so I ate less. Yesterday was 847. Today, I had a good appetite after our evening walk, so I combined dinner with snacks and it was DELICIOUS.

I will need to wean off the Montreal seasoning. I used too much with tonights dinner, and it only just occurred to me that it's very salty. I looked at the cannister, and "coarse salt" is the first ingredient. I'm a dork. I assumed cause a nutritionist recommended it, that it would be lower salt to salt free. Yeah, yeah. I should read ingredients for everything.

Anyway, I bought almost all the Mrs. Dash products at Publix, and some other salt-free seasonings. I've been trying to cut back on my sodium addiction. (I got it bad. Junkie, salt JUNKIE.) So, I may let hubby have the Montreal Seasoning on his stuff and find alternatives for myself. Or just use it sparingly and not every day.

I expect some bloat tomorrow after the super-shake of the stuff tonight. So, I'll go easy on the salty stuff and hope it doesn't halt my excellent progress since Friday.

Our walk was 35 minutes. Beautiful full moon. Beautiful stars. Was humid, but not hot. A mild tinge of coolness in the moist air. For a while, the moon had a gorgeous halo around it. We crossed paths with a very cute Schnauzer and a very old  black pit bull who let the Schnauzer climb all over its head. FUNNY!. I like meeting cute and friendly dogs on our walk. Hubby is totally a dog dude. They LOVE him. They perk up and always want to go to him. If I weren't crazy allergic, I suspect we'd have a passel of pooches. He grew up with a boxer and a schnauzer and, for part of the time, his grandma kept a poodle around. So, he's very natural with doggies. :)

I did my groceries today--and parked at the farthest spot so I had a bit of walking to and fro-- and am restocked with egg whites, veggies, fruit, yogurt, lean protein, and spices. I got ground chicken and want to see if I can make a tasty, herbally pseuco-burger. I never made it at home, though I've had those chicken patties at Pasha's and the Middle Eastern place...chicken adama or somesuch. I like those. Worth a shot.

Yesterday and Today:
~calories below 1200
~water met or exceeded
~walking done today
~mood, excellent; hunger, minimal


I hope your day was great. Feels weird to blog THIS LATE, but, hey, just didn't have the blogging mojo.

Sleep well, fellow fatfighters...

Day 15 Phase 4 Challenge: Tornado Watch, Appetite, Exercise plans for the day, Mellow MLK Day Otherwise...

Scale still going down...

Yesterday:
Calories: 962 (Wasn't hungry, so instead of a dinner, just had a small snack)
Water: met
Exercise: Walking, Whoopie, a little Dance Central on Kinect
Mood: excellent!

I'm a wee bit miffed at the weather...

We were gonna do a mini-cruise today (have a coupon, wanna use it), but the tornado watch in our area pretty much just killed that idea.

I do need to do some groceries (produce gets used up fast), but I'll leave it to tomorrow. I don't wanna go out and then have to bring in the goods in a downpour should we get hit hard.

This time of year, we do sometimes get tornadoes. It's not enough we have hurricane season June through November, right? No, now we're in the tornado-worrisome time. We lost half of our beloved gardenia bush one winter. A storm wind event (tornado hit a couple miles north) cracked it right in two. One half survives and still gives me blooms a couple times a year. :)

I will look on the bright side. My dry lawn grass may get a nice drenching.

I guess I'll do strengthening exercises today since we may be stuck indoors for the day. I noticed COMCAST has a couple Jackie Warner workouts. I may attempt one. :-O

I wish you all a happy MLK Day. Use the great man as an inspiration. Think of all the very hard things he had to do to move towards his goal of a more equal society.

Move towards your goals today, be they weight or other-related. Make them happen.

:::looks up toward Heaven::: Thank you, Rev King. Today, we remember your strength, vision, and courage. We still look forward to the day when skin color means squat and it's all about character.

Day 12 of P4: Consult with Dietitian, Herbes de Provence is a fun seasoning, Overcast day But Sunnier Mood...and yesterday's challenge particulars...

Scale: not budging.

Yesterday:

Calories: 1253
Exercise: 55 mins Pilates, 25 minute walk
Water: met
Mood: weepy and "off" early in the day; better after the relaxing walk; some irritability with hunger in the early eveing; much better in the evening watching the new animes with hubster


Today:

Meeting with Dietitian: Pleasant. Nice gal. I took the Challenge packet, told her about teh 1200 calories and what we were doing exercise-wise, etc. She reviewed my eating log (I printed out my SparkPeople food log). We discussed my medical conditions and what foods I had to avoid (ie, allergies). She talked about weight stalls (ie, not using the P word cause Allan is not liking it, heh).  She discussed my new plan (very similar to the packet one, naturally, since you have to get standard  nutrition out of 1200 calories, but she did change the macronutrient ratio for my Metabolic Syndrome), and made my folder for me. Of course, she weighed me (2.5 lbs more than at home, which is likely the jeans/shirt/jewelry/undies/bit of water I had). And she calculated BMI, got my fat % from some doohickey.

We'll meet again next Friday.

She did say that with her clients, reaching a point where the body just hangs on and hangs on can happen, and it's frustrating. For some clients, she tweaks the macronutrients, for others she counsels staying the course a bit longer before making changes. In my case, she strongly felt the packet plan was NOT individualized enough for my medical conditions and that it would suit me to tweak it a bit. We'll see.

It's still in the 1200 calories range--she said she doesn't usually make this restrictive a diet for her clients, but understands that I have particular goals, a challenge, etc. She was fine with the water intake and happy to hear the level was adjusted with losses.

We discussed my vitamin/supplements intake, too, and then made an appt for next week.

Afterwards, I did my shopping (fresh produce, roast turkey breat, yogurt, eggs, etc). Came home to my water and meal. I had lovely just rotisseried turkey breast--and don't have to cook tonight, as there's enough for hubby to have for supper--with a pretty salad (orange peppers, 3 baby carrots the same color as the peppers, romaine, cucumbers, red wine vinegar, 1 tsp EVOO, sprinkling of Herbes de Provence). Tea. Water.

I had never put HdP on my salad (usually oregano or basil or just pepper or parmesan). I rarely have had it. My sister is hooked on it and I've eaten chicken or turkey or other stuff she's used it on for family gatherings. But on a salad--that was just  whim to perk it up.

It's interesting. Every now and then I'd chew something that tasted like, what, fennel or anise, and then I'd chew a bit that tasted flowery. I'm not sure what goes into HdP--gotta look it up--but it was nice on top of a salad. Kind of whimsical and playful, even, all these bits of uncommon flavor (for me) coming through.

It's not as nice today for a walk--kept looking like rain--but I'm gonna put my sneakers on and get some movement in before the light is gone. Gets dark early in winter, yeah...

It's Friday. Enjoy it! Enjoy all the weekend with loved ones and healthful meals...and some movement! 

Later...

Day 11 of Phase 4: Where I have a couple weepy moments, exercise hard, haven't much of an appetite, and call up to get a pro's input to personalize me, tell you 7 things about me, and thank my supportive fatfighting pals!

Scale: 234.2 (nekkid, post poop, post pee)


Yesterday:
Calories: 1173
Water for challenge: met
Exercise: rest day

Slept: a scosh under 7 hours
Hunger: a bit hungry round dinnertime, but that's it
Mood: still frustrated, a bit down

Okay, so Pilates is done today (55 minutes). She did a set of exercises that served as my alternate side lunges and, since I can't do regular push-ups either, we did several sets of modified ones on the barrel.

On the good front: one of the trainers who hadn't seen me in a bit came up to the Reformer right before we started working out and said, "Mirta, you're looking so good." I went, "Huh?" She said, "You're looking good! Really good!"

That was a nice thing.

Mid-exercise, I had another weepy bit. The trainer asked if I wanted to stop. I said no, and just kept doing my thing while tears leaked out. I wiped my face and pushed on. The hell with that. My chemical/emotional thing might be whack, but I'm not gonna let it interfere with my Pilates. :D

Trainer was great. Very positive, upbeat, encouraging...and I felt much better afterwards, as is usual with a good workout. I always feel better when I'm done and blood is pumping, joints are loose, muscles are warm...

Appetite has been on the low side and I didn't wanna make meals. But I am drinking my water, had my eggs/toast...yadda.

I already cooked the chicken for dinner (last night), so it's just a matter of adding the veggies and stuff.  I really like that Montreal seasoning, and so does hubby, so it's a keeper.

Because I have felt this emotional blip and have had the weight stall and am increasingly concerned about the starches/carbs with my insulin resistance/Metabolic syndrome, I made an appointment to see a local registered dietitian. This is the practice.  And this is the registered dietitian with whom I made an appointment TOMORROW.  I'm gonna take the challenge eating plan, print my food log since Jan 2 (I didn't log Jan 1 as we were out a whole lot), if I can--let's see what my old printer'll do--and discuss how I can stay in the challenge's 1200 calorie range while making a plan that addresses my hyperlipidemia, insulin resistance/diabetes risk, allergies (including seafood and citrus), hypothyroidism, autoimmune state,  eczema, asthma, and can incorporate foods I enjoy and allow for safe eating out. I'd feel better having this tailored to my own host of medical issues.

It's expensive (first visit is 200 bucks and subsequent less lengthy ones are 65 bucks. Ouchie. BUT...if we can find a way to keep me low calorie, healthy eating, and address those many individual screwy issues of mine to boot, I'll have peace of mind about the contiuing journey.

I also want to ask my doc to check my labs in a month after starting whatever program I'll be on--she may well say the challenge packet is fine, or she may modify it--to see if internally there's no issue cholesterol-wise or sugar-wise from the added carbs and that the emotional/mood issue isn't from the thryoid meds needing adjustment. Folks with thyroid issues know how mood is really affected by fluctuations. I've felt a bit shaky and apprehensive and I've had an increase in lost hairs in the shower, and it could be that I tipped a a bit into hyperthyroid from losing a mite 10 pounds since my mid-December consultation (although you'd think would make me show a scale drop,  the "hyper" thing if it's so, but anyway,  I was told to keep an eye out for symptoms as I lost weight when I saw endo mid-December.)

I feel better already having done that and to have continuing official monitoring while I'm working the lower-calorie/more exercise thing.

Anyway, on to a cheery thing: I got an award, as I mentioned, from Karen of Sunshine's Heart blog. Here it is:

Synonyms of stylish:

Synonyms: à la mode (also a la mode), au courant, chic, cool [slang], exclusive, fashionable, fresh [slang], happening, hip, in, modish, sharp, smart, snappy, supercool, swell, swish, trendy, voguish

I'd never be tagged as stylish in the real world as I am not someone who tends to follow fashion trends and my hair is natural, not in the current mode. BUT...I like "sharp, smart, snappy, supercool." Oh, okay, so supercool doesn't apply to me. But I'll take it. Whatever it means, I'll take it. Thanks, K!

Here are the particulars of the award:

1.Post the award and link it back to the person who gave it to me.

2. Share 7 things about yourself.

There's a third thing about choosing 15 other bloggers. Um, okay, this is the part of awards I don't like, cause it starts to feel chain-lettery. So, here:  If you're on my blogroll and haven't gotten this, consider yourself tagged if you wanna. If not, I'm okay with that. :)


Well, 1 is done and 3 is covered. Here's 2...and you probably already know this stuff if you've been reading me from this and Once Upon a Diet:

1. I was born in Cuba, but my heart is American--so much so I was called a "cubana arrepentida" when I moved to Miami from The Bronx, which essentially meant I was too acculturated to the US and not "Cuban" enough for the Miami Cuban contingent. Too effin' bad. Both my flags are red, white and blue, and I love me the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the US, and apple pie. Though I haven't had any of the latter lately. My English is better than 99% of the native-born peops of the US I have met, even though for the first few years of life, all I heard was Spanish;  which just goes to show you become what you love. (I love fat, so I  guess that shows, too.)

2. I am a dual "ophile"--for Britain and for Japan. I'd love to take a Literary/Historical tour of Britain and see the historical sights (I know more British monarchs than US presidents) and literary ones (like where the Bloomsbury group hung out, the Lake District that inspired Wordsworth, the Bronte parsonage (Jane Eyre has been my fave classic novel since I was 9), and anywhere mentioned in Austen novels. I want to see the great cathedrals and museums and battlegrounds. AND...I want to do an Historical/Otaku tour of Japan, and see traditional teahouses, Kyoto shrines, Harajuku, castles, museums, and anywhere mentioned in cool animes. :D And , if possible, tour a manga publishing house. And Ghibli Studios--because I love me Miyazaki films! Who wouldn't wanna fly in the sky with O-Totoro!  And if I can get a good close up look at lots of those Japanese hotties with spiked hair and tight jeans, all the better.

3. I am married to a man who is ridiculously amazing. Why he married ME is a continuing mystery. But I confess that I am not worthy. He is a modern Rennaissance man--creates electronica music, has multiple software patents, drums wonderfully in various genres from jazz to J-rock, once set a Guinness record with his team for Ultimate Frisbee, has authored a book, speaks Spanish and English and some Portuguese and Yiddish, is tall and handsome, loves God, loves his country, never loses his temper, dosen't drink or smoke or cuss,  is great with kids, with dogs, with cats, is unliked by none, and after 28.5 years together, is still super-adoringly nuts in love his fat Cuban-American wife. :D  I am also a lot biased.

4.  I collect science fiction and fantasy art, books with retro SF Richard Powers covers,  and lip glosses. There is no connection that I can think of, other than they are beautiful and make me happy.

5. I edit at an online SF magazine and have sponsored and judged various SF contests (poetry, short fiction, and art).

6. I always do my own toenails and polish them with OPI varnish, usually some shade of red, from orange red to true red to blue red to burgundy red. I love me red toenails! Right now, I'm wearing DEAR SANTA shade that I put on for Christmas/New Year.

7. I like to sleep on my back. I hadn't been able to for 6 years, until just recently, due to obesity. I would choke in my sleep from the fat--sleep apnea. I've slept on my back for a month.

There it is. Seven things about me.

I'd like to thank the folks who offered encouragement to me this rather emotional week. I love you for it. Hugs all around.

Okay, time for more water and a snack. Happy Thursday to all!

UPDATE added: Just got back from doing my walk--25 mins. Gorgeous outside. Raspberry sherbet glowy clouds and chilly for Miami and breezy and it felt really good. Being all stretched out from Pilates (we did toe/heel stuff on the Reformer) means my feet handled it pretty good.

Day 10 Phase 4: Where I begin to understand the seeds of the "other" kind of disordered eating, Yesterday's Challenge Particulars, and where the Princess still can't frakkin' do Push-Ups!

I had some scary thoughts in my head a couple of times yesterday...and this morning. This plateau/whatever-it-is is starting to F with my Head.

First, the background: I've never been this long on a diet. Ever. I've never had this many accumulated lost pounds stay off, ever. And I've never been anorexic, bulimic, or done the sporadic fasting or any other weird diet thing. I never did the Cabbage Diet or Food all One Color A Day diet or detox or eat only fiber cookies or any other weird thing that promises FAST FAST FAST weight loss.

Basically, I liked food too much to try anything extreme.

So, yesterday, when my brain started getting this little voice: Just stop eating. Maybe just eat dinner. How about just stay in bed, sleep all day, and don't eat anything at all.Yeah, just sleep for a day straight...

Same thing this morning with the immovable scale darkening my mood.

Don't eat breakfast. Skip lunch. Just one egg. Just water and coffee, maybe.

Okay, now I get it. I totally get how women start to do weird diet shit. I never ever understood before, but I do now. It comes on, creeps in, doesn't it?

Oh, well, I came on here to confess that, cause it scared me. And cause I am gonna go eat my sound brekkie--egg white, toast, fruit, milk-- and refuse to listen to those weird, alien, who-are-you-and-where-did-you-come-from voices.

This not-budging weight, though I'm eating at the 1200 calorie level and exercising nearly DAILY in some way, is messing with me. Really messing with my spirit.

Today, I had to drag myself out of bed. I did not wanna wake up. And this though I'm smart enough to know that I've seen dieters go through the plateaus and suffer them and eventually the shiny sky comes again and things get moving.

Intellectually, I know that. Emotionally, it's messing with me.

I behave well, so I want my damn rewards, ya know?

It ends up feeling unjust--and though this whole metabolism thing is unjust as well, just look at your pal who can eat four cows and twelve cherry pies and stay size 4-- there is a greater sense of not getting the paycheck when you did the hard work.

Hopefully, it's not a depressive episode coming on--the "stay in bed and sleep" thing is generally the first symptom for me-- cause then the whole weird voice that says to do something extreme could be a new part of the whole depressive thing....

Anyway, yesterday I walked 25 mins, Monday, too. I plan to do that again today if it doesn't rain. I need the light and air and just to clear my head with the cool winds. I wanna see egrets and ospreys and funny little dogs and say hi to strangers to lift my mood.

Calories yesterday: 1232
Water: met and exceeded
Exercise: walked, torso raises, squats, no-go on the pushups. 
Sleep: 7.5 hours
Hunger: some mid-level pangs in the evening, but calmed after 30 mins with water.  No desire to binge.

On the push-ups. I tried until I was nauseous from the effort. No go. I could not do them.

I never have been able, not when I was a kid, not when I was thin and in junior high, not in my 130s in high school, not in the gym in 2002. Never. I thought maybe after 2.5 years of doing bicep curls, pectoral exercises, triceps exercises, modified ones on fitness balls and barrels (at a 45 degree angle), that I'd manage, you know, some. No....not one in proper form as described in the packet. Oh, well. For those of you who managed 20 push-ups in good form, I congratulate you. I clearly have some sort of weird body!

And please tell me I'm not the only one who's been sore from these strengthening thingies. On top of my usual Pilates soreness, it's like, wow! Inner thighs are definitely complaining.

So, today, I'm gonna focus on just keeping on and not losing heart cause I'm doing things right and the scale won't move as it should. There's no reason other than the plateau/starches/or depression theory or a combo thereof that I am not dropping nicely at 1200 when I was dropping roughly .2 lbs a day at 1500. No sense that.

I  put on a nice soothing ladies talk show (their voices are calming) and just hope the voices stay away. I don't like peeking into that particular ED abyss.

I wish you a lovely and wellness-focused Wednesday.