I so have to try these frozen burritos! 7 grams of fiber and fewer than 200 calories?! AND ...Are these the worst snack of 2010?

Read the Evol burrito review HERE

I hope these are better than the Bear Naked Granola--these were acquired/put out by the same dudes--which neither I nor my husband liked. :)

I have not had any frozen burritos that I really loved, and those were more than 200 cals. We shall see.

I have a huge weakness for Mexican food. If these babies are numsy, it's nice to have an easily nuked product to enjoy with fiber. Yes, I like having great poops. Bring on the beans!

~~~

Snack Girl says THESE are the worst snack of the year. I don't know if I'd agree with WORST, but I do think these suck the big one. I tried them when they first came out and went, "Ick" and threw out the rest. Even hubby, an Oreo-lover, thought they sucked. These in no way remotely satisfy any sort of cookie craving for me. And they certainly don't taste like Oreos. They are overpriced and Snack Girl is right on the other points. I'd rather have two of the real things for the same calories  (which are also crap, but they are addictive and tasty crap) than this pack. Then again, my junk treat of choice lately has been Coconut Pocky--which is crap that's 74 calories per serving. Save 26 calories and get more flavor and that Pocky "crispy-snap".

What's your worst snack of the year?

Day 9 of Son of DDDY Challenge: Milestone crossed, history in "numbers", blogging as a weight loss aid, water as "Gastric Band" for surgery-wussies, WonderSlim Discount, and Realizing I'm gonna have to learn to make soups....

This is a milestone!

Today: 245.2

I already posted about my milestone, but since this is the official post for the challenge, I'm gonna say it again (plus I like saying it): I'm no longer morbidly obese. I've joined the ranks of the many Americans who are "severely" obese. I hope to join those who are merely obese in a few months.

Eventually, I plan to settle into being "just overweight". I have no goal set to be utterly normal weight or utterly slender or even sorta-skinny. I just keep my eye on "roughly 160 lbs". I may settle down at a higher or lower number. Do not know how I'll feel with the saggy skin and all. I'm already mildly horrified by the looseness of my skin suit, even with the Pilates-regularly-for-2.5 years-muscle under there. And thank God for the muscle!

I started blogging in May of 2007 to try to motivate myself and get support for losing weight. I had a hard time losing weight since ages, but moreso when severely depressed in this new millenia. I treaded a lot of water, but I learned not to totally give up, which is not a "nothing" thing. It matters. Staying in there, still believing you could do it, waiting for something to switch on. It's not nothing.

I've seen bloggers spin their wheels for a long time, then--blam!--they're on a roll and get to or near goal weight and see things differently. They've dealt with issues. They've learned to cook. They've taken up walking or biking or marathoning or weight-lifting or yoga or Pilates. They've found what works for them and their tastes/appetites. They've learned boundaries.

Blogging is a way to express, to learn, to connect, to be accountable. It can be, anyway. It can be painfully obvious when the posts are all lined up by date to see when you are not doing what you need to, when you are slacking. It's also cheering to see results in posts, to see where things got learned. It's great to find camaraderie in the journey. It's AWFUL to see bloggers die--but also motivating. Reminds us time is fleeting and life is short. Shorter and more fleeting if we get some horrid fat-related disease prematurely.

So, I'm really glad I started blogging for weight loss 3.5 years ago. It kept me coming back to see how others were doing even if I was floundering. It kept me from giving up. And it led me to great tips that are helping me. And hell, lots of recipes. And humor. Humor helps. And some tough love that helps, too.

And the whole honesty and accountability I find essential. I put my numbers out there to force me to face them. I started food logging to remind me how much I'm eating calorie wise and to be able to analyze what makes for better "losing". It also makes me think TWICE AND THRICE when I eat if I know I gotta account for it on the scale or in a blog. If you need something to keep you a bit stricter, put your picture, your weight, and your food log right there where anyone can see it. See how that does it for you...

Here is my weigh-in history as it stands on my old blog, Once Upon a Diet, way down the left sidebar:

05/25/04: 299.0
05/16/07: 285.5 *(-3.5) (-13.5)
05/23/07: 284.5 *(-1.0( (-14.5)
06/06/07: 284.5 *(-0.0) (-14.5)
06/13/07: 282.5 *(-2.0) (-16.5))
07/29/07: 286.0 *(+3.5) (-13.0)
08/23/07: 284.0 *(-2.0) (-15.0)
08/22/07: 287.5 *(+3.5) (-11.5)
08/26/07: 283.5 *(-4.0) (-15.5)
08/29/07: 282.0 *(-1.5) (-17.0)
09/05/07: 280.0 *(-2.0) (-19.0)
09/13/07: 281.5 *(+1.5) (-17.5)
*waist=47 *hips=58 *BMI=45.35
09/18/07: 280.0 * (-1.5) (-19)
09/27/07: 279.6 * (-0.4) (-19.4)
10/04/07: 280.4 * (+0.8) (-18.6)
10/10/07: 277.0 * (-3.4) (-22.0)
10/17/07: 272.6 * (-4.4) (-26.4)
10/24/07: 275.6* (+3.0) (-23.4)
10/31/07: 275.6* (+/-0) (-23.4)
11/07/07: 275.2* (-0.4) (-23.8)
11/15/07: 274.8* (-0.4) (-24.2)
12/05/07: 278.2* (+3.4) (-20.8)
12/13/07: 274.4* (-3.8) (-24.6)
12/19/07: 273.2* (-1.2) (-25.8)
12/31/07: 274.0* (+0.8)(-25.0)
01/07/08: 271.0* (-3.0) (-28.0)
01/21/08: 272.6* (+1.6) (-26.4)
01/28/08: 272.0* (-0.6) (-27.0)
02/04/08: 271.2* (-.08) (-27.8)
02/11/08: 270.2* (-1.0) (-28.8)
02/19/08: 269.4* (-0.8) (-29.6)
03/23/08: 273.0* (+3.6) (-26.0)
04/25/08: 268.8* (-4.2) (-30.2)
Went AWOL, got to 278.8!
06/28/08: 272.2* -------(-26.8)
Waist: 44.5 Hips: 55.5 BMI: 44.5
07/22/08: 275.4* (+3.2) (-23.6)
--exercising as of 6/30, gaining muscle!
07/31/08: 273.4* (-2.0) (-25.6)
09/18/08: 272.0* (-1.4) (-27.0)
10//31/08: 273.0* (+1.0)(-26.0)
11/09/08: 271.8* (-1.2) (-27.2)

01/01/09: 277.8* (+6.0) (-21.2)
02/17/09: 279.6* (+1.8) (-19.4)
06/23/09: 272.2* (- 7.4) (-26.8)10/22/09: 276.8* (+4.6) (-22.2)
10/29/09: 273.8* (-3.0) (-25.2)

11/10/09: 271.6* (-2.2) (-27.4)

11/14/09: 268.6* (-2.0) (-30.4)

01/01/10: 267.0* (-1.6) (-32.0)

04/11/10: 266.4* (-2.2) (-32.6)
04/21/10: 270.0*(+3.6) (-29.0)

04/28/10: 267.0*(-3.0) (-32.0)
06/03/10: 266.0*(-1.0) (-33.0)

06/16/10: 263.2* (-2.8) (-35.8)

07/02/10: 261.4* (-1.8) (-37.6)
07/10/10: 259.6* (-1.8) (-39.4)
07/25/10: 258.6* (-1.0) (-40.4)
08/14/10: 256.6* (-2.0) (-42.4)
08/24/10: 255.2* (-1.4) (-43.8)


Moved to new blog:

09/03/10: 258.0* (-2.8) (-41.0)
09/10/10: 256.6* (-1.4) (-42.4)
09/17/10: 255.2* (-1.4) (-43.8)
09/24/10: 254.8* (-0.4) (-44.2)
10/15/10: 252.8* (-2.0) (-46.2)
10/22/10: 251.0* (-1.8) (-48.0)
10/29/10: 249.8* (-1.2) (-49.2)
11/05/10: 248.8* (-1.0) (-50.2)
11/17/10:  245.2* (-3.6) (-53.8)

As you  can see, something clicked THIS year, and the loss is better and more consistent. Whatever it was the clicked is also what led me to start this new blog that is more goal-oriented and accountable.

Okay, back to WATER: I'm starting to see water intake as a way to have a sort of gastric band without having one. I mean, it does require learing new eating habits. Instead of chew-chew-chew and such, it's glug-glug-glug. I find if I drink 4 to 8 glasses of water before a meal (not as much with 2, at minimum 4), I start getting those little "I'm starting to get full" stomach stretching signals and I can enjoy a smaller meal and, at times, head off a binge urge. But it must be consistent and it must be all day. Water all day. Water before meals. Water after if I'm craving dessert.

It gives that "stuffed" sensation which so many of us conditioned hypereaters find necessary to STOP stuffing.

The sense of fullness that surgery offers may be at hand with lots and lots of water. It may not be AS effective in cutting down portions, slowing down eating, but it has a very clear value that studies show--What? Didn't you read the recent headlines about water before meals?--and that I and others on this challenge are learning. Fill up the belly with insane amounts of fluids and you can start getting the "I'm full" signal before the food starts to hit the mouth.

And you poop better. Well lubricated intestines. hah.

Okay, so I just had my breakfast and need to log it. Which reminds me. For those of you who have been curious about my WonderSlim adjunct foods--Note: I don't do the WS Diet. I just use their producs, as well as BariWise and Kay's Naturals, all of which I get from Diet Direct or Netrition, low-carb product providers--they have a holiday sale going on. So, not only are the WS Hot Cakes I love on sale by a buck off, and not only can you get the standard 10% off for purchasing 149 bucks or more worth of products, but if you buy 49 or 165 bucks worth (to stock up) and use the holiday codes Holiday10 or Holiday15 respectively, you get either an additional 10 or additional 15 bucks off. So, I'm gonna stock up and get the $10 off and 10% off and $1 per box off. It adds up. I use these religiously and love the Vanilla and CocoMint protein shakes, so worth it for me to get them in here in bulk.  Makes breakfast a no-brainer for me.  www.dietdirect.com

Now that cooler weather is here, I've also been having soup cravings. I love soup. I buy canned or buy from restaurants, and on occasion have been known to make the Weight Watchers zero to 1 point soup (with tomato juice, chicken broth, and assorted veggies with spices and bay leaves). I really do need to get my crock pot out and learn to make some soups that aren't loaded with sodium. I don't like the bloat I get from canned/restaurant soups, though soups are a filling and easy lunch option. Anyway, must scour the web (and clean my crock pot). I adore bean soups and may make carby room for them. Make for yummy tummy and extra-good poops. heh (more poop talk).

Done with the rambling, on to the food logging:

BREAKFAST:
WS hot cakes with sugar free syrup and 1/4 cup natural applesauce & cinnamon
1/2 cup Egg Beaters with 1 slice 2% American cheese and 1/2 cup mushrooms
2 cups coffee
8 glasses water (4 before and 4 after)
assorted supplements (C, Quercetin, Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium, Multi, D, Fiber)

calories: 454
fluids: 80 oz

LUNCH: (feeling icky, souptime!)
1 cup Amy's lower in sodium Mushroom soup made with 1/4 cup organic lowfat milk
WS hot cocoa protein drink made with 4 oz water and 4 oz lowfat milk
1/4 cup mushrooms (in soup)
1/4 cup mashed potatoes mixed into soup
3.5 BariWise fat free biscotti
6 glasses of water (48 oz)

Calories: 382
Fluids: 52 oz

DINNER:
Big Ass Salad with organic goodies from Co-Op:
Spinach, cucumbers, tomato, 1 hard boiled egg, 1/8th cup blue cheese crumbles
2 tbsp blue cheese dressing, 1/2 haas avocado
1 Supreme Protein bar (small size)
1 cup decaf with sucralose (8 oz)
6 glasses water (48 oz)
various supplements

Calories: 682
Fluids:  56 oz

SNACK:

WS Vanilla protein shake made with 8 oz water
decaf coffee (8 oz)
Calories: 100
Fluids:  16 oz

Total Calories:  1618
Total Fluids: 204

Day's goals for calories and fluid met.

Back On Track, Says the Scale, and more concrete goals...

730 days to go...

I had gotten to 44 pounds down (when I was on previous blog, Once Upon a Diet), but I went from lower carb eating routine back to a, say, medium carb one, and the water weight came back. I know it was water weight, cause it was overnight that it went up like 6 lbs, then overnight again that it came down 3 pounds. Fat doesn't come and go that way.

I do notice I hold less water if I eat low to lower carb. If I have pasta, even in a small amount for dinner, it's like the Chinese Food effect--up go 3 to 6 lbs. When I eat Chinese, I just don't bother to weigh-in the next day. The bloat is immense.

I had a lower number today, so going back to lower carb got some bloat off. :) Not at 255.6 again, yet, but 1 lb away.

I had a lower carb breakfast, incorporating my new breakfast fave high protein and low calorie "hot cakes" from WonderSlim (a DietDirect program with low carb to lower carb items, and even some pasta items that aren't low-carb at all, which is kinda puzzling). I don't do the plan (it's a pseudo-Medifast type diet). I simply use the products for snacks or to augment the protein in my meals. These hot cakes make me feel like I'm having a luxurious treat. They're amazingly easy to make, no mess to clean up, and I have them almost every day. I use Nature's Hollow sugar free syrup and cinnamon most days, and when I feel like it or have raspberries or strawberries around, I make a quick microwave compote (put the raspberries or sliced strawberries in a small bowl, add a drop of sucralose liquid and nuke it for a minute or so--instant fruit compote!) I usually add an egg with cheese, or two eggs scrambled, or egg whites scrambled with veggies and cheese, or some other egg variation to up my early day protein. If I don't feel like eggs and veggies/cheese, I'll shake up an Aloha Mango smoothie (Bariwise from Diet Direct) or some Bariwise Fruit drink (grape, orangeade, wild berry). This way, I know I get more than 20+ grams of fiber to start the day. Satiates me.

I will note that I add the cinnamon not just for flavor, but for it's positive effects on blood sugar since I have insulin resistance and was diagnosed with Metabolic Syndrome years ago. When my A1c and glucose was going up back in 2004 and I was almost put on diabetes meds, I asked my doc for a chance to bring it down on my own. Altering my meal combination (no carbs by themselves, eating complex carbs, reducing starkly processed carbs, reducing sugar) and adding cinnamon got me back to great glucose results and lowered A1c in short order and I only lost 5 lbs that year. I totally trust the effects of cinnamon. I never had to go on diabetes meds.

So...

To meet my goal of 98 lbs in 2 years, I need to lose, roughly, 4.08 lbs per month. 1.02 pounds per week, roughly.

I'll be configuring some sort of lower to medium carb type of eating plan (nothing really organized yet) to do this. I plan to continue with my 2x a week Pilates training as long as I can afford it, and my goal is to, by  month's end, be regularly adding 1 other day of exercise that is more aerobic. My goal is to be exercising 4x a week by year's end, 12-31-10.

I plan to only make measurable, reasonable goals. No crash diets. No grandiose exercise plans. Just increments and steps. This is why my timeframe is 2 years, not 1 year, not 6 months.

Now, we all know weight loss tends not to be linear. We bloat. We are more motivated or more active this month, less so next month. We plateau. We have setbacks. But if, on average, I'm going at a clip of a pound a week, 4 pounds a month, I'll meet my goal by September 1, 2012. I'll be 160 lbs.

So, for my next weigh-in on Friday next, I'm aiming for a one pound to 1.5 pound loss. It's not a high-stress rate. It's a healthy rate loss, I've read and have been told by the several nutritionists I've consulted since 1989 (back when I was 179, 120 pounds less than my highest weight ever).

If you have recommendations or links to great lower-carb, highish fiber lunch and inner easy to make meals, by all means comment and link me up. Especially if you made the recipe and took pics for YOUR blog. I love food pics, although I hate to cook.

Happy Labor Day Weekend!