Terrific Quote From a Smart Blogger, organic share pick-up day--and a coop recommendation for South Florida peops--plus assorted pics from Saturday's "Dali Miami" outing (and a flashback to the Goya outing in 2007 for comparison), and sort of not "there" yet where I need to be on "get recommitted" week...but I will get there...

I've been sluggish and dozey. I think I need to go through this quieter time, which means fewer blog comments from me, sorry. I need this introspection right now. Untangling knots, as it were (you'll see when you read the quote).

I like energetic and UP better. But quieter, pondering, prayerful is needful some weeks.

I have to shower and get dressed to get my organic goodies, and I'm sitting here unshowered and sort of dragging my feet about cleaning up. How pathetic, right? Well, I know that I'll feel better when everything is clean and sweet-smelling. :D I have to remember that draggy and sweaty is not normal, and clean and bright is better. Some days, the grooming is as hard a chore as a workout.

I only did a quickie grocery shopping thing this past Saturday, so protein sources are scarce. I need to hit Whole Foods, or at minimum Publix (not as good in the meat/poultry, sigh). Hubby eats 4 protein heavy meals a day and 2 to 3 lighter more carb/fat type snacks a day, so I gotta go shop for his goodies. I am fine with eggs, cheese, whey protein (on lazy days). He's not.

This is what my share includes today:

• Strawberries
• Blueberries#
• Mangos
• Gala Apples
• Bananas
• Local FL Cauliflower
• Local FL Broccoli
• Local FL Curly Kale
• Local FL Celery#
• Local FL Green Cabbage
• Russet Potatoes
• Roma Tomatoes
• Romaine Lettuce
• Watermelon Radish
• Fresh English Peas!

Plus I add a share of extra fruit:

• $10 Fruit:
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Valencia Oranges

Last week, the strawberries and blueberries were wowarrific! I mean, crazy good. I hope it's a repeat. Hubby loves strawberries chopped on top of sugar free ice cream for his nite treat. I'm not a big ice cream person. I usually use yogurt or eat the fruit for dessert after supper.

Annie does a great job. And she's a really involved and caring person when it comes to responsible food supplies and eating whole and ecological stuff. So, if you're local in South Florida, consider Annie's Buying Club.  I've bought organic goodies from Annie since 2007 (back when she had a delivery service, which was great when I was sick a lot and couldn't always go to the grocery store.)  If you coordinate the weekly shares, you get your share as payment for your time/trouble.

Next subject: the artistic outing

On the way there...in car...

Interior of Moore Building

I wasn't up to my usual vim last Saturday, but we headed to the Dali Miami exhibit anyway. I'd say it was good, not great. A few pieces really appealed to me. It needed some big, notable paintings to anchor it. The lighting was a fail in some spots (like DARK, could not make out details). But the venue was cool. A historic (for Miami, which is a "young" city) '20s edifice, the Moore Building, in the design district.

Mir in walled courtyard dining at Mandolin

Middle sis and hubby at Mandolin

It turned out to be a lovely afternoon, and me, my middle sis, and hubby enjoyed the outing. I wore my green Onitsuka Tigers for comfort and we parked a couple blocks from the building.

After 2 hours of art-seeing, we walked about 3 blocks to Mandolin restaurant, where I pretty much went a little wild with the veggies and yogurt. (Except for a piece of hubby's chicken kabob, I had a vegetarian meal, cause Greek/Turkish fare...man, they know how to make veggies numsy.) Sis and I split a village salad (a bit of feta, but mostly these really ripe amazing tomatoes). Then we split this veggie stew with yogurt on top thingie whose name I forgot. A Turkish item. And I had as my entree a stuffed zucchini (stuffed with a mixture of veggies, feta, and ground almonds with tomato sauce). And Turkish coffee sans sugar and iced tea to drink. I ate too much. Even vegetarian fare can add up, calorically. Um, yeah.

Then the 4 blocks or so back to the car. I'm glad we didn't valet it--the brief walk was nice, as it was breezy.

I looked kinda crappy in the lighting within the Moore Building--look at the "in the car on the way" photo and Mandolin photos versus the exhibit ones--but here are a few with a bit of the exhibit:

Surrealistic and windblown-frizzy!

Yeah, the sculpture's reaction to my unflattering top--what
was I thinking!-- is pretty much mine seeing the photo.
Top goes to Goodwill.
The bosom is not flattered.

Comparison time: the Goya exhibit in Oct of 2007, a mere 5 months after I started blogging to find a way to lose weight~~

Differences: Glasses (I had Lasik)
3x top, versus L/XL now
Blown out hair, versus natural curls now

Way bigger than middle sis back then.

Five years younger, nearly 100 pounds fatter...

My Prince back then, a bit shaggier and heavier,
but still handsomest guy on EARTH!!!!

Hubby and I both agreed that the third floor would make a great venue for a stylish 30th anniversary party, should we hit the Lotto or something. ; ) But we'll look like crap in the photos! hahah (We "mature" gals need good lighting!)

Next subject: Exercise

Monday I did my Pilates session and walked 35 mins. Yesterday, I only walked 15 mins. I may resort to a DVD tonight, after all the errands are done. I didn't wake up until 2pm, so things are piling up.

The recommitment is still on shaky ground. BUT...I have not quit and every day, I do focus on goals and work on it, just don't have that fire burning yet.

Last matter, and please read to the end:

I will share this terrific quote from a blogger I only discovered in the last couple months, but who has fast become one of my top faves. She's eloquent. Smart. And has been down this same road we have in the fatfighting journey. She just puts the struggle into words better than most, her nimble brain able to capture stuff and verbalize it. I leave you with her words and my total desire for all of us to work on this and be well, be very, very well:

It has taken me many decades of my life to get to where I am now and I continue to pick at and untangle knots in the web I was trapped in. I still feel stuck to it in spots and occasionally feel sucked back in and trapped, but most of me is free most of the time. The one thing that I implore anyone who is trying to lose weight to do is to stop oversimplifying and talking in Yoda-isms ("there is no try, do"). There's a reason most people regain weight after they lose it and I absolutely believe it is this oversimplification and denial of the complex psychological issues that go into changing ones relationship with food. You can't do it forever with the mental tools of brute force, abuse, pat and trite mantras, a stick-to-it attitude, etc. Eventually, for most people, the psychology that got them fat in the first place will re-assert itself and they will regain.

Make it as complicated as it is and take the time to understand that it's just not so simple for most people. You didn't get messed up in a day, week, or even a year. You got messed up over a lifetime. It isn't a short-term problem and it can't be fixed with a short-term solution (and I count dieting culture as a part of "short-term"). 

What is it with restaurants and salt? Give Beth Some Hugs, Would Ya? And Remembering that FAT KILLS! aka time for another Royal Rant!

Yesterday, I had my Pilates, did a 35 minute walk with hubby, and finished NATIVE STAR, which was great. Too bad it's another typical "pick on religious folks, pick on republicans, pick on big corporations" message...which is sorta cliche these days, but other than that, primo,great fun, romantic in parts, and I'm gonna start the sequel soon. :D

Today, I pick up my organic coop share. Hubby will be happy there are gala apples, broccoli, potatoes, and bananas. I'm happy there are grapes, arugula, local avocado, and local eggplant. Some other stuff, but those are my faves in the share.

Yesterday, I allowed myself multiple carbs/starches with dinner, so I'm staying away from the scale. Starches/more carbs = water retention for me. I had black beans and hummus. My half cup of beef veggie soup (from a Lebanese restaurant, as was the hummus) had a bit of rice, too. I also had extra fruit with dinner. And lowfat Greek yogurt with some walnuts. A lot of carbs yesterday with supper. But I just wasn't in a meaty/poultry mood.

It was half a cup of soup, not the full share, cause it was TOO DAMN SALTY. Geesh. 9 out of 10 times I have soup in a restaurant, it's like someone opened up the Morton's and just went to town in my mouth. What is it with that? Maybe Allan knows, as he's Mr. Restaurateur Supremo.

Crazy.

The hummus was salty, too, so I didn't hit it much, which is fine. It's just for a little flavor.

If a genie gave me 3 wishes, I think 1 of them might be: "Every restaurant in the world will only sell healthful, nutritious, real, organic food without additives or excessive salt."

I know. I ain't getting that wish, but it might lead to world peace if everyone was eating sane. Who knows? :D

We had rain again, and I may leave walking for tomorrow and do something indoors. Dancing. Some calisthenics. Weights. Not sure.

But I am sure my blogging fatfighting buddies, who well understand the power food can have and how hard it can be to refind one's groove, will want to go and give some commenty support to our pal BETH of OBESITY STRIKE blog. She came back to us after a long hiatus. Let's send good wishes, prayers, vibes...and let her know she has the power to overcome this setback!

Saw as I was reading a few blogs (been bad at keeping up with everyone, sorry) that one blogger lost a babysitter due to obesity.

Fat kills.

Fat kills.

Fat kills.

I'm not talking about a little fat. Some healthful dietary fats. I'm talking about obesity. I'm talking about excess fat.

FAT KILLS!

If you think that chocolate bar or that cookie or cake or that double meat pizza or lasagna or drive-thru supermeal is benign, you're kidding yourself. If we have weight issues, those foods are killing us if they are not helping us lose weight. Period. And hey, they might be killing you anyway, with whatever nitrites/preservatives/additives and crap is in there if you're sensitive to it--diabetic folks, gluten-intolerant folks, soy-sensitive folks, preservative sensitive folks, hypothyroid folks, autoimmune folks, binge-eating triggered-folks, I'm talking at ya, stop eating crap you know you can't handle physiologially or psychologically!

Your desire to eat too much is destroying you. It was totally destroying ME. I know it.

Stop it.

Right now.

Find the sane place inside you and grab hold and put down that food you're about to trigger a binge on or go over your alloted calories with. PUT IT DOWN!!!!

We already have people dropping dead all across our country from eating too much. Kids getting diabetes. Adults, too, who only are getting it cause they got fat. That was me...heading right to diabetes cause I ate too fricken much.

Adults getting cancer.
Shortened lifespans.
Orphaned kids, cause their parents couldn't say not to Dominoes or McD's or the Chinese Buffet.
Despairing seniors whose children predeceased them due to obesity -related illnesses or complications.
People being sick and unproductive due to poor nutrition and lack of exercise.

It affects a whole society. Not just me and you. EVERYONE pays for this.

I lost a nephew, who'd probably be well and alive today if he'd gotten a handle on his weight issues. It complicated his medical treatment that he was morbidly obese.

FAT KILLS.

Don't let it kill you anymore than it already has. Yep, who knows what damage WE ALREADY DID to ourselves. Irrevocable damage. Done and not to be undone.

Don't do more. I don't want to mess myself up anymore. I want to heal.

Let's heal.

Put the damn crap down. Spit it out. Refuse to buy it. Refuse to spend your hard-earned bucks on anything that is not NUTRITIOUS and on YOUR (and my) acceptable eating plan.

Live longer, love longer, be well longer....

Day 5 of StSC: Arthritis in my butt? ...Almost off BP Meds... IHOP Simple Fit brekkie.. StS day 4 stats ...&...I have a THUTT Plus This is What happens to thighs when you lose 105 lbs! It ain't cute!

Okay, so no scale today. Rushed (and barely made) my appointment with the doc. She suspects it's arthritis in my coccyx and hips (as well as knees, sure) that is causing the issue. I suspected the hips. I always am stiff after sitting a spell and need to stretch before walking, cause the first 10 minutes always hurt. Stiff, stiff, stiff! Thank God Pilates gives some stretch relief.

I did mention getting old is a beeyotch, right?

On the plus side, BP was low, and she reduced my half-dosage to a half-dosage every other day. She suspects that 5 more pounds and I'll be off the ramipril altogether. Yay!

On the way home from the doc, I was hungry. So, I wanted breakfast and I turned at the first IHOP I saw. I hadn't been to IHOP in..well...a long time. I didn't know they'd revamped the menu. I'd assumed I'd get a salad and some eggs or eggs and tomato or some variation.

Noticed they had a SIMPLE FIT thing going on, with a few choices (not a lot, but a few) that were lower calorie/fat. Fine, I wanted eggs anyway.  It just made it easier on me not to have to haggle over what to get instead of toast/potatoes/stuff I don't eat.

I got this one:

The menu said this egg-substitute omelette with spinach, mushrooms, and tomato with a side of fruit was 330 cals. I added swiss cheese for more protein and some calcium. So, mebbe 450 to 500? I don't believe the calorie counts, so I figure a bit more ANYWAY from what they say. Always ADD some. Restaurants don't follow the perfect guidelines of a company's rigorous kitchen (weights, measures, less oil, blah, blah). But under 500 is fine for one meal. I normally eat twice, add maybe a snack if peckish. I had coffee and lots of water and felt quite full.

The omelette was excellent. Tasty and fluffy and a decent serving of veggies and a small serving of fruit  (though at home I usually have 3 to 6x the freggies). The fruit was...so-so. The pineapple piece and single grape were icky looking. The cantaloupe was a little past its prime. The honeydew and orange segments was good. Glad it was mostly honeydew.

Okay, so my anniversary (28th) is tomorrow. I had such a nice time at the Aveda spa last week (and my hair still looks GOOD without having done a thing to it since then), that I asked hubby to indulge me. "I want to have another condition and blow-out!" He said fine. He's gonna have his highlights touched up. He's got a pro photo session this coming week, and it would be nice to have his hair look primo for it. He might need those pics for author shots, resumes, conference programs, who knows what else...

So, how did my StS Challenge Thursday/4th day  go?

Calories: 1349, and tracked on Sparkpeople
Exercise: 30 minutes-- walking
Fluids: Yes.
Vitamins: Yes
Prayer: yes
Encourage Challengers: Yes, some.

Here was dinner last night, which was actually like BREAKFAST...cause I didn't have eggs that day and wanted me something lightish, but cheesyish and wanted broccoli slaw. Bought some fresh and got a hankering:

Cherries, honeydew in bowl; egg white layer with mushrooms,
broccoli slaw, red peppers, lowfat cheese, and lots of Mrs. Dash Onion & Herb

In case anyone cared how I carry my goodies while walking, I used to just carry them in my hand (inhaler, tissues, keys) and tuck moolah in my bra. Now I carry a cute leather bag I got a couple weeks ago:

Walking outfit on 6-9-11, with cute bag
& hair pulled half-back for coolness.

Sorry about the flash. I was in a semi-hurry and rushed. I love having my hands free when I'm ambulating!

Okay, so the bag is cute, but my thighs increasingly less so. I've noticed that with the last 8 pounds or so, my butt is now resting noticeably on my upper thighs. I guess I have, not cankles, but THUTT. I hate how it feels when I walk naked. Ugh.

And the thighs are crinklier and now dimpling mid-thigh. Before, the mid-thigh was pretty good. But in the last few weeks, the crinkling is really noticeable there. I guess I passed a hanging-skin threshold and it got suddenly worse.

I tried to get good shots, but this is the best I could do. Didn't wanna show too much (ie, panties)....cause, really, I balk and hubby balks at THAT. :O

Here we go:

Draping skin at inner thigh

weird dimping on mid thighs

Elephant crinkly skin, and yes, I hate seeing that!

If you are not obese but have been gaining weight, here is my cautionary visual. DO NOT BECOME HUGE. If you do, and you reduce, and exercise like mad, you will still have damage. It's ugly. You don't want it on your body. Do whatever it takes to get a handle on things and eat well, move well, hydrate well, and NOT GET HUGE!

I cannot tell you how awful it is to have your skin NOT FIT. It's like I constantly wear clothes that are baggy and unattractive. I have to hoist the loose stuff into bras and undies and feel best in clothes with some stretch/compression to keep the wobbles at bay.

Please, don't get like I did. Save yourself the droopy flesh blues.

And...that's it. Sorry to end on a downer....but I think the good has to go with the bad to be truthful. The good, being fat and sick for so long made me more compassionate and patient. Getting healthy is making me more disciplined. But there are consequences....and the worst of it I can't show. (No, I ain't showing you my butt and panni, cause, really, I don't wanna disrespect hubby or be THAT exposed on the "it's out there forever" internet.)

I pray your weekend is truly, truly wonderful. I may be scarce. I have an anniversary to celebrate with the sweetest, dearest, handsomest man in the cosmos!

Later...

Freaky Day of Cancelled and New Appts, My Curls Blown Out for First Time in 1.5 Years, And Lots of Fanfare About Loss , which was Nice!

Yesterday, Tanita-san said 198.0

I don't weigh on Mon/Thur cause I don't sleep enough those days and am usually hurrying to drink my coffee and water , get dressed, and head to Pilates.

Today, there was a wrench in my plans. I heard this weird beep around 11:10 am (a few minutes before alarm would have gone off), and it turns out it was my clock letting me know power to it was gone. Yep. No electricity. I heard thunking noises out back. The electric company was doing work.

I called my trainer and said I was dressed and ready to head out when the FPL dudes left (the trucks were blocking the garage outlet in the narrow alley AND I had no power to lift the garage door, as it's electric and I have no idea how to get it up manually). Well, come appt time, the FPL dudes were still there and I'm in Miami and it's warm and I have no A/C! I'm in the house in bra and shorts and sneakers. The juice came on around 1:33, and the FPL guys says it will be on for a short spell, then out again for a few hours.

I said, "Can you unblock me so I can get the car out of the garage and be mobile?" He was handsome and nice and did just that. I made a hair appt, got it trimmed and, for a novelty, blown out. Haven't had my hair blown out in 18 months, as I went naturally curly in Nov of 2009.

Hairdresser said my hair was in amazing good health. I said, "I use lots of good moisturizers and oils and I don't blow out or use flatirons. My hair has grown out without being abused. I also don't use regular shampoos. I use either a conditioner to cleanse, or a lowpoo cleanser (mild, no sulfates), and only occasionally use a stronger clarifying poo (a couple times a year), to make sure there's no build-up. I add conditioner to my hair every day after I get up and leave it in there. :)

Hypothyroid gals know what I mean when I say my hair thinned and turned to straw from the disease, and so it needs gentle care and loads of moisture. I have a lot less hair than I used to. Dang you, Hashimoto's Thyroiditis!

Here's pics of the blown-out Princess, who will soon be reverting to her natural curls. She didn't use any gels, creams, leave-ins or serums. My hair, essentially product free:

I'll do a protein treatment and deep condish to nurture it after the blow-drying trauma and back to my regularly scheduled curls, as in these pics from earlier this year:

Since I had no electricity and couldn't fix my eggs, I headed to the bagel place after my hair appt. I had eggs scrambled with spinach and mushrooms, some bacon, coffee, lots of water, and asked her to bag up the bagel (comes with eggs) and potatoes for hubby. He may not want either, but hey, I paid for 'em, so they're coming home for him or the trash.

I got so much hoopla at both the salon and the bagel place. I hadn't been to either in 3 months, so I've had more losses. :) Like 27 pounds more. I kept getting fussed over, complimented. I was a bit embarrassed, but it still was a glowing feeling mixed in with the embarrassment. :) The waitresses started talking to me about their losses and food issues (one lost 80+ and the other 50+ and she's an OA member).

I kept hearing, "transformation" and "makeover" and "look younger" and "look great" at both the salon and the restaurant. It's encouraging. I have a ways to go, so being cheered on is a good thing.

And to all who cheered me on here, complimented me, and made me feel like a REAL Princess, thank you. Thanks so much!

Well, since I didn't get my usual 1 hour Pilates, I'm gonna have to figure out another way to ramp up some activity here at home. I feel out of sorts when I don't get my good trainer-facilitated workout. My joints and body always feels so energized and GOOD after Pilates... Oh, and I lost my trainer fee. The policy is 24 hours for cancellation. Gee, thanks, FPL, for not giving ME warning!


I'll leave ya with two pics, one of me and one of my hubby, before our walk last evening. My hair is gunky and damp (it was dirty, and I like to wet my hair before walking to help keep me cool). Notice the TUCKED IN top. ; )  I am still fat, but hey, I have a waist:

Gunky Hair and 198.0 lbs May 18, 2011

Sweet Honeypie o' mine at 170 lbs who needs posture work. Computer hunch, begone!

Ground Regained, the starch experiment at lunch (Insulin Resistant folks, take note), and a cool new "Paleo Diet" book is out... on day Day 78 of Phase 5

Tanita-san said: 206.0
Doc's scale said: 208.0 (and I had clothes, shoes, jewelry on).

So, my scale seems pretty darn accurate. That's the Easter bloat GONE and .2 lbs down from official weigh-in. Now, to make better progress! Only 6.2 pounds off to be in ONEDERLAND! Only 20 pounds to be NOT OBESE!

~~~
Okay, for the IR among you, here is me being a guinea pig again:

I did an experiment, a perhaps foolish one, when I went out to eat with sis today after my MD appt. We headed to a Mexican joint. We ordered veggie fajitas and mixed chicken/steak fajitas, so we could share. This allowed me to have my usual protein plus veggies. I also ordered unsweetened tea, water, some no-sugar espresso to finish up (no dessert, natch).  Didn't use the sour cream. Had the dollop of guacamole for my healthy fat (and cause it tastes num). Had the pico de gallo, again, cause it's num. They don't serve cheese with theirs like I've seen some restaurants do.

But today, I had some beans. I had about 1/3 of a cup. Not a lot. No other starch. (I asked the waiter to not bother bringing tortillas --neither sister or I eat them--and I had no chips--sis has some, and the rest are bagged for hubby. I ignored the rice that came as a side.)

Well, today is the FIRST afternoon in quite a while that I got the sleepy-slumps. I don't believe this is at all a coincidence.

Normally, lately, since ditching starches, I am revved up and energized ALL DAY from the get-go. I have no slumps. I am sometimes SUPER-CRAZY -TOO-DARN-MUCH energized. I even had one person ask me recently, a tad jokingly, a tad not, if I was on something.

NO.  I'm OFF something.

Seriously, I don't do drugs unless they're Rx for a condition. I've NEVER EVER EVER done any illegal drug, not even in my teen years. I was a goody-two shoes like you would not believe in High School. I mean, when the vice-principal reprimanded me, it was for reading my Bible at lunch break. Yeah, I got harassed for that. Snarf.

Needed to clarify it wasn't drugs, too much caffeine, or too much thyroid meds. (They've been checked often and my levels are within limits and excellent.)

It's the Lacto-Paleo/Primarian way of eating I've had. That's what makes me seem hyper at times. :)

When I eat starch-free, I have:

No yawning.
No loss of pizzazz.
No desperation in hour-long workouts.
No lethargy in front of the TV prime time.

I have:

So much energy I sometimes wanna workout again after my trainer-led hour of Pilates is done. Or I want to go out walk again after I get back from 40 mins. And a healthy sex drive. And low appetite. And no cravings (beyond mild normal desires). And no binge-ing. And no dips in good mood (which is a blessing).

Even at Easter, when the family members (other than the children and my hubby, who had no starches, either) were slumped on the sofa or dozing off or yawning or calling for Cuban coffee to perk up, I went to play Frisbee with my vim in zoom-drive.

But today...I had a starch. Not even a full 1/2 cup serving. And blam: reaction.  I started getting the dozies as I checked email about 15 mins ago. That's about 2.5-to- 3 hours hours after eating.

Dat ain't no happenstance. I believe the beans caused my insulin to spike, and now I am paying the price for it with the yawns-and-dozies.

I hope this doesn't jam up my newly restored momentum. But I cannot guarantee. One thing I've read over and over is that not only are starch-sensitive/insulin-resistant folks messed up about carbs to begin with, when carbs are restricted, there is an increased-sensitivity to them, so ingesting them can cause even GREATER spikes in insulin than previously.

Well, nothing to do now but back to avoiding the stuff my pancreas does not like. Post-meal slumps suck. I want my ENERGY BACK. NOW!!! Give it back to me, you stupid pinto beans!

Yeah...I had forgotten how much the slumps suck. My brain feels slow and my whole face feels like it wants to shut down for a nap.

Okay, will drink more water, move around a bit, splash my face, and refuse to go down without a fight. If I have to walk with this sleepiness, I'm not gonna have fun. And I like having fun-walks.

Speaking of FUN: I bought the new book EVERYDAY PALEO on Saturday at Barnes & Noble, and Amazon began shipping it out yesterday. So, if you've heard the buzz and want to check it out, I liked it a lot and wrote a review. You can find my review HERE--I'm "Mir"--and if you can click "helpful" , I'd appreciate it. I like to keep my ranking under 200. (I sure did my best to be informative and helpful, which you'll see when you check it out.)

If you're a mommy and like more "clean" food and lower carb type eating, this is for you. If you have kids and insulin resistance, this is for you. Lots of pics. Nice recipes. No nonsense workout info. More pics. Shopping lists. Well, read the review I posted at amazon and I go over what the book covers.

Dat's all for today (prolly). I'm gonna go try to unslump.

Throwing blessings over all of you. See them sparkle in the spring air....Catch one!

Day 44 of Phase 5: Fighting the Hatsume Bloat, Pics--including me and my Baggier Clothes, Feeling Energetic and Joyful, And Recommending the Transformative Blog Series...because the Transformation Inside is Essential....

I refuse to get on the scale. I'm still bloated from the insane amounts of sodium I consumed at the Hatsume Festival and in my Turkish Salad when we ate out Sunday night.

Between the soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, and feta cheese, my kidneys are creaking and the bags under my eyes are undesirable. The heat rash is also not all that becoming, but it's the price I pay for extended exposure to the sunlight in warm weather. I got a horrible case last summer (required steroid shot and cream), but it was worth it for the loads of fun we had.

Making sure I get my fruit in for the potassium. Making sure I do no skimping on water. Making sure I move to keep the blood pumping and filtering. I don't want to screw up my weigh-in cause I'm a Bloatball.

Here are a few pics of the lovely Sunday out (first the Hatsume--meaning "First Bud" --Festival at the Morikami Japanese Gardens) then at the broadwalk on Hollywood Beach to see the Supermoon rise....

My Beloved with the koi pond and well-tended foliage

I had a tough time finding something suitable (and cool enough, as it was in the 80s) to wear. My bed was piled with stuff too baggy to be comfy or flattering. I wanted something floral to represent spring, and I was down to only 3 tops that still sorta fit. One had longer sleeves and was less cool, one was sleeveless and my batwings would have been horridly on display. I went with the one that had a kimono vibe and was slightly baggy, but doable. The new jeans were already too loose in the thighs (though the waist fit okay, which was important and my pants falling is NOT an option).

Here's a pic of my clothes NOT fitting me right (which also makes you look FATTER, in case you didn't know. Well-fitting clothes, snugger in spots, gives you shape. This makes me shapeless. Ugh. Behold:

Ill-fitting clothes, but hey, I'm still HAPPY! And I adore my red Lucky bag...

Lots of nice trees. I saw this beautiful green on one young tree and asked hubby to take a pic. A fresh green that meant "spring" to me:

The baggy top that makes my boobs look enormous and the fresh green leafy tree...

My Sweetie and the Orange Supermoon over the Atlantic

Me, the surf,  and the Supermoon around 10pm

That's me at 10pm. After getting 6 hours sleep and being on my feet since noon. Look at my face. I may be a bit tired, but I'm not dead with exhaustion. Not after walking for 5 hours at the Hatsume Festival, then walking 2.5 hours on the broadwalk. I can still go for more...

 I can assure you, that I would have pooped out long before this before last fall. I would have not been able to do half this much when I was 280 and 300 lbs. I simply did not have the energy and if I stood on my feet more than an hour, my feet and ankles would blow up like balloons. I would pass out.

Okay, so you see, I had a good time doing stuff I could not do morbidly obese. At least, not do as long or with as much joy and energy.


Getting lighter and fitter means we can have MORE fun. :) That matters, right?

Now, on to a recommended blog series: If you aren't familiar with REFUSE TO REGAIN blog and the book by that name, I recommend both. Very helpful. Very tip-savvy. I got the book (which is aimed at those MAINTAINING their weight losses) because I intend to become a maintainer (and to some extent, already am, cause I've been losing and not regaining for a while now). The insight in what it takes to MAINTAIN a loss is key to all "losers." Do yourself a favor. Follow the blog. Get the book. :)

The blog has begun a series by Dr. Barbara Berkeley on TRANSFORMATIVE PRINCIPLES and the first entry is up. READ IT HERE.


I totally believe it is about transforming inside, not just out. All my other efforts were so episodic and brief and inconsistent and lacking in inner change. But the last 4 years of weight loss blogging were this sort of fertile ground that gave me input, input, trial and error, input, and hope. And when it clicked and the transformation began inside for real, then I saw results outside.

It's a process for sure. But I feel different..and I don't mean energy levels, size, etc. I mean...how I see food, how I see the bigger picture of eating...I'm not cured of wanting to overeat and eat bad stuff...but I am so much more sane. No binge in more than 9 months. Who'd a thunk it?

Well, the landscape in my interior is like a garden that's finally coming into a green as fresh as the one in that pic above. It makes me happy.

Be well...eat well....move soundly...believe in change...believe....and keep fighting the fat!

A Few Pics from Feb and March--Sugar Free, Low Cal "Birthday Cake", Fort Lauderdale Beach, Yesterday at Starbucks.. AKA PROGRESS: What 218 Pounds Looks Like On Me!

I like to upload pics to this blog to document my progress. The previous progress post (with pics) is HERE. It has links to earlier phases of my body's transformation.


As my regular readers may recall, I had a health-oriented birthday party and no traditional birthday cake. My middle sis did bring a sugar-free angel food cake with sugar free whipped topping and fresh strawberries, so we'd have something for the candle and kids. :)

I did not miss cake, cookies or crap. At all. Food was nourishing, tasty, and low cal. Lots of veggies and fruit. AND.... I had good weight loss that week, too. :)

Here's a birthday shot with "cake" where I'm 222 lbs:

Princess Dieter's Sugar-Free Birthday Cake Alternative

Feb 28 on the Fort Lauderdale Beach strip made famous by WHERE THE BOYS ARE in 1960. Elbo room is nearby. Lovely day. We went to the museum exhibit of Vatican Splendors and then ate beachside (on plan). Walked a bunch, too. I wore sneakers, natch. Any opportunity to move, and this means I wear sneakers a lot more than what was my usual going-out footwear (comfy sandals). I'm becoming sneakers addicted.

Me , my sneaks, & a wood sculpture of a Native American on Ft. Lauderdale strip.

Yesterday at Starbucks. I reserved some calories for a treat--half and half in my cinnamon iced coffee. Empty calories, but it satisfies enough that I don't feel deprived and don't have crap. Not a daily thing, but I love it. And I like looking smaller, though the big belly is still vexing. Hope to see that baby gone by year's end! (Well, I will likely need a tummy tuck, cause my pannus is horrid, but that I'd put off and save for.)

Mmm...Coffee...Fewer Unhealthful Lbs, More Natural Curls!

That above is me at roughly 218 lbs. Compare to this in 2008 at about 278:

A bit after starting Pilates...Huge! But Game! And Hopeful!

Guess at which weight I'm happier and more energetic? Even if OLDER? :)

I want to spend health-filled years with this sweetiepie o' mine:

The Princess and her Prince, Ft Lauderdale Beach

So, yeah, progress. Onward to goal!

(Oh, and if you haven't read the regular post for the day, see it below. I don't much double-post these days, but, hey, felt like it. Later, gotta go walk....)

Day 24 of P5: Busy and Blogging took a back seat, but fear not, I'm Drinking the water, Eating at 1200, Exercising, and Waiting for my body to let the fat go (yes, another stasis phase)...visiting the Vatican Splendors Exhibition, Learning Japanese, and Keeping my Mouth Busy! How do you keep yours busy so you don't eat?

Scale...the same, though no overeating/binge-ing going on...

Exercise: Good. Walking/Pilates/Jackie Warner exercises (well, the ones my body is capable of).

Sleep: Spent two days pretty deprived (3.5 hours one night, 5 the next).

Food: Good. Had a small bobble on the weekend (stuff not on my plan) cause we ate out, but there it is. My decision and no excuses.

Mood...pretty good, now that I caught up on some lost sleep.

Monday was fabulous...such fun. Went to see the Vatican Splendors exhibition in Fort Lauderdale and spent 3 hours enjoying the offerings. My most fave were the mosaics/paintings and seeing the actual handwriting of MichelAngelo and Bernini. I got such a thrill, I felt it all up and down my body. My gosh. MichelAngelo's own letter/signature/calipers....

Spent a long time on some particular objects of interest and chatted up some strangers, pointing out particular items of note in some of the works (ie, the exhibition's weakness, even with an audio tour, is not pointing out some of the significant symbols/meanings, imo. Fortunately, I was able to decipher quite a bit on my own and for hubby and some strangers who were going at a similar pace to me.)

I thought of Allan with one painting (the angel appearing to some animals, people to announce the birth of Jesus) cause the only one paying attention to the angel was a cute doggie. He was "kneeling" and looking up and listening intently...and so the light of Heaven showed on his doggy face. How cute...

After the exhibit, since it was deep So FL rush hour, we headed to the nearby Fort Lauderdale beach strip and parked...and walked. :) Chose a lovely patio restaurant to have a meal. Our seats/table had a perfect view of the beach across the street. Tourists, para-sailers, joggers, kids running. The patio was elegant with jazzy music. Nice. Got to be there during sunset....watching the stars emerge...

Been reading and started my cd Japanese lessons yesterday, so didn't feel like blogging AT ALL.

Appetite is calm. On days when I go out and have to be in the car a lot, I cut back on drinking water until I get home. This means I have to cope with more appetite. I will never give up drinking the water afer 50 years of my life eschewing water. Why? I have seen it. I have seen the enormous difference it makes when I drink a lot, drink consistently, and drink BEFORE eating. I'm less hungry. I think less about food.

It is not theory to me anymore. It's not a fad. It's what works. Water/fluids works. Period. On days when I delay water (due to errands/driving in dense traffic--when I can't pee no matter what), I get hungry. On days I do my water drinking according to my system/level, I suffer very little hunger. I get fewer cravings.

So, call me a mermaid and throw water at me. :D I will open my mouth and drink it!

I love the sound of Japanese, and I've gotten better at pronunciation watching anime/dramas/listening to JRock. But I got the cds to learn the language more formally. I have smatterings of words and phrases, and I kick butt on the Japanese "o" and "u" and "f" and "r" sounds (which are not really exactly the way we say it, just like letters are different in Spanish, my original language). I love the Japanese "u" sounds. I kid to my husband that I want to adopt and bunch of kids and name them Kaoru, Noboru, Ryuu, Satoru, Hikaru, Shuuhei, Touru, and such just to pronounce the sound. heh.Now, every time my hubby notices a "u" name...he goes, "There's another one for the name list."

The "f " is interesting. It seems like more an exhalation of hair with the lips and mouth "just so"...a certain way that stops short of of how we say the F in English or Spanish. I remember the lightness of "h" in Greek when we were playing around with that in Bible Study, and the "hi" in Japanese has that lightness.

Nothing sexier than a man with a beautiful voice going all out in Japanese. Num. Manly!  If you haven't heard a great male voice using this language, behold he sexiness of Aizen (powerful BLEACH anime villain, recently defeated).  And Ulquiorra (my fave Espada from BLEACH and I felt sad when his character, though an adversary to the good guys, turned to ash in his death). He doesn't speak until about 45 seconds into this clip (death scene), but man, you don't need the subs. The voice. The voice.... with all those hard t's and k's and the soft s and sh sounds. Love it.

One of the benefits of doing this beginner's language course is that, well, you can't eat if you are busy pronouncing a foreign language. :)

Feel a binge coming on--hurry, go put on a language tape (pick your faves, natch) and go to it. Or head to youtube or online for a course. Keep your mouth busy.

Or sing. I do that, too, to keep mouth busy in the face of temptations.

If you like jazz, learn to scat. If you like antiques and stuff, learn to be an auctioneer (practice that super fast talking). If you like poetry, recite it.

Or, if you are hipper and younger or if you're just into hip-hoppy stuff, you can keep your mouth unbinge-y and buy doing this:


First saw this guy more than a year ago, and now he's been on tv shoes and has fans and has lessons on youtube. :)   For lessons in English by a cute Asian dude in his car, check out this one (and its follow-up lessons). Easier to do. He gives good tips.

Do you have "keep the mouth busy and not eating tricks like this? :)  They can be fun, right? (And I will not go into detail on one of my alternate "mouth busy" tricks that is only possible when hubby is home. Ahem. That one works REALLY well, as it's very, very, very distracting. Hmmm..there's one way of making your life partner very happy you're dieting. teehee)

So, while I wait for my body to release --and it will, as one thing I've learned from Allan and the Challenges is that consistency pays off. Eat less, move more, it will budge-- I'll be practicing my rudimentary Japanese lessons and watching more fun anime and reading more fun manga and visiting more museums and doing more walking and just refusing to stop until I get to where I wanna be....in all sorts of ways....

Happy new month to everyone. SPRING IS ALMOST HERE...become new!

Day 17 of P5: Eh, didn't feel like blogging, but if you are eating the new McD's oatmeal, READ THIS....

Nice warm day with breeze. Hubby came home early so we picked up my car from body shop. He misplaced the insurance check, so we had to pay full and will claim that from Allstate.

Did my exercised. Went over 1200 by a bit (was so hungry after dinner and caved and had a 70 calorie protein hot cocoa to tell the stomach to shut up). Water is almost all in (2 cups to go).

I'm not feeling the blogging mojo, but I am thinking that some folks out there are touting how "healthy" the new McD's oatmeal is. Really? Ya think so? Well, I suppose in comparison to a lot of other crap one can pick up to-go in the am. But read this before you buy it, cause, really, how fricken easy is it to have oatmeal at home and really make it wholesome:

How To Make Oatmeal...Wrong 

Excerpt:

A more accurate description than “100% natural whole-grain oats,” “plump raisins,” “sweet cranberries” and “crisp fresh apples” would be “oats, sugar, sweetened dried fruit, cream and 11 weird ingredients you would never keep in your kitchen.

Since we know there are barely any rules governing promotion of foods, one might wonder how this compares to real oatmeal, besides being 10 times as expensive. Some will say that it tastes better, but that’s because they’re addicted to sickly sweet foods, which is what this bowlful of wholesome is.
...
The aspect one cannot argue is nutrition: Incredibly, the McDonald’s product contains more sugar than a Snickers bar and only 10 fewer calories than a McDonald’s cheeseburger or Egg McMuffin. (Even without the brown sugar it has more calories than a McDonald’s hamburger.)

Oatmeal is sure easy to make at home in a large (cheap still) quantity and put in the fridge and dole out for breakfast with a bit of a nuking. Heck, it can be made overnight in a slow cooker or while you're grooming. Easy. Don't need McD's to mess it up for ya...

Nite...

Day 10 of P5: Dozy Feeling, Still Want Your Response on Preferred Giveaway Item, and Delayed Date Night of NON-gluttonous fun with Pic (blurry, hah)...Scientific American article on Obesity and What Works Best (Scientifically) So Far....

Yawn. A Sleepy me on the scale--
Tanita-San: 220.8

Even though it's a low energy day, that cheers me up. That's almost 1.5 lbs since the weigh-in for the challenge last Saturday.

I want this week to show at least 2 lbs off at next weigh-in (and 2 lbs is great for me, means I'm doing what I need to, I'm not one of those 4 and 6 lbs a week megalosers). I always kid that I fall in the "average" zone for the Challenge, and Allan said the average loss the first week was around 3 lbs. Well, I fell into that average again. Middle me. Turtle Princess.

But that's okay, cause I know what happens when you string a bunch of 2 lb losses together. You get to goal eventually. :)

And when I began this blog in September, I was aiming for 1 lb a week loss. So, doing it twice as fast ain't gonna bum me out, I can tell you.

If you didn't reply about what type of giveaway item is your preferred, see the choices in the previous post and leave a comment there or here. Thanks.

We finally had our delayed date night (delayed due to an allergic reaction on my part). We went to Gulfstream park and, yes, I did not overeat. :) Every time we go out and I don't go nuts, it makes me feel ridiculously happy. Last year, the year before, the years before that, I would have stuffed myself to the point of discomfort; I would have had bread and butter,  appetizers, entree (or some of two entrees), dessert. I sometimes ordered multiple entrees and had some of several. Seriously....I was outta control. You don't get to 300 lbs unless you're outta control, people. You know it's true.

To have a modest meal, not feel stuffed, and enjoy myself...it's like a dream.

Blurry pic, sorry, hubby was holding it arm's length and I guess shook it a bit:

Princess and Her Prince at Racetrack Casino

Total opposite of my previous lip gloss. This is MAC Dazzleglass in "Utterly Posh"--a sorta peachy-goldeny transparent glittery thing. I am a Dazzleglass ho. MAC is a lip gloss-crack dealer, I swear. I own like dozens of them. I love the things. They may say after a certain, ahem, age you shouldn't wear the glittery shiny gloss. Too bad. I love em and will wear em when I'm 80 and dessicated  (if I live that long). heh.

Anyway, we stopped at Barnes and Noble on the way home (I wanted a cookbook) and I got a couple health/fitness mags and the new Scientific American, cause its cover boasted an article on "Scaling Back Obesity...What Science Says About Losing Weight And Keeping It Off". Well, they knew how to hook me, right?

It's about 6 pages of text and several illustrations. Basically, it shows that using techniques for behavioral change are (currently) the most effective for losing weight or keeping from gaining. The behaviors that correlatedwith a greater chance of losing weight and keeping it off are:

~~setting clear, modest goals
~~focusing on lifelong habits

Which they break down into

1. Initial Assessment-- what do you weigh/measure;how much do you have to lose; what are the things you're doing (or not doing) that caused you to gain weight; what rituals contribute to overeatingunderexercising. Getting professional help at this stage can be beneficial.

2. Behavioral Shifts:  This can include small changes, like taking the stairs or parking farther from destination and walking more. This includes the strategies at, say, a buffet table (studies show surveying it first, before serving, helps people put less on a plate).

3. Self Monitoring: weigh-ins, calorie tracking, logging steps taken. Some sort of system to let people know how well they are doing. Whether low-tech (paper and pencil) or high-tech (online monitoring).

4. Support Groups: "Being part of a group...lets participants share triumphs, bemoan setbacks, and stragtegize solutions."

Might wanna browse it at the bookstore or newstand.

And you can take their poll at  ScientificAmerican.com/feb2011/obesity-poll .


I think those of us who blog are already doing so much of that. We publish our weight and progress pictures. We talk about meal planning and our calorie counting. We log our exercise. We are accountable with regular weigh-ins or other monitorings (waist measures, etc). We join forums. We create challenges and form support groups in them.

I know that reading about the processes of change was helpful to me, cause it was bad behavior I needed to alter. Behavior ruled by emotions/stress rather than strategy or reason. A binge is not a rational act. It's an emotional one. It's also a habituated one (see THE END OF OVEREATING) that can be set off by what one intially eats (the fat/sugar/carb/salt combo).  Either way, it requires a change: some sort of new routine or act or plan that curtails binges or keeps them from occurring to begin with.

So it's a behavioral strategy I needed to curtail them/prevent them.

I find avoiding the deadly triumvirate helps immensely. I find distractions help. But whatever works, you have to learn to implement it fast and it has to become a habit. Like my habit now of drinking 2 to 4 glasses of fluids before I take ONE BITE of any meal or snack. Get the stomach full of fluids and it's harder to fill it with solids. :)  (And yes, there is a study that says drinking 2 glasses of water before eating means you eat less.)

I hate logging my food...but this is one of the most valuable "control" tools I have found, so, well, I do it. It's feedback. It's self-monitoring. I need it.

And a weekly weigh-in to which I'm accountable is important. And when one of us goofs up and others offer solutions (or I offer ones I found valuable), that's parto f the strategizing. We need this to learn. Maybe the strategy that works for you will work for me, vice versa.

Lifelong systems have to be in place or..yes...we will simply put the weight back on, which a huge/vast percentage of dieters DO. Even bariatric surgery doesn't guarantee lifelong success as the stats show. Just browse the web or youtube and see the people who've had multiple surgeries and still regain....

Gotta find the system that works for you and it will have to include a system that lets you eat better and, yes, sadly, LESS.

Anyway, if you've read any really good articles, tell us about it.

Day 7 of Phase 5 Challenge: The Christian Princess amidst the Hasidim Families on the Weekend of Love Pic, A Dearth of Teal for Big Gals, my V-Day Present (not what you'd think)....and not much else to report...other than it's nice not to feel Food F**kery!

Hubby took a pic of me last night at Jerusalem Restaurant. It's a kosher place where a lot of orthodox and Hasidic Jewish families go to eat Middle Eastern, Italian (including really good kosher pizza) stuff. Since they do dairy, no meat natch. But you can get assorted salads and things that I don't order there (knishes, the "pareve" fakey meats, etc). We went Saturday evenings (about 10pm) and the post-Sabbath crowd was there. (They get busy when they open after sundown.)

We were the only non-Jewish folks there last night, and Charles got some looks from the very young boys (with the  forelocks and yarmulkes) cause he didn't have his hair covered. The wives wear the wigs, and all the females wear sleeves and long skirts. I'm used to it. My brother lived in Brooklyn where there is a large, large community of Jews who keep traditional garb and kosher. And I've eaten at this Kosher place since hubby and I were newlyweds (and seen ownership change hands a lot, with quality bobbling from excellent when we started going to not-so-good to okay and around again).

One guy sported one of those impressive big fur hats (I don't know what critter the fur came from, and PETA would have a conniption, but it is beautiful fur, dark brown and silky, like the one in THIS PIC, only darker and prettier, really, as if it was new and a really good critter died for it) and a satiny overcoat with a black-on-black pattern.

(There was this place I used to love going to, a kosher Mexican place 5 minutes' drive away--though they are no longer kosher and we've stopped going since the quality went downhill--where you could get meat, but not dairy, so it was soya "cheese" and "sour cream" on the tacos/fajitas/burritos/etc. But the stuff was delicious and the meat so nice. One time we went during Hanukkah and got free one of those jelly donut things from a traveling group of Hasidim driving a HUGE HUGE mennorah with electrified "flames" lit up to the appropriate day. Loved those jelly donuts! And the good cheer. Everyone was celebratory.)

I must look like a total Jezebel ho to them with my decolletage and red lipstick and snug jeans, but really, I'm not. I'm a good girl. :) Here's one of the pics hubster took:

I was clearly having a good day, yes? And how much do I love this teal color?? One of my fave colors ever, but hard for me to find stuff that fits me in this color. Hard to find this color, period. (Edited to add: I notice uploaded on my 'puter, it looks less teal and more royal blue. Whatever...love it. Rich color and with my almost black hair, it's killing it!)

And here's my Valentine's Day gift from hubby:

Yep. He got his hair highlighted. He has (naturally) dark kinda-mousy blonde with silver (age will do this). He once gave me his hair all blonded up (golden wow-factor blonde) in 2007 as an anniversary gift. Big surprise. I loved it. He got oodles of compliments. Strangers gave him the eye; one woman at the airport told him he was very handsome. He didn't get that attention with dark/mousy blonde. People are weird. He's always been hot!  Heh. He let it go natural for a spell. Yesterday, he came come lightened up. I love it. He's got the Germanic/Hungarian pink-cheeked coloring and hazel eyes to carry off blonde.

Now my hair's darker, his is lighter....nice contrast, yes?


Okay, it's date night...so I gotta go get ready. It's nice to feel not "out of control". The hunger of a couple days ago has taken another vacation. I was at my brother's yesterday, and was able to eat maximum 250 cals even with much temptation (rice and beans, pumpkin soup, bread and butter, chocolate). I took fruit, my snacks, and just ate the lean protein available. Made my own decaf and decaf green tea. Went fine. :)

Wishing you a really beautiful Sunday free of FF and full of cheer and health and good company (cause love is a lot more than just romantic love). Valentine's Day is for lovers and those who are loved in all sorts of ways... imo. Enjoy it!

Day 2 of Phase 5: Where I had a nice whoosh, where I am not looking forward to the "strength" portion of our regimen, and where the itch-that-will-not-leave makes me think, "hmm, should I just buy enough CortAid to fill up a bathtub and wallow?", chatting with a Mexican Restaurateur...and why I'm glad I never went on ACTOS....

Tanita-San: 223.0

I was hoping to be 224 even today. My body decided to surprise me. Okay!

That's 76 lbs down.

I am slathered in all sorts of anti-itch creams. Whatever toxin those babies pumped into me when they bit (unless I have some sort of weird disease of which I am not aware), the itch will not leave. It's making me a little cranky! The big ugly hot-pink bumps aren't attractive, I confess, and that makes me crankier. If this doesn't quell soon, I'm gonna have to visit the dermatologist, who last saw me August last year, when I had some bad heat/MSM rash.

Ate fine yesterday. Water fine. Lots of caloric burn via exercise (no doubt the cause of previously mentioned nice surprise.)

I looked over today's challenge exercises. Imagine my shudder. ; )  Looks really tough. And I have sore triceps already from yesterday's workout.....onward! No fear! (false bravado)

Had a chat with the owner of our fave Mexican restaurant when I went there after Pilates to get a grilled chicken on organic mixed greens salad. (I ate half the salad, have half for today.) Mentioned how it's hard to eat out these days for me, so I don't go out every night like we used to and so haven't been there as often. Chatted about what was on plan, not on plan.

He mentoned their expansion for April (they are taking over the area next door) and how he plans to have breakfast options. I asked, "Any diet friendly?" He said they'd have egg white omelets with spinach/veggies and goat cheese, mentioned some other things. I said, "Well, as long as they can be prepared to order for dieters, like with minimal oil, dry veggies--not grilled in oodles of oil first--easy cheese,etc."

I mentioned this--though I did not tell the following to the owner-- cause one of the cooks there--and I know for a fact, cause I speak Spanish and heard him grumbling once when I made a "diet request" order--grumbled about special requests and why y people can't eat it the way he makes it.  Here is what I had asked that time: grilled chicken burrito with no rice or sour cream added to it.  Hardly a huge deal, right? In fact, they save money not giving me two items, no? The burrito was a new added item, a stuffed version that I had there months ago, as they tended to stick too more traditional stuff, and they still don't do cheddar cheese or regular sour cream--they use queso fresco and "table cream" which is very liquidy almost--nor do they have "crispy tacos" only soft ones. Killer fresh-made fire-roasted tomato salsa.

That grumbly cook had left a rather unpleasant feeling--if you're gonna grumble, don't do it so loudly that customers hear, right?-- and I didn't go back to eat there for several weeks.

Anyway, the owner was pleasant about it and made no indicaton that such requests were problematic (it, less cheese, less oil, etc). In fact, turns out he's pals with my R.D. :) Small world.

There's one of those legal commercials on now about ACTOS (a drug) and how it can cause X and Y and how you might have a claim.  I remember how several years ago, when I was adding on the poundage like mad, and the endocrinologist was talking about putting me on Actos. She talked about how promising it was for patients like me with Metabolic Syndrome, as it improved more than blood sugar.

I said I wanted to lower my blood sugar on my own. I changed how I ate and over the next few months (though I only lost 5 lbs), I got my sugar in the normal range. Changing the composition of meals (eating BETTER, not eating sugar, eating whole grains instead of refined, adding cinnamon, etc). Just goes to show how potent diet is, even if you are still overeating and not eating perfectly. It's powerful stuff.

I'm glad I didn't take that drug--now that reports of its increasing risk of heart failure has been reported. And I wish I could get off all the meds I take, but the only one I have control over is the high blood pressure (which dose has been cut in half last month due to my weight loss and I'll soon be off it, yes!)  I have to take the thyroid ones (or I'll die). I have to take the asthma/allergy ones (or I cannot function, cause my nose will run, my asthma attacks will increase, my eyes will water, my nose will stuff up, and it'll be like having permanent case of a cold.....).

But what we can control....that we should. Hm...right? :D

So, I'm craving some green tea....later. Happy Challenging!

Day 22 of Phase 4 Challenge: Laughing Like Mad, Motivated Like Crazy, Happy as a Total Loon, Reducing BP Meds, Excellent Labwork from early Dec, and a new week on P4, with New Exercises-- & The Stair Exercises...Yikes..My Knees are Looking At Me With Despair! Hah!

Scale: Holding at 228.8

Yesterday:
Calories: 954
Exercise: Walking, some stair-climbing, some salsa dancing
Mood: Unbelievable! Like I got dosed with happy juice!!
Hunger: practically non-existent


(I thought I had had a bit more at dinner out, but when I calculated it on SparkPeople, it was well below. I was being supercautious at dinner not to overdo, and I guess that worked.)

Since we had such fun walking on the Broadwalk Saturday, I said, "Let'g so again." Hubby suggested the Gulfstream Race Park (has a casino and "village" of shops and restaurants.) I balked just a bit, then said, "Okay, let's do it."

It was GREAT. I've never gambled in a casino or slot machine. I still haven't. We pretty much just enjoyed the uncrowded village streets, wide and comfy staircases that my knees tolerated, the breezy race track area, and we did our walking. Then we danced. To a live band. Under the stars with a great breeze swept in from the East (smelled like the ocean), and Orion peeping down when the scattered clouds parted. Ooooh, yeah!

It's been a long time since we just danced to live music. OH MAN, was that fun!

The band played salsa and Reggaeton, and we danced to two looooooooooooooooooong salsa tunes till I thought my breath would kill me, then I semi-danced to a Reggaeton by myself (between salsa tunes, to catch my breath a bit). F.U.N. FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNNN. And romantic. And I laughed and laughed all over that race track.

I turned to hubby and said, "Do you feel it? This is like when we were dating. This is great."

He agreed. He siled non-stop (well,  except to chew food). I think he was happy to have his wife back in upbeat, energetic, "youthful" form.

I've been waking up cheerful and going to bed after having laughed a lot. I am noticing a lot more cheer and laughter in general in my days. It's a delight to face the day now, not a chore. My body doesn't feel lke lead. It feels lighter and sprightlier, even while still severely obese.

I think the regular walking is doing me a world of good.

No tiredness. Just some exercise, sweat, and a ridiculous amount of chuckling, guffawing, giggling, smiling, and all-out belly laughter.

No hurting feet, though my bad ankle did feel it a bit this AM. And my hips are always painful when I start up moving, then they ease up.

We had dinner there, in an outdoor patio setting with twinkly lights on the palms.

I told hubby I wanna go back next Sunday night if the weather is clement and do it again!

Today was the appointment with doc to check on the blood pressure meds issue. In the office, I came to 105/68 in one arm; 106/63 in the other. She cut my low dose in half, and I'll check to see if that keeps me in range or still too low, and then I proceed accordingly. She thinks that as I continue to lose, I may not need it in a month or two. I got mega-kudos for the loss since last visit. Hurrah.

Got my labs: For the first time since I stopped taking statins due to them damaging my muscles/liver, my cholesterol is under 200, triglycerides are really low, HDL is high. The LDL is a smidge-smidgen over range, but I suspect that's the good LDL (the fluffy kind) from lower-carbing back in November (I had the labs done in early December). My numbers should be even better NOW.  Will find out in a few months.

So, all in all, things are great as we enter the fourth week of the fourth phase of the DDDY Challenge.

Plan for today: drink my water, begin new strength-training exercises (whoa, stair stuff!!!), and stay at or under 1200 calories eating soundly.

Let's do it. Let's make this a week that gives us vigor and kills some fat.

Happy Monday!!!!! (First month of the year is waning....how are the resolutions?)

Day 12 Spawn of DDDY Challenge: Where I missed a day of blogging, got new bras and undies (in a smaller size) and hit the salt again, cause, you know, it's my weakness, hunger when water is delayed..... food/fluid log

Scale: 238.2

Was out and about Friday and made up on lost sleep today, hung around with hubby, did some shopping--finally got the new warm blankets and throws, got a hoodie and sweater for me, and got myself measured for new bras to fit my shrinking tatas and body. So, missed blogging Friday.

Since I had an endocrinology appointment, traditionally, we hit the Greek place next door. It was my breakfast. That meant a lot of sodium--feta, kalamata olives, tzatziki, stuffed grape leaves. I stayed under my caloric allotment, but expected a sodium uptick, as I had Greek twice (took half of my veggie gyro home and had a greek salad, small, to go with it for my second meal). I made sure to get in fruit to get nice postassium to balance some of that sodium, which I think did help, as the weigh-in was minimally up, as opposed to 2-5+ pounds up.

Calories yesterday: 1651
Breakdown: 40c/40f/20p (crazy!)

I had too much fat (double the ideal, really), but feta and Greek dressing alone adds up pretty fast. I had very little fiber (dang) and a whole lotta sodium. Not my most balanced day, though I got 7 servings of fruits/veggies and a good amount of protein.

Anyway, the tatas are now 44DD. I was really surprised about the DD. I was wearing D's, then those got big. But I got measured at Lane Bryant, TWICE, as I insisted she had to be wrong. hah. I tried the 44DD and it was snug but fit fine. I do wonder how big the puppies must have really been in those D's when I was 299+. Anyway, got a few bras and undies, as the ones I have now are just not supportive and, in some cases, ridiculously loose.

Most of the stuff I tried on, I had to go back for the smaller size. I kept estimating wrong which one would fit. A nice problem to have. I got a sweater in 18/20. Most of the stuff didn't appeal to me or just didn't suit, so I'm hoping by the time I need to get more outfits, they have a nicer selection. Pretty blah inventory yesterday. Anyone else disappointed with Lane Bryant's current offerings?

My skinny jeans that I started wearing last month are now being held up with a belt. The waist is too loose. Heh. And I put on a top and kept staring in the mirror as it really looked slimming on me (one I bought a few weeks ago and it was snug, just right now). Hubby commented numerous times on how I looked decidedly leaner. I think because the waist/belly finally stopped resisting and losses were showing there, that made a difference.

If anyone were to experiment with the water, I'll tell you what's gonna happen: You'll be really hungry if you don't drink it.

Now, don't get me wrong. I was NOT being rebellious or smug. I simply had a 35 minute drive on I95, and when I drink the usual water with breakfast, I end up haing to go every 20 to 30 mins. As anyone who drives a highway in a largish metro area knows, an accident or delay can happen unexpectedly. The LAST thing I wanted was to pee my pants on the way to the doctor. I still shudder to remember the horrendous nastiness of an impromptu but VERY necessary drop-in to the KFC bathroom last week. Pee didn't get on my pants groin, but I stepped in a puddle of pee and got it on my pants hem. Washing one's pants leg and lifting one's leg to dry it in a hand-blower in a cramped public bathroom is DISGUSTING!

So, I forewent the water (figured 'd catch up in the afternoon when I was not driving everywhichway). And I was HUNGRY.

But I didn't whiz on myself, and that was worth it.

It was a real hard effort not to polish everything off in the Greek place and then ask for more and eat hubby's as well. I kid you not, my appetite was on INSANE. I drank water there, had decaf x2, ordered an iced tea (yes, all three ordered at once just for me, which made the waitress go hmmm?) But it does catch up to you. I felt hungry a lot yesterday and I know it was the delay in getting the agua. Do not try this--unless you also can't pee your pants on the highway or something.

Today is fine. Had my water with breakfast and do not feel nuts. Niiiiiiice. :)

I'm gonna send Allan today's weigh-in, cause if we head out to enjoy the city tomorrow, I don't wanna forget and miss the deadline.

I hope my challenge-mates are rocking the calories and water. Happy Weekend, people!

Food Log:

Breakfast:
2 jumbo organic eggs fried in 1 tsp Smart Balance
1 cup fresh mushrooms sauteed in water with 1/4 cup onions and 1/4 cup fat free mozzarella
2 slices lite 7-grain toast with 1 tbsp whipped Smart Balance and 1 tsp Smuckers orange marmalade
2 cups coffee
8 glasses of water
calories: 450
fluids: 80 oz

Lunch:
1 serving Buitoni mushroom agnolotti (leftovers from earlier in the week) topped with
1/2 cup fat free mozzarella
1 (roughly) cups worth of asparagus and a tossed salad made with: 2 cups iceberg, romaine, and mixed baby lettuces, red/green/yellow pepper strips, cucumbers, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1 tsp EVOO, oregano and 2 TBSP shredded parmesan
2 cups decaf
6 glasses water
calories: 756
fluids: 64 oz
calories so far: 1206
fluids so far: 144 oz (requirement met)

Dinner:

Total Calories:
Total Fluids: