First Day (as Julie said), Clean Slate. Sore and Psyched! It's my choice. I choose to do it! WE CAN DO THIS!

Okay, so as the previous post explained, I'd been something of a mess with my eating off-plan.

Sunday: 184.8
Monday: 184.0
Today: 183.4

My saving grace yesterday after the truffle disaster was that I did 1 1/2 hours of exercise--strengthening, stretching, and walking.

Today, I'm nicely sore--especially inner thighs, back, upper abs, side.  This makes me happy. :D

Good timing for Gillian Riley's newsletter. It was in my inbox when I checked my mail. She has a new book, DITCHING DIETS, but it might simply be a recap of stuff she has in her other books, such as EATING LESS. If anyone knows whether this has new information and is worth Kindle-ing, let me know. (NOTE: I am adding this as I noticed it's a new version of BEATING OVEREATING, the book by Gillian with the orange cover. You may already have it. It may have new info, not sure, but the first 6 chapters have the same titles, so the basic info is surely identical to the "orange" book.)

For those who haven't visited her site or who want to get her newsletter, go here.

And for those who don't know what a meal plan that's calorie controlled might look like, here's an example of a 7-day plan, gluten free, at 1400 calories.

I want to make something clear. My 183 lbs now is not my 183 lbs a year ago, when I was working out. This is 183 lbs after 6 months of inactivity. Fat has replaced some muscle. My body LOOKS different naked. I'm lumpier in the waist and hips and my legs aren't as well-shaped with walking and Pilates muscle as they were a year ago at the same weight. I can feel and see the difference in my mirror. And yes, I do a "Nekkid Check" every day.

Here are pics in form-fitting wear I took an hour ago. The increased torso/belly girth and hip lump are evident:

These are my accountability photos. Sometimes, you just gotta LOOK and SEE. Like it or not.

I am well-stocked with goodies. Collards. Romaine. Strawberries. Blueberries. Kiwi. Yams. Lemons and Limes. Papayas. Broccoli. Nectarines. Cucumbers. Watermelon. Honeydew. Peppers. Apples. Decaf Green tea. Coffee. New refill filters for the water pitcher that I got back when I needed to drink gallons for Allan's challenges. I've slacked on water intake, ya know?

I have chicken breast defrosted for supper.

I do need to visit the store for some of my pastured eggs, organic egg whites, turkey, mushrooms, shredded low fat cheese for my breakfast eggs and salads, Greek yogurt, baby spinach, potatoes, tomatoes, celery, and carrots. Maybe some rainbow chard and baby bok choy, both of which I really like lightly sauteed.

With that, I'll be well-stocked against temptations. It's best to have the house overflowing with GOOD options, to cut back on the lure of bad ones.

My hope is that  Sunday's weigh-in will make me smile. Anything lower on the scale and higher in motivation is welcome, right?

Right. I can do this. I really can.

WE CAN DO THIS.

WE REALLY CAN!!!

OK, let's kill it today. We believe. We move. We choose properly. WE CHOOSE. Remember that

Every bite and every sip and every step--we choose it. We decide it's what we'll do or not do, eat or not eat. WE CHOOSE.

Be well...

Like I didn't have enough stress: The car, the carbs, and the caterwauling....oh, and the VITAMIX!

With the other stuff going on, with my jangled sleep, this I did not need.

What, you ask? Well,  my car did some wonky stuff Wednesday evening. Scared the crap outta me.  I had to park and call hubby to get the organic goodies in my stead on the way from work.  Waited for roadside service to tow it to dealer. Yeah, see me jump around with nerves.

Thursday and today, lots of phone calls, internet research, and near-to-hollering to get a problem fixed that seems to be discussed much for my model/make/year. Spoke to various GM c/s folks (I'm assuming in India, given accents, which is fine, me loves da Indian folks and you can't fault their language skills and courtesy!), and the local service manager, and got assigned to a district representative, as I'm getting heated in the brain as this progresses.

My Bronx gal resurrected after a whole day and a half of polite and informative and patient being on hold, talking to people, explaining over and over the weird malfunction. Being told, "Car is fine."

Excuse me? Fine? Yeah, right.

Basically me going all Bronx Princess: "You are keeping the car until it's fixed. You are going to find the issue. I wil not DIE on the highway cause you won't fix the issue. It's a defect and you need to fix it. FIX THE DAMN CAR! Cause if I die, my hubby is under orders to sue the whole lot of you and be a fabulously wealthy widower!"

Looks like it might get fixed. :D

But I actually just bawled at one point today with hubby--cause, hey, who can you bawl with if not your beloveed?-- which is NOT me, and it's probably cause it was stress upon stress, worry upon worry, and I needed a good bawl since I refused to have a bad binge. It was one or the other. Cry or eat. I cried.

Still, I caved to the starch. Starch sends all those calming chemicals to the brain and all.

The stress led me to hit the rice, the cassava, then the rice again in the last 24 hours. I did NOT binge. I did not surpass 2000 calories, but hey, it's starch and a heckuva a lot of salty stuff with the start (ie, I dumped rice in egg drop soup; I had take-out boiled cassava so salty I think my kidneys screamed).

So, I'm totally afraid to hit the scale. Which I will on Sunday...but er.....er....

I did get more walking done, as without a car, I had to walk to my Pilates session or lose the moolah. (They need 24 hour cancellation and one session is $72, which I was NOT about to toss down the drain!)  Session went great. Was hard. And being all warmed up from the walk ended up being a plus. As long as the weather is beautiful (before the big rains and humidity strike in Miami), I may just walk there....

In other news: I got me a VITAMIX. OMG, this sucker is expensive. OMG. Seriously. Expensive.

Still...I am expecting it to last 10+ years.

I got it cause I loved seeing BETH at OBESITY STRIKE --see my blogroll for the link-- do her smoothie and other things in it. It sounded yummy and healthful. So, I  invested in it and I hope to learn to make the smoothies, "ice cream", and soups with fruit, veggies, and greens. I'm kinda clunky in the kitchen, so I'll have a bit of a learning curve, but the simple berries and banana smoothies are notably more delicious in this than my old blender. It's just mixed to a wonderful consistency like pro smoothies. Me likey dat a lot.

Well, not so inspiring here with my bawling and starching, but this happens, and we'll get through it. It's funny how I can handle some emergencies--all those awful years when mom and dad were ailing and dying, school stuff, work stuff-- and stressors pretty well, but car trouble...it's always one of my bugaboos. Always has been. I guess cause I know squat about cars so have nothing to actually DO other than call for help.... ; )

Happy weekend to all. Be well.

Ready for Summer Update: After Week One, noticeable scale progress for me, the snail.

Tanita-San: 178.6

waist: 34.5

Initial challenge weight: 182.4
waist: 35

Goals:
I exceeded my mini-weight-loss goal of the week. I'm sure there's water loss due to cutting back on starches to one serving a day--again. :D
I fell short on cardio by one.
I met the strengthening goal.
I didn't meet caloric goals every day, but stayed close enough for progress.
Fluids: fine.
Except for one day, I met my "one starch a day goal".
I met the mini-challenge set by our leader. :D See below.

All in all: a good week. Very good. :) And all this during major stress. Maybe it's the stress burning some calories. I can feel my heart racing sometimes during the day. Yeah...

Mini-Challenge: new freggie~~

I had Japanese sweet potato in my organic coop, so I prepped it very simply. I boiled one. I didn't salt or butter or oil it. I scooped it out of the water, put about a half-cup's worth on a small plate, and tasted it. And, I really, really like it. It's like a nicer version to my recollection of Cuban sweet potato (boniato; batata). My middle sis loved boniato; I did not. But mom sometimes made it assuming I liked it. "No, mom. That's Balby who likes it." I haven't eaten it in decades. But like the Japanese sweet potato, it has a chestnutty taste. Or rather, to me, as a kid, eating chestnuts while walking in the cold Bronx winter, roasted chestnuts tasted like...boniato. :D

I like the texture of the boiled Japanese Sweet Potato. It's pale-fleshed, not like the orange of our usual sweet taters. They really are nicely sweet, so really, needs not a single thing to make it enjoyable. If you like chestnuts, these should work nicely for you. I am grateful for anything I can enjoy PLAIN and BOILED as I hate to cook. Heh.

Get nutritional info for it here.

My own goals for this week are the same for exercise and fluids and calories. I want to weigh in under 178 as my goal for next update.

The leader has asked us to do a new exercise as our mini-challenge for this week. Um, okay...gotta think about that. :D

On we go....

Week One, Ready for Summer: Mini-Goals for Refinding My Footing

Weight: 182.4
Waist: 35 in.

Goals Overall: See previous post.

This week's specific mini-goals:

Weight: lose 1/2 pound and get UNDER 182.

Exercise: to not miss a single one of the minimums, which means 2 strengthening and 4 cardio. And as a special mini-goal this week: stretch every day. I've had joint issues, and I think this will help. I did it Sunday and today. :D

Nutrition: I want to ease back on the way I've let too many starches creep back in. Back to only ONE serving a day, period. This may help again with appetite.

A challenge has been set for this specific week: Try a fruit or veggie or healthful dish that you've never tried before. 

Well, I've had a wide range of freggies having belonged to an organic coop for years. But I'm gonna go on the hunt for something. I can think of a few things I haven't tried (never had jicama or jerusalem artichoke, for instance). I'll see what Whole Foods can show me in this regard. Or I will just find a recipe and TRY that. It's something I kinda see as an adventure. :)

Oh, let's just call yesterday's post the E2E Midweek Update #11, Shall We?(with some more pics, so are you sick of seeing my face yet?)...and a "hug and thanks" to Casey for the Yerba Mate and lil gifts...

It pretty much summed up the week. Weigh-in yesterday was 180.8 and today was 182.0, which makes me roll my eyes at myself at the massive sodium ingestion last night. Now and all I need to add is the quotes. So, just think of this post as adding up to yesterday's  and it sums up my update (midweek).

"The ability to discipline yourself to delay gratification in the short term in order to enjoy greater rewards in the long term is the indispensable prerequisite for success." 

~~Maxwell Maltz

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ~~Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

 

Now, I'm off to finish shelling the organic English peas that were in my coop. And I get to try yerba mate for the very first time ever (thanks, Casey!) Paraguayan, no less.

Here, some pics from today:

My "sides" I took with me to the restaurant I
usually hit up after Pilates. Sweetener, coconut water,
supplements, a few small sliced tomatoes (this place
tends to have lousy 'maters), and a sliced organic orange for dessert.

Post-Pilates messy, but happy to be stretched out
and warm-muscled after this weird neck spasm
that hit me yesterday (ouchie) while grooming.

Shelled and unshelled peas...

"Sunshine" souvenir on a Stormy Day:
Gifts from Casey, a sweet Challenger!
Yerba Mate, anyone?

I am not doing as well as I'd hoped by this time of the week. It vexes me that I have this "block"...this setback. But, I plug on. This too will pass...  I am cheered, always, by the kindness of comments and the occasional generosity of fellow fatfighting bloggers who mail cool things to me! Besitos!*

Be well...

*"lil kisses" in Spanish

Day 31 of 84 in the StSC: Restaking Lost Ground, Grooving Again, Went Swimming in a REAL (not kiddie) Pool, My New Bathing Suit... Go eat a PLUMCOT, and Finding my Cheer Again!

Tanita-san: 189.8

So back in the 180s after some weight weirdnesses and a wacky week of moods and non-bingey overeating. I'm sure all the exercise yesterday helped. I had my Pilates session, which was slightly restrained due to some breathing issues. (Allergy-related, as I'm fine indoors, but get some small attacks when I go outside. Minor, but annoying.)

Then after Pilates, I checked the pool hours, saw they had night swimming back. So, hubby and I spent an hour padding and jumping about and otherwise having wet fun. It was really pretty to be there as the sun went down with big looming fluffy clouds and palm trees. Nice. Reminded me a bit of our honeymoon way back when.

I may try to do the pool thing once a week. I hated how my hair felt afterwards and did a protein and deep condish to get my silky status back. :)  Hubby had fun, too, so once a week should be doable.

No pics, as they don't allow cameras there. But I wore a new--very cheap--bathing suit, once piece. Not a swimdress. Just a regular once-piece.  See the pic at right. The fit at the bottom was perfect. I could have used a lot more room for "the girls", but adjusted the best I could. I let my crinkly thighs and saggy butt be out there, and whoever didn't like it, tough. I put on waterproof lip stain (RED) and wore my Chacos sandals (so I didn't have to be barefooted in the shower room and risk fungus). To and from the pool, I wore my FILA tennis skirt, and quite frankly, I looked cute. Hubby complimented me.

It's nice to feel like a cute girl sometimes, right?

Oh, while I remember: GO EAT SOME PLUMCOTS. Lord, they're so good this year. I want to eat 12 of them at one go, but I limit myself to two per meal or snack. So delicious. I want to weep with joy when I bite into one. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. The peaches/nectarines/apricots/plums have been very nice, but the plumcots are INSANE!!!! ::spits out a pit as happy tears trail down the Princess' cheeks::::

And on a personal "positive" note: I noticed I was cheerful again, not just at the convention, hyped by the atmosphere, but in general. The way people respond, including the kids at the pool, made me realize my big grin was back in force and I had pushed my anxieties and concerns to the back of my mind enough to just be happy again. Sometimes, compartmentalizing ain't bad.

I feel like such a doofus that I did the Monday update for the challenge and forgot to add my linky to Debbi's list. Duh, me. Sorry to my fellow challengers about that.

I hope that we can all re-invigorate (well, those of us who had bobbled a bit) and see the full 12 weeks through. Some weeks won't be ideal, but progress is progress. Let's hang in there and make it a summer of transformation.

Well, I'm off to glug my fluids and figure out what to do exercise-wise as the cloudscape is mighty scary.

I wish you a happy and healthy Wednesday.

Day 22 of 84 in the StSC: Week Recap--and it wasn't a perfect one--with Challenge Weigh-in, Assorted Blather...and Mango Love!

Okay, so I had a busy weekend, and part of that busy-ness meant I really slacked on my strategies.

Yesterday, Tanita-San said: 189.8

That makes a change of -1.4 lbs off for the week.

However, yesterday was hubby's birthday party, and while I had no candy, cake, or assorted junk food, I had too much cheese and too much fruit--yeah, for someone like me who needs to monitor carbs, there is such a thing as too much fruit--and half a cup of homemade lower-cal potato salad and no-sugar, no-gluten, low-carb cookies. I was very moderate with my meat and condiments. But, well, there ya go. I done not so great.

Yeah, I overdid it. The scale is the proof. Today: 191.8 . That's 2 lbs up of carb and salt bloat. I will have to battle this back this week if I intend to make progress for next weigh-in. Pain in the keister. Geesh.

My goals and how I did this past week:

Weight: I was on target for the week with the loss, but not for the challenge. I should be 6 pounds down as of Sunday, and I'm only 5.2 as of Sunday. So, after this bloat is gone and I see if there is any lingering damage, I have to play CATCH UP!

Calories: I went to the max of 1400 several days and went over 2 days (yes, the weekend). One day was 2000 cals. Holy smokes! Well, I've had a great eating streak, and I was bound to eff up. Here it is. I effed up. And I don't plan to do it again as of today. Yes, I tracked calories. I do it automatically in my head if I don't do it online or in a notebook. So, some days I did it online, some jotted down, some in my head (if I'm out of the house a lot). It's just a habit now. I count. Always. Even if I can't perfectly measure. Like Debbi, I'll round UP if in doubt about the actual portion weight/size.

Exercise: Not this past week. I only strength-trained ONE day (instead of goal of 2x). I did meet half of my goal of trying 2 new exercises The kiddie pool exercise. hah. No work on push-ups due to knee still healing (bruises are faded, but knee still is unstable.) I had to curtail walking due to knee issue, and then this weekend, stormy weather kept me inside, but I was able to resume. Glad for that.  Hopeful to be able to walk normally this week.

Fluids: About the only perfect thing this week.

Prayer: I missed a couple days. I know, how could I? Sorry.

Encouragement: Yes, I encouraged some challengers. All, no.

Today is the "Mind back in the game" day. Today is the last "milestone" June day for hubby and me. The 29th anniversary of the day we first said "I love you" to one another. It's a day I hold very dear and have very sweet memories of. No celebrating out of the house, but, well, a good day to get back on course, as it's a day about love. And love of health and self should play its part.

I had my coffee, tea, more than half my water, had my spice-rubbed grilled chicken with organic mixed lettuce salad, 1/4 cup of guacamole, 1/2 a tomato, and my blackberry/strawberry dessert is waiting. Dinner is already made--a beef stew with carrots and onions and taters. Taters are mostly for hubby (who needs to keep weight on). I'll have mine with some mushrooms and cauliflower on the side (unless it's no longer yummy, gotta see if it's still fresh). Otherwise it'll be zucchini. I just got some today. :D

I will likely have papaya and mango for my fruit with dinner. Brother's mango tree was just full of the things, and I brought 9 mangoes home to use this week. My fave fruit. Since childhood. I'd get so happy eating those in my panties, sitting on newspaper (to keep me from staining my clothes). Sucking away on the huge pit. Man, I loved me my mangoes. Very high in sugars, but, hey, I ain't eating bread/pasta/etc, so I'm having my beautiful tropical treat and feeling all of 9 years old again. Um, not naked or on newspapers, but still full of joy. Fruit joy. I can't give it up. :D

Happy new challenge week. My prayers and best wishes for health and success are sent to all my fellow-fatfighters. Off we go....

Hot flash, Wee bit more Weight Off , and Gots no Appetite--which I love--and Easy Baked Apple With Walnut Butter,

Tanita-San: 195.0

That's 1.6 pounds down from Sunday's official bloggy and P5 weigh-in. Hope to make it to 2 round pounds by Sunday. The body is weird. Who knows?

Been having occasional hot flashes again. Just spontaneously get the "I'm on fire" feeling and then break out in a total body sweat. Lovely. May be due to estrogen stored in the fat cells that are being tapped.

Glad the flashes aren't as common these days as during transition to menopause. I just went and doused my head in cold water and the cooling effect of my curls drying off is reviving.

I am glad my appetite is nearly non-existent. Yesterday, even after Pilates, when I generally wanna eat a nice big breaking-of-fast meal, Meh. Not hungry. So, I drank water and didn't eat.

I walked at 8 pm. Meh. Still not hungry.

So, I drank water while I got ready hubby's supper. After I had him taken care of, I went and scrambled some eggs with chorizo and peppers, sliced a tomato, drizzled it with EVOO and tossed herbs over it, cut up some ripe strawberries and mango, and brewed some lovely gourmet decaf, and that, along with a few bits of hubby's turkey fricassee and mashed taters,  was my only meal. I had some sugar free pina colada custard (80 calories, 12 carbs)  from a local diet meals vendor for dessert. Done for the day.

Woke up. Not hungry. I've been up for 4 hours and still have no desire to eat. The hot flash didn't help. ; )

Anyway, I'm gonna go have a chicken salad that's in the fridge. I have no appetite, but I do want to build muscle, and that requires protein and nutrients, so off I go.

I may head to the farmer's market for a couple Rome apples. Hubby loved the baked apple I made up quickie in the nuker for him the other day (served with sugar-free low carb vanilla ice cream). I may make it again. Easy: Peel 3/4 of skin (so top and middle are bald and bottom is "dressed"), core, then stuff the core with walnut butter, place on nukable bowl or plate that has a bit of water on the bottom, sprinkle liberally with true cinnamon, nuke for like 4 minutes or to the texture you like. If you like yours sweeter than the apple's sweetness, sprinkle with Splenda or add some honey or whatever sweet thing is your fave.

 Hubby loves it. It's a fruit. Has fiber. I love walnut butter and cinnamon. We're both happy. Hooray!

Don't you love it when something EASY to make and healthful is a nice dessert? Baked apples rule!

Happy Friday, folks. Make it a health-promoting weekend! Go swim or something.. ; )

Still struggling with the mood/sleep, but I will conquer! Also, making breakfast a bit different than my usual (with pics). Sore quads from sprint bursts. Really? Two days after still? Nice. And the Push-Ups Proposition!!!!

Tanita-san was mean: 198.6
Wednesday was 198.0

I think the sleep disturbances and the higher salt yesterday are messing me up. I have found in the past--through blogging and weighing and analyzing--that when my sleep goes into the dumps I stall or gain, and when my sleep messes up, I crave salt. I have no idea why there is this connection. Maybe one of y'all out there know. But when I sleep poorly, I gravitate towards the salty.

I slept semi-crappy, and have only had two good sleep days this week--and yes, the turmoil in my mood and stress in my brain is contributing to this, but I also need to get me a new, more coddling mattress. I feel like someone stuffed a bunch of cotton into my cerebrum. Like I'm stupid. My husband has had to repeat stuff to me. I watch a program on tv and have to ask my husband what just happened cause I zone out.

Sleep is important!

I found a book I promised to review (and then lost in my clutter), and it's about MASTERING YOUR SLEEP, so it's time for me to sit, read, and see what I can apply. I am doing too well and a too happy with my current physical changes to have crap sleep and mood and stress sabotage me. Ain't gonna happen. I am putting on my warrior garb and fighting this until I'm sawing away in dreamland with sweet rest.

I worked on mood a bit yesterday, reading encouraging stuff, praying, and FORCING cheerfulness. If you suffer from depressive issues, you know that the last thing you want to do is...be active or be cheery. But since the brain is a mysterious thing and, whether properly shown in studies or not, facial expression CAN have a reaction to mood, I decided to smile up a storm, force laughter, watch comedy and otherwise fight the hell out of the lil blue aura around my head. I  am not WORSE for it, so I will continue to experiment with that. A cheerful face until it revives my normally cheerful heart. A positive thought plan until my optimism and positivity are unforced and natural.

May sound nuts, but if it works, don't care. :D

BREAKFAST:

I have become a creature of diet habit when it comes to breakfast. For me, eggs, veggies, fruit and coffee seem to be what works best for me to control hunger for hours and hours and to make me feel like I had stuff that was emotionally, visually, and mouth-satisfying. I like the colors, the textures, the flavors. So, for me, it's almost a given I'll make a veggie omelette (with cheese usually, and usually egg-white, though occasionally I'll use a whole egg), make fresh gourmet coffee (black and sweetened), drink lots of water, and have (optional, but usual) some fresh fruit. My fruit choice is usually papaya with lime squirted on it. My allergies like its decongestant properties and my tummy likes the enzymes. (I used to suffer from GERD. Not so much now.)

Today, I wanted to do something different with my egg/veggie things, so instead of an egg-white omelette , I took two boiled eggs and 1 additional boiled egg white, made an egg salad out of it with dijon mustard, lite mayo, chopped celery, chopped carrot, chopped scallions, and paprika. I spooned it into little endive leaves  Had to chop off a lot of the endive as it was, sadly, not in the most beautiful shape at the bottom. Tops were fine and crunchy. I made a mini salad of the leftover little endive center bits and cucumber, added a small bit of homemade dijon vinaigrette (EVOO, white wine vinegar, dijon mustard, pepper, stirred up).  It was fun. :) I still perfer omelettes, but this was a nice change and looked PRETTY on the plate! I served some papaya with lime on the side (see pic). I also took a fiber supplement with Chromium and my multivitamin.  Total calories: 369 per Sparkpeople tracker. (27 carbs, effective carbs 16g after subtracting fiber, and 19g protein).

That may be too many carbs for the low-carbers out there, so if you want to try it, of course, just leave out the papaya or have 1/2 cup instead. Or just some blackberries. :) I love enjoying the blackberries this month. So nummy!

Here are pics of a couple of typical breakfasts from this month, as well as today's.

Broccoli slaw and onion omelette with side of garlic mushrooms and blackberries

Greek Omelette (feta, peppers, tomato, onion, fresh oregano leaves) with spinach and mushrooms saute (EVOO) and papaya

Egg Veggie Salad, Cucumber salad, papaya

I ended up not working out at all yesterday. Dang. I felt like such a sluggard. Today, I am gonna use a Pilates DVD (since I missed it yesterday) and do my walk (if the weather permits). I think rest days are great, but two in a row is me risking going back to old, lazy ass ways. Can't let it happen. My quads are still quite sore. I find that even when all we do is a couple spurts of "All out, run for your life" half to a block long sprints (I wouldn't risk much more due to crappy knees), because I really GO GO GO for it, my quads will be sore the next day. I also did a few push-ups Wednesday (I still can't do them PROPERLY, which makes me nuts), so my shoulders/arms feel it a bit,  too. Can any of you ladies to 5 or 10 all out proper push-ups? I know some do (Dr. Fatty does oodles in TKD). But even when I was a skinny kid, I had no fricken pull-up or push-up ability. I could do all sorts of stuff the was lower body with ease, but chin-ups were beyond me, even as a normal weight teen.

One of my goals is to make it to 10 real push-ups by my birthday next year. Is that realistic? Dunno...but it's a goal! No modifications. REAL push-ups.  The Princess' Push-Up Proposition.

Have you set a fitness goal for your next birthday? What? Tell me!

Happy Friday!

Another drop, hoping to report 2 lbs off in tomorrow's weigh-in...Amazon.com sold out of Everyday Paleo and not in my local B&N...Sustainable Diet for Maintenance Later?...Broccoli Binge?...all on what is likely day 68 of Phase 5 (lost count)

Tanita-san= 210.6

So close to being in another "decade". Argh. Can taste it!

I rested yesterday to give my heat rash a break. Have one welt that is still crazy itchy and really pink, but I'm easing off using too much of the steroid cream. I'll grin-some and bear-it-some and see.

I was hoping EVERYDAY PALEO would be on its way to me next week, but when I went to order it (yeah, didn't preorder), it was out of stock at amazon. It was not available for Kindle or Nook. And my local B&N (I called) didn't have it.

So, I left it in my shopping cart and will order when it's back in stock. Maybe it'll have some more reviews available by then. Meanwhile, I will peruse the yummy recipes over at the EVERYDAY PALEO blog 

Hubby and I are moving towards fewer (in his case) to nearly no (in my case) grains and legumes and sugar, and Paleo/Primal/Primarian dishes fit that profile. It's easy enough for me to add some rice or potatoes or bread to his meals when he wants that, in lesser portions. I just mostly skip them altogether. And that's really easy for breakfast and lunch (as my dietitian's meal plans are quite happy with me having eggs/veggies and protein/salads for those meals.)  I do watch portions, measure, and don't go nuts with the fats.

It seems to be a sustainable diet (Primarian is what I'm doing with dietitian recommendation, /Paleo/Primal inspired sorta, but with dairy allowed as well as sugar free treats allowed), that maybe I can use on maintenance. I'm learning more and more about it NOW, cause when maintenance comes, I wanna be armed and ready. (Remember, target and weapons from that Warrior book?) I gotta get my weapons in a row.

And if a diet/eating plan is not sustainable, what's the point? If you can't KEEP eating in a way to maintain weight loss, why did we even bother to lose any weight? Right?

So, for me, I'm finding ditching most of the starch is not as onerous as I once thought it would be. (I had tried South Beach when it first came out and ATKINS shortly before, and hated doing both. I simply defaulted to a lot of processed, easy, low-carbing, and that isn't tasty). Primarian and Paleo/Primal IS tasty. This is hugely important.

It's dinner when I tend to crave starches (ya know, pasta, rice, potatoes, beans, yuca). The only starch I really miss at breakfast is oatmeal, and once in a while a nice bit of toast. Otherwise, I'm fine with veggie egg white omelettes or scrambles (or whole eggs occasionally) with fruit and java. Makes me feel good. Lotsa energy. No weird afternoon energy crashes since I ditched most (nearly all) starches.

I joke about how we don't binge on broccoli, but last night, I wanted to. I had two cups of steamed broccoli lightly sprinkled with parmesan, and it was so amazing, I wanted more and more. No, I didn't have more and more, but I WANTED TO JUST EAT buckets of the stuff. I didn't have any dessert or treat (sugar free or otherwise) last night. Just my unsweetened tea, broccoli, chicken, asparagus, and some carrot puree soup. I was happy. And happy with the scale. Yes!

Today's breakfast was my standby egg white omelette with organic spinach, mushrooms, onions and some Jarlsberg Lite Swiss and fresh papaya with squeezes of fresh lime juice, water, coffee. Satisfying.

I have leftover chicken for supper. Probably just throw some veggies next to it--maybe artichoke hearts and a broiled tomato-- or throw it on a salad. Not sure. I have it all spiced up with Shawarma spicing and may garlic it up even more. (Loooove garlic) If hubby wants a starch, he'll get some potato, likely.

I want to have a nice brisk cardio-walk with him later, when it's cooler, cause I don't wanna go another day without moving. Hopefully, the rash won't get all riled up again.

On to Sunday's weigh-in. Fingers crossed I can stay away from the sodium (that'll mess up a weigh-in but good) and report more than 1 lbs. I've lost 1.4, but I have to ROUND the number....If I lose a fifth of a pound or more by tomorrow, I can report a 2 lbs loss (rounded). And hey, if my body wants to be freaky and actually lose .6 of a pound, that'd be super. No rounding needed.

I hope your Saturday is going well and you're eating well and you're moving well and you're FEELING WELL!

Day 47 of Phase 5: Scale Says...Broccolini Love, Dancing and Singing Pre Breakfast, Feeling Good Despite Allergy Season's Atacks, What I did Last Night....What 3 Tips Would You Give an Obese Pal or Relative To Help Them FatFight?

Tanita-san: 216.0

Right back where I was last weigh-in on Saturday. So, the overage is gone and it's time to make progress. I honestly don't know any reason other than salt or muscle-inflammation from some extra walking/sun/exercise. (I do have an itchy heat rash since Hatsume fair...too much sun for this photosensitive/heat-intolerant gal.) But, back down and hoping I can report some dang loss this weekend to the fearless leader. I have been eating like an angel, so I had better see some result other than clothes/tape measure. :D

I'm gonna be on a bunch of topics today, since I may be out and about tomorrow and my sister's birthday party is Sunday.

Big Sis is Catholic and does no meat at all for Lent, so my niece is making a "mini Thanksgiving" with roast turkey and fixings. I will bring healthful stuff and I can go to town on turkey breast. Yeah! I may take some broccolini, as I'm currently addicted to it.

I love it with dinner protein and I love it with breakfast eggs/egg whites/omelettes. OMG, cooked up with a scosh of EVOO and some garlic and herbs, and that baby makes an egg white omelette SING! With onions (sweet) and mushrooms (baby bella, organic) and some Mrs. Dash extra spicy and original blend and a bit of garlic/herb blend (I love Mrs. Dash stuff now)...it makes my morning.

I have learned that it pays to make EXTRA veggies for dinner and just bag the leftovers to use in omelettes in the AM for a couple days. Do the same in restaurants. Get extra steamed or roast or grilled veggies and dump 'em in morning eggies. Simplifies life, adds nutrients, filling, fiber...flavor!

So, I'm happy. Energy is great. I feel...NOT OLD (and I like that feeling, until my knees remind me otherwise). Put on some Buck-Tick and then some Benjamin Gate (one cd is after the other on the carousel) and just danced for a bit before and during making breakfast. I had my new bra on (went down a size, so got 3 new bras yesterday) so the puppies were nice and comfy as I bounced around on bare feet. I felt...so good. :)

All that talk about how exercise and eating well makes for energy: It's not bullshit. Seriously, I have not felt as good as I do this year...in 2+ decades. I'm 51 and feel like I'm back in my late twenties, energy-wise. My husband is happy cause he has his "young wife" back... in terms of my energy, enthusiasm, laughter, and sex drive. (Vavoom!)

You wanna feel young again: eat well and exercise. It will astound you how you'll feel after a while. Amazing.

I do get stuffier on my walks these days. Miami is in allergy season. At this time of year, for decades, I'd get sinusitis/bronchitis. Since I started eating better and exercising, I don't get 6+ cases of bronchitis/sinusitis a year anymore. I haven't had bronchitis since...um...late fall of 2009. (Knock on wood.)  But I still take my inhaler and tissues on my walks. My nose will stuff up from the pollens, so I will have to restart Nasonex (which can give me nosebleeds when used regularly, so I take seasonal breaks.) I do take my Advair daily, Serevent, Zyrtec (actually, started using the Kirkland generic, ALLER-TEC, and it works great for a fraction of the price, recommended), nasal  saline rinses..daily..part of maintenance. My immune system is messed up...hyperreactive..so these are necessitities. But I function. Amen. Thank you, God, for science.

And so, here I am walking last night (with tissues in hand). Hubby is carrying my inhaler in his pocket, otherwise that would be in my hand, too:

Night-Walking with my faboo ASICS and DanskinNow top and Danskin Plus Capris

Last topic: If someone you know/like/love asked you for advice on how to get onto the losing weight bandwagon, and they said keep it simple, 3 tips they might use right away...what tips would you give? What gifts would you consider giving them to help?

I may post tomorrow on the tips I'd give (or Monday, not sure), but I'd like to hear what you would offer as the 3 simplest, most effective or helpful tips or gift for an obese loved one or colleague....advice or a gift basket or some creative way to get them going that incorporates the tips/strategies. How would you do it?

Okay, enjoy your Friday, a lot! (I wanna see SUCKER PUNCH, myself!)

Fight the good fat fight while having that fun!

Day 26 of the Phase 4 Challenge: Where there are 96 Days to Go and In Which I'm Feeling Lethargic...then don't feel lethargic and laugh and walk my way back to ENERGIZED!

Scale: 226.2

Whoa. Almost a pound down from yesterday....

I slept a lot. Eleven hours. I started feeling that little lethargy come in yesterday and it hit today. I go through those cycles. I will need to check my blood pressure to make sure that going back to less sodium hasn't plunked my pressure too low again. I did get woozy once yesterday.

Had only two meals yesterday (hit the sack and skipped dinner). I bought extra nice ingredients to add the to quality of my food. Breakfast was a Greek Omelette--2 eggs, egg whites, oregano, Mt. Vikos gourmet barrel-aged feta, a cup of cooked organic spinach, java, water. So good. It was only an ounce of the feta, but it was so tasty. Lots and lots of oregano. Mmmm. Crisp graps on the side.

Lunch/DinnerWhatever: Rotisserie chicken breast to which I added some spices, beautiful fresh asparagus sauteed in minimal EVOO with garlic, artichoke hearts with lemon juice and garlic. Cantaloupe and raspberries on the side.  I had a square of dark, sugar-free chocolate as a treat.

Since I didn't have my usual yogurt, I took calcium supplements, and magnesium.

Really delicious. I so enjoyed my food yesterday. The 866 calories tasted like a lot more, I can tell you, just by having spices and those quality and fresh ingredients, so many colors and bursting flavors. I was happy. Yum.

Hope the mango I got is good. I want to have it later for dessert.

A cold front came in yesterday, and the walk was pleasant with the cool win in my face.

I have no appetite right now. None. But I'm gonna go make a meal and hope that spurs the salivary juices.

Allan's email told us that there are 96 days left in this challenge phase. It feels like a long time...more than 3 months....but it will pass as quickly as this month has been passing. It's gonna pass ANYWAY, so might as well let it pass healthfully and end up trimmer.

I've slacked with the strength exercises. No excuses. Just have. It's on the agenda for today, but feel free to kick my butt over it. The lethargy took over....

Happy Friday, folks. Feel the freedom from fat coming? It's already partly here, right, but it's coming!

Update: Lethary has moved on. The walk helped oodles. The stairs...well, only made it to the third one though the pace was relatively fast. I got woozy. Getting cool in Miami and I love it!  Talked to my health insurance nurse (they check on me every 2 months), and she said I sounded great, upbeat, motivated and happy. I realize that I keep hearing this lately. I keep being told I look good, smile a lot, look happy and energetic. Hubby came into the kitchen yesterday, from where he was noshing in the living room, setting up our evening's anime streaming, as I was fixing my second meal,  and said, "I love hearing you laugh." He hugged me and was grinning. Yep...I was laughing in the kitchen. I've been laughing a lot. Even over the phone, the nurse sensed my joy. :D  I would not trade a binge for this. This is amazing, feeling like this.  While walking, the UPS guy shouted, "Looking good!" I've been getting some, um, male looks on my walk. Maybe I am looking good....maybe? ; )

Day 16 Spawn of SoDDDY Challenge: Where finally the body releases its fat hoard and Tanita-San grins at me, the veggie illusion pasta, and where I know I will not get enough sleep tomorrow so I'll go from Vampire to Zombie...

Another Spawny day was done and my calories ended at 1411   (49c/31f/20p).

After holding at the same weight a few days and being sodium-up a couple (frustrating a bit, yes), finally the downward whoosh:

236.8

That leaves me 20.8 lbs to lose to NOT be "severely obese" anymore and just "obese". Once you've lost 62 lbs, 21 doesn't seem as daunting. I'll get there.

I was actually surprised by a nice lower number since last night was pasta night. Hubby and I both looooooooooooooove our pasta marinara. Pasta/noodles are comfort foods for me. For sure.

I made mine with 3 cups of cooked zucchini, mushrooms, and spinach, filled a large pasta bowl with that big mass of veggies, then put the pasta on top (FiberGourmet, fewer calories, a bazillion fiber grams) then fat free mozzarella and sauce. It looked like a total binge amount of pasta, but was actually just the mass of veggies pumping it up.  My "veggie illusion pasta". Made my brain feel like I was being massively spoiled. I miss the tons of sauce and cheese I used to use, but my scale likes it better this way. Between the veggies and sauce, I got like 8 servings of veggies in one meal.

Tomorrow, lots to do to prep for holiday party, and one of the chores I have to do is get my car into the mechanic. This means that I will, essentially, not sleep much. I'm on vampire time, so I go to bed round 6 am. I have to get up early....I guess this means...3 hours sleep, maybe? I suppose I can crash and burn early, too.

I don't do well--scale-wise, food-wise, etc--when I miss sleep. This one is unavoidable. The brakes need tending to. And if I want my car back the same day--gotta go in early, then have things to do that are holiday related, so I can't come home and sleep first.

I'll just do my best not to freak in zombie-mode (different than vampire mode, really).

Hope others are having good whooshie days, fatwise. Stay away from the holiday junk. Have your healthful freggies. Enjoy the music and lights and smiles (there are smiles, right)

Later....

The Mirror NSV and The Co-op Bounty

1. The Mirror: Yep, I can see a difference, again. My trainer even mentioned, like three times, today. Arms, belly, hips. Noticeably reduced. In some positions, I can place my hands or arms closer (less fat in the way). I can squeeze my thighs together more tightly in legwork, as the fat in my inner thigh is reduced enough to allow me to bring legs closer. That was really, really hard 30 pounds ago. NSV happy jiggitty jig!

2. The Co-op: Glad it's pick-up day (gonna get showered and dressed after I blog this). Here's what is in my share (one full share, no add-ons this week):

.           Small Icebox Watermelon
·         Tiny Sugar Seckel Pears
·         Comice Pears
·         Fair Trade Bananas
·         Local FL Tangerines
·         Local FL Cucumber or Zucchini or Eggplant#
·         Local FL Grape Tomatoes
·         Scallions
·         Cilantro
·         Romaine Lettuce
·         Pablano Peppers
·         Hass Avocados
·         Spinach
·         Collards
·         Butternut Squash
·         Cauliflower
·         Broccollette

yum....

Hope you're drinking your water (challenge-mates, everyone) and eating within your caloric limit. Let's get the fat off!

~

My First Golden Kiwi, and Have You Ever Had a Sugar Apple?

Okay, so I'm back and had something to eat: 2 ounces grilled ground beef with onion and parsley, 2 falafel patties drizzled with tahini, hummus with half a pita, navy beans, two plums, and right now, am sucking the inner goodness out of a GOLDEN KIWI while 4 strawberries wait their turn.

Yum. I like these. I almost didn't bother cause I don't generally LIKE kiwi (the green ones). BUT, the lady who coordinates the local coop group said they were very sweet and delicious and BETTER than green kiwi.

I like em. Lots. Suck, suck, suck out the golden sweet innards. Mmmm.

Go here for a nice taste comparison with PICS.

So, while I'm slurpng fruity yumsiness, hubby tells me about some fruit a coworker was having. "I think it's called sweet apple, something like that." He describes it. I say, hmmm...and look it up. Show him the pic at this wikipedia entry: Sugar Apple.

Yeah, he says.

I say, "That's anon. I love the stuff. You can grow it in Florida. It's just been a while since you've seen me eat it." It's a fruit that just seems to show up rarely in my life, though it's yummy.  But it's one of my earliest memories of living in Florida. Getting one to eat from a relative we visited when I was 14, dark seeds against pale fruit flesh.

It's Sweet Sop. As opposed to one of my fave "juice" fruits: soursop.

Anyway, if you happen upon either in a farmer's market, given one or both a try. Lovely, lovey, lovely...strange fruit. :D

Now, if I could get up the nerve to try durian.